A speech input IVR asks a question and records the caller's spoken answer as text. In Edesy IVR Studio this is the Ask node: it speaks the question, waits for an answer, transcribes it in English or Hindi, re-asks if the caller is silent, and stores the answer under a key you name for later steps and reports.
Add a spoken question to your flow: Try Edesy IVR Studio — Rs 20 free credit on sign-up, no card needed.
Keypad vs speech: when to use which
| Question type | Better input | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed choice, 2 to 4 options | Keypad | "To confirm, press 1. To cancel, press 2." |
| Rating | Keypad | "Rate us from 1 to 5." |
| Number (PIN, order ID) | Keypad | "Enter your 6-digit order number." |
| Place or name | Speech | "Which city are you calling from?" |
| Open reason | Speech | "In a few words, why are you calling today?" |
| Free-form feedback | Speech | "What could we have done better?" |
Keypad input is exact and works on any phone. Speech handles answers that won't fit on 12 keys. For keypress basics, see what is DTMF.
How the Ask node works
- Speak the question in the chosen language (text-to-speech, with
{{var.name}}tokens allowed). - Listen for up to the wait time.
- End the answer when the caller pauses for the end-of-speech time.
- Transcribe the answer with speech-to-text.
- Re-ask (optionally with different wording) if the caller said nothing.
- Exit on answered or no answer.
Ask node settings
| Setting | Range / default | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Question key | lowercase letters, digits, _ |
Names the answer: city becomes {{answer.city}} |
| Question | text, with audio preview | One question, plainly worded |
| Language | English (India), English (US), Hindi | Used both to speak and to transcribe |
| Wait for an answer | 1 to 30 s, default 8 | Longer for open questions |
| Pause that ends the answer | 1 to 5 s, default 2 | Raise it for reasons and feedback; lower it for one-word answers |
| Re-ask if silent | 0 to 2, default 1 | Extra attempts before taking the no-answer exit |
| Re-ask prompt | optional text | Shorter and simpler than the original question |
| Expected words | comma-separated | Names, places and terms callers are likely to say |
Writing questions that transcribe well
- Ask one thing. "Which city?" not "Which city and which branch?"
- Hint the shape of the answer. "In one or two words, what is this about?"
- Use expected words for anything with spelling variants: branch names, product names, cities.
- Plan for silence. A re-ask prompt like "Sorry, please tell me the city name" gets a second chance.
- Don't ask for numbers by voice when the keypad will do. Digits are more reliable typed than spoken.
- Hindi: write the question in Devanagari or natural Hinglish, as callers speak it. Example placeholder from the builder: "Aap kahaan se baat kar rahe hain?"
Where answers go
- Call log: each answer appears on the IVR call log with the call's variables and recording.
- Status callback: for calls placed through the outbound IVR API, answers are included in the signed callback when the call ends. See the outbound IVR API guide.
- Later nodes:
{{answer.city}}works in an HTTP Request body or headers and in an Email notification.
Acting on what was said
The Ask node captures the answer; it doesn't interpret it. Three patterns:
- Store and review. Survey reasons, callback requests, feedback. Read them in call logs or export them from your own system via the callback.
- Send to your API live. An HTTP Request node posts
{{answer.reason}}to your endpoint. In sync mode the caller waits up to 5 seconds and the flow branches on Success or Failure, so your API can decide, for example, whether the city is one you serve. See the HTTP Request node guide. - Notify a person. An Email notification node sends the answer and caller number to the workspace owner.
If you need a full back-and-forth conversation rather than single questions, that's an AI voice agent, not an IVR. IVR Studio can hand the call to your own bot with the Stream node, or see the AI voice agent.
Example: post-service survey with a reason
- Say: "Thanks for visiting {Business} today."
- Menu: "Please rate us from 1 to 5." (keypad)
- Ask (key
reason): "In a few words, what's the main reason for your rating?" End-of-speech 3 s, re-ask once. - HTTP Request (async): POST
{"rating": "{{digits}}", "reason": "{{answer.reason}}"}to your endpoint. - Say: "Thank you. Goodbye." Hangup.
The keypad survey guide covers the rating half in more detail.
Testing
Use the audio preview to hear each question without a call, then place a test call and answer in the way real callers will: quickly, slowly, with background noise, and in Hinglish if that's how your customers talk. Check the transcript in the call log and add expected words where it misheard.
Cost
Ask nodes are part of the call: IVR Studio is Rs 1.50/min, plus number rental, excluding 18% GST. See IVR pricing in India. Feature list on the speech input feature page, setup in the IVR docs.
Add an Ask node to your flow with Rs 20 free credit, no card needed.