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IVR & phone menus

Create an IVR phone menu for your business number in Arabic and English

The short answer

To create an IVR (auto attendant) for your phone number you need two things: a phone system that routes calls, which comes from your phone provider or PBX (3CX, FreePBX, Cisco, Avaya, Microsoft Teams…), and the recorded voice prompts it plays. Vocla makes the prompts: write them or start from an Arabic template, generate every message in one voice and your callers' dialect, test the menu in a phone simulator, then download a ZIP in your system's format (G.711 μ-law or A-law, 8 or 16 kHz WAV, MP3 or GSM) and upload it.

Build your phone menuSee the 5 steps
Already on Vocla? Open Phone menus
  • 6 ready Arabic templates
  • Modern Standard Arabic, 18 dialects and English
  • Phone-ready formats in one ZIP

Phone menus at a glance

Ready templates
Clinic, bank, restaurant, government office, online store, after hours & holidays
Languages
Modern Standard Arabic, 18 Arabic dialects and English
Prompts per menu
Up to 200, in one voice
Export formats
μ-law, A-law, 8 kHz WAV, 16 kHz WAV, MP3, GSM
Before you upload
Phone simulator with a real keypad
Plans
Professional, Business and Enterprise

Who does what

An IVR has two halves: the phone line and the voice

Vocla doesn't sell phone numbers or run your calls. It makes the professional voice prompts your phone system plays, so you don't need a recording studio.

  1. Your phone provider or PBX

    Routes the calls

    • The business phone number
    • What happens when a caller presses a key
    • Opening-hours rules, queues and transfers

  2. You

    Decide the menu

    • Which options callers hear, and in what order
    • Your hours, website and holiday dates
    • The dialect and the voice that fit your brand

  3. Vocla

    Makes every prompt

    • Greeting, menus, hold, after-hours and holiday messages
    • One consistent voice, names said correctly
    • Files in your phone system's exact format

Step by step

How to create an IVR for your phone number

Five steps from an idea to a working phone menu. Once your script is written, the voice part takes minutes, not a studio booking.

  1. 1

    Plan your menu

    List why people call you and order the reasons from most to least common. Keep each menu to five options or fewer, decide which key reaches a person (0 is the convention), and note what callers should hear after hours and on holidays. The number itself and the call routing come from your phone provider or PBX.

  2. 2

    Write the messages

    Start from a ready Arabic template (clinic, bank, restaurant, government office, online store, after hours) or paste your own lines from a spreadsheet. Keep one message per file and use placeholders such as {company} and {hours}, filled in once for every prompt.

  3. 3

    Generate them in one voice

    Pick the dialect your callers speak and one voice for the whole menu. Add brand and street names to the pronunciation dictionary, set a calm pace, and generate. You see the credit cost before anything is charged.

  4. 4

    Upload to your phone system

    Export a ZIP in the format your system asks for (G.711 μ-law or A-law, 8 or 16 kHz WAV, MP3 or GSM), with even loudness, exact silence at both ends and a manifest that lists every file, its key and its text. Upload the files and assign each one to its step in the call flow.

  5. 5

    Test by calling

    Before uploading, call your menu in Vocla's phone simulator and press the keys like a customer. After uploading, call your real number from a mobile, try every option and a wrong key, then fix any line and regenerate just that prompt.

Example call flow

What a clinic phone menu looks like

Each box is one audio file. The keys under it are the options callers can press. Your phone system plays the files; Vocla makes them.

Incoming call
Welcome greetingwelcome.wav
Main menumenu_main.wav
  • 1Appointmentsappointments.wav
    • 1Book a new appointmentbook.wav
    • 2Change or cancelchange.wav
  • 2Lab resultsresults.wav
  • 3Insurance approvalsinsurance.wav
  • 0Reception (hold message)hold.wav
  • invalid.wavWrong key: apologise and repeat the menu
  • closed.wavOutside opening hours: played by your PBX's time rule
  • eid_closed.wavHolidays: switched on for the dates you choose

Ready-to-copy scripts

IVR message examples for every kind of business

Real Arabic phone-menu scripts with an English version. Copy a set, paste it into Phone menus with "Import from spreadsheet", and change the details.

Words in {braces} are filled in automatically from your company details; edit the parts in [brackets] yourself. Numbers are written as words so every voice reads them the same way.

  • Clinic or medical centre

    Appointments, lab results, insurance and a clear emergency notice up front.

    Saudi6 prompts
    1. welcome

      هلا والله، حيّاك الله في {company}. إذا كانت حالتك طارئة، توجّه لأقرب قسم طوارئ.

    2. menu_main

      لحجز موعد أو تعديله اضغط واحد، ولنتائج التحاليل اضغط اثنين، ولموافقات التأمين اضغط ثلاثة، وللتحدث مع الاستقبال اضغط صفر.

    3. appointmentsKey 1

      لحجز موعد جديد اضغط واحد، ولتعديل موعدك أو إلغائه اضغط اثنين.

    4. resultsKey 2

      توصلك نتائج التحاليل برسالة نصية أول ما تجهز. وإذا عندك استفسار عنها، خلك على الخط ونحوّلك للمختبر.

    5. hold

      شكرًا لانتظارك، كل موظفينا مشغولين حاليًا، وبنرد عليك بأقرب وقت.

    6. invalid

      عفوًا، الاختيار غير صحيح. بنعيد لك القائمة.

    English version
    1. welcomeWelcome to {company}. If this is a medical emergency, please go to the nearest emergency department.
    2. menu_mainTo book or change an appointment, press 1. For lab results, press 2. For insurance approvals, press 3. To speak to reception, press 0.
    3. appointmentsTo book a new appointment, press 1. To change or cancel your appointment, press 2.
    4. resultsYour lab results are sent by text message as soon as they are ready. For questions about them, stay on the line and we will connect you to the lab.
    5. holdThank you for holding. All of our staff are busy right now, and we will be with you as soon as possible.
    6. invalidSorry, that isn't a valid option. Here is the menu again.

  • Restaurant

    Delivery, table bookings and order tracking, warm and quick.

    Egyptian5 prompts
    1. welcome

      أهلًا بيك في {company}، نوّرتنا!

    2. menu_main

      لو عايز تطلب دليفري دوس واحد، ولحجز ترابيزة دوس اتنين، ولمتابعة طلبك دوس تلاتة، ولخدمة العملاء دوس صفر.

    3. deliveryKey 1

      تقدر كمان تطلب أسرع من موقعنا {website}. خلّيك معانا وحد من فريق الطلبات هيرد عليك حالًا.

    4. bookingKey 2

      مواعيد الحجز {hours}. قولّنا عدد الأفراد والميعاد اللي يناسبك، وهنأكدلك الحجز.

    5. hold

      شكرًا إنك مستني، كل الخطوط مشغولة دلوقتي، وهنرد عليك في أقرب وقت.

    English version
    1. welcomeWelcome to {company}, great to hear from you!
    2. menu_mainFor delivery, press 1. To book a table, press 2. To track your order, press 3. For customer service, press 0.
    3. deliveryYou can also order faster on {website}. Stay on the line and our order team will be right with you.
    4. bookingBookings are available {hours}. Tell us how many guests and what time suits you, and we will confirm your table.
    5. holdThanks for waiting. All our lines are busy right now, and we will answer as soon as we can.

  • Bank or fintech

    Lost cards first, a security reminder, an English option and an accounts sub-menu.

    Modern Standard6 prompts
    1. welcome

      مرحبًا بك في {company}. حفاظًا على أمانك، لن نطلب منك أبدًا رمز التحقق أو الرقم السري عبر الهاتف.

    2. language

      For English, press 9.

    3. menu_main

      للإبلاغ عن فقدان بطاقة أو سرقتها اضغط واحد، ولخدمات الحسابات اضغط اثنين، وللبطاقات الائتمانية اضغط ثلاثة، وللتمويل اضغط أربعة، وللتحدث مع موظف خدمة العملاء اضغط صفر.

    4. lost_cardKey 1

      سنحوّلك الآن إلى قسم البطاقات لإيقاف بطاقتك فورًا. يُرجى البقاء على الخط.

    5. accountsKey 2

      للاستعلام عن الرصيد اضغط واحد، ولطلب كشف حساب اضغط اثنين، وللعودة إلى القائمة الرئيسية اضغط النجمة.

    6. fraud_notice

      تنبيه: إذا تلقيت اتصالًا يطلب بياناتك المصرفية، فأنهِ المكالمة واتصل بنا على الرقم المدوّن خلف بطاقتك.

    English version
    1. welcomeWelcome to {company}. For your security, we will never ask for your verification code or PIN over the phone.
    2. languageللعربية اضغط واحد.
    3. menu_mainTo report a lost or stolen card, press 1. For account services, press 2. For credit cards, press 3. For financing, press 4. To speak to a customer service agent, press 0.
    4. lost_cardWe are transferring you to the cards team to block your card right away. Please stay on the line.
    5. accountsFor your balance, press 1. To request a statement, press 2. To return to the main menu, press star.
    6. fraud_noticeA reminder: if you receive a call asking for your banking details, hang up and call us on the number on the back of your card.

  • Government office

    Formal Modern Standard Arabic: request status, visit appointments, e-services help.

    Modern Standard5 prompts
    1. welcome

      مرحبًا بكم في {company}، يسعدنا خدمتكم.

    2. menu_main

      للاستعلام عن حالة طلب اضغط واحد، ولحجز موعد زيارة اضغط اثنين، وللمساعدة في الخدمات الإلكترونية اضغط ثلاثة، ولتقديم شكوى أو اقتراح اضغط أربعة.

    3. request_statusKey 1

      يمكنكم متابعة حالة الطلب في أي وقت عبر الموقع الإلكتروني {website}. وللاستعلام من موظف، يُرجى البقاء على الخط وتجهيز رقم الطلب.

    4. hours

      ساعات العمل {hours}.

    5. hold

      جميع موظفينا مشغولون حاليًا. يُرجى البقاء على الخط، وسيتم الرد على مكالمتكم حسب أسبقية الاتصال.

    English version
    1. welcomeWelcome to {company}. We are glad to help you.
    2. menu_mainTo check the status of a request, press 1. To book a visit appointment, press 2. For help with e-services, press 3. To make a complaint or suggestion, press 4.
    3. request_statusYou can follow your request at any time on {website}. To ask an officer, please stay on the line and have your request number ready.
    4. hoursOur working hours are {hours}.
    5. holdAll of our officers are currently busy. Please stay on the line; calls are answered in the order they are received.

  • Online store

    Order tracking, returns and refunds, with the app and website as faster routes.

    Saudi5 prompts
    1. welcome

      هلا فيك في {company}.

    2. menu_main

      إذا تبي تتابع طلبك اضغط واحد، ولو تبي ترجّع منتج أو تستبدله اضغط اثنين، ولاستفسارات الدفع والاسترداد اضغط ثلاثة، وللتحدث مع أحد موظفينا اضغط صفر.

    3. trackingKey 1

      تقدر تتابع طلبك لحظة بلحظة من التطبيق أو من {website}. ولو تحتاج مساعدة، خلك على الخط.

    4. returnsKey 2

      تقدر ترجّع المنتج خلال المدة الموضّحة في سياسة الاسترجاع على موقعنا. جهّز رقم الطلب، وبيرد عليك أحد موظفينا.

    5. hold

      شكرًا على انتظارك، بنرد عليك بأسرع وقت.

    English version
    1. welcomeHi, and welcome to {company}.
    2. menu_mainTo track your order, press 1. To return or exchange an item, press 2. For payment and refund questions, press 3. To speak to a member of our team, press 0.
    3. trackingYou can follow your order live in our app or on {website}. If you need help, stay on the line.
    4. returnsYou can return an item within the period shown in the returns policy on our website. Have your order number ready and a member of our team will help you.
    5. holdThanks for holding, we will be with you shortly.

  • After hours

    Closed message, voicemail and an urgent option for nights and weekends.

    Emirati4 prompts
    1. closed

      مرحبا بك في {company}. مكاتبنا مسكّرة الحين، وأوقات الدوام {hours}.

    2. closed_menu

      لو تبا تخلّي رسالة اضغط واحد، وللحالات الطارئة اضغط تسعة.

    3. voicemailKey 1

      خلّ اسمك ورقمك وسبب اتصالك بعد الصافرة، وبنرد عليك أول يوم دوام.

    4. goodbye

      مشكور على اتصالك، ويومك سعيد.

    English version
    1. closedThank you for calling {company}. Our offices are now closed. Our working hours are {hours}.
    2. closed_menuTo leave a message, press 1. For urgent matters, press 9.
    3. voicemailPlease leave your name, number and the reason for your call after the tone, and we will call you back on the next working day.
    4. goodbyeThank you for calling. Have a great day.

  • Ramadan, Eid and National Day

    Seasonal hours and holiday closures to prepare a few days ahead.

    Modern Standard4 prompts
    1. ramadan_hours

      رمضان كريم. نُحيطكم علمًا بأن ساعات العمل خلال شهر رمضان المبارك {hours}.

    2. eid_fitr_closed

      عيدكم مبارك، وكل عام وأنتم بخير. مكاتب {company} مغلقة بمناسبة عيد الفطر، ونعود لخدمتكم يوم [يوم العودة].

    3. eid_adha_closed

      بمناسبة عيد الأضحى المبارك، تتقدّم {company} بأطيب التهاني. نعود لاستقبال مكالماتكم يوم [يوم العودة]، ويمكنكم خدمة أنفسكم عبر {website}.

    4. national_day

      بمناسبة اليوم الوطني، مكاتبنا مغلقة اليوم. كل عام والوطن بخير.

    English version
    1. ramadan_hoursRamadan Kareem. During the holy month of Ramadan, our working hours are {hours}.
    2. eid_fitr_closedEid Mubarak from all of us at {company}. Our offices are closed for Eid al-Fitr and will reopen on [return day].
    3. eid_adha_closed{company} wishes you a blessed Eid al-Adha. We will be back on [return day]; meanwhile you can use our online services at {website}.
    4. national_dayOur offices are closed today for National Day. Happy National Day.

Best practices

How to write a phone menu callers can follow

Callers can't scroll back. These rules keep them out of loops and on their way to the right person.

  1. 1

    Five options or fewer

    Callers remember about four or five choices. Move the rest into a sub-menu.

  2. 2

    Most common reason first

    If most calls are about appointments, appointments is option 1.

  3. 3

    Say the option, then the number

    "For lab results, press 2" lets callers decide before they hear the key. Use the same pattern in every menu.

  4. 4

    Keep the same keys everywhere

    0 for a person, star to go back, the same key to repeat the menu: in every menu, every time.

  5. 5

    A greeting under ten seconds

    Name the business, add a safety notice only if it matters (clinics, banks), and get to the menu.

  6. 6

    Write numbers and hours as words

    In Arabic, write "اضغط اثنين" rather than a digit, and add tashkeel to words that can be read two ways.

  7. 7

    One voice, one pace, one dialect

    A menu that changes voice between prompts sounds broken. Keep the whole pack in one voice and regenerate together if you switch.

  8. 8

    Always give a way out

    Record a wrong-key message that repeats the menu, and a hold message that reassures callers while they wait.

  9. 9

    Promotions belong on hold

    Keep the menu clean; mention your app, website or offers in the hold message instead.

  10. 10

    Test on a real phone

    Call from a mobile, on speaker and in a noisy room. If a line is hard to follow, shorten it.

Read the full guide to writing IVR scriptsHow to write IVR scripts (with Arabic examples)

Compatibility

Which audio format does your phone system need?

Phone systems play narrowband audio, usually 8 kHz mono. Vocla exports every prompt in the format your system expects, so there's nothing to convert.

Which audio format does your phone system need?
Phone systemExport from VoclaWhat to know
3CXWAV 8kCustom prompts and IVR recordings are uploaded as WAV, 8 kHz, 16-bit, mono PCM.
AsteriskWAV 8kGSMPlays 16-bit 8 kHz WAV and .gsm natively. Refer to the prompt without its extension in Playback() or Background().
FreePBXWAV 8kμ-law 8kA-law 8kUpload under Admin → System Recordings and pick the recording in your IVR. A clean 8 kHz file avoids a second conversion.
Cisco (CUCM, UCCX, Unity Connection)μ-law 8kA-law 8kUnified CCX prompts and Unity Connection greetings are usually 8 kHz G.711 μ-law WAV; use A-law where your cluster runs A-law.
Avaya (Aura, IP Office)μ-law 8kA-law 8kWAV 8kCommunication Manager announcements use 8 kHz G.711 WAV (μ-law or A-law); IP Office auto attendant prompts use 8 kHz 16-bit PCM WAV.
Microsoft TeamsWAV 16kMP3Auto attendant and call queue greetings accept WAV, MP3 or WMA up to 5 MB. A 16 kHz WAV keeps wideband (HD voice) quality.
TwilioMP3μ-law 8k<Play> and Studio fetch the file from a URL, and MP3 and WAV both work. Host the files where Twilio can reach them.
YeastarWAV 8kA-law 8kμ-law 8kUpload as custom prompts. Older S-Series models want 8 kHz mono WAV (PCM, A-law or μ-law); P-Series also take MP3.
Grandstream UCMWAV 8kMP3UCM custom prompts take 8 kHz 16-bit mono WAV or MP3, uploaded under the PBX's voice prompt settings.
Genesys CloudWAV 16kμ-law 8kUpload as Architect user prompts and add one resource per language (for example ar-SA and en-US) to the same prompt.
Amazon Connectμ-law 8kUpload to the prompt library as WAV; 8 kHz mono μ-law matches the phone network.

μ-law or A-law?

Both are G.711, the standard phone codec. A-law is used in the Gulf, the wider Arab world, Europe and most other regions; μ-law in North America and Japan. Not sure? Export both: the ZIP keeps each format in its own folder.

  • G.711 μ-law WAV · 8 kHz
  • G.711 A-law WAV · 8 kHz
  • PCM 16-bit WAV · 8 kHz
  • PCM 16-bit WAV · 16 kHz
  • MP3 · 44.1 kHz
  • GSM 06.10 · 8 kHz

What's in the export

Formats
Any of the six, in one ZIP, one folder each
Loudness
Every prompt evened out (−18 LUFS by default) with a peak limiter
Silence
The voice's own silence trimmed, then exact padding (250 ms before, 500 ms after by default)
File names
From your prompt keys, with optional numbering and your company name
manifest.csv
Every file with its key, text, duration, digit and parent menu (opens in Excel)

Based on each vendor's public documentation; versions differ, so confirm in your system's admin guide. Vocla has no built-in integration with these systems: you upload the files, the same way you would a studio recording.

Vocla vs a voice-over studio

Why not just book a recording studio?

A studio is a good choice for a one-off flagship campaign. A phone menu changes every few months, and that's where generated prompts win.

Why not just book a recording studio?
Voice-over studioVocla Phone menus
TurnaroundVoice-over studio:Book a session, wait for the edit, often daysVocla Phone menus:Minutes after the script is ready
Changing one lineVoice-over studio:A new session; the new take may not match the old onesVocla Phone menus:Edit the line and regenerate only that prompt, same voice and settings
Same voice next yearVoice-over studio:Depends on the same voice actor being availableVocla Phone menus:The voice is saved with the menu
DialectsVoice-over studio:Find and brief a different actor per dialectVocla Phone menus:Modern Standard Arabic, 18 dialects and English in one place
Phone formatsVoice-over studio:Often one format; converting is up to youVocla Phone menus:Six phone formats, even loudness and a manifest in one ZIP
Hearing the full menuVoice-over studio:Only after uploading to the phone systemVocla Phone menus:Phone simulator before you upload
How you payVoice-over studio:Session, per-word and revision feesVocla Phone menus:Your plan's credits, with the cost shown before you generate

Plans

Included from the Professional plan

Phone menus are part of the Professional, Business and Enterprise plans. Generating prompts uses credits like text to speech, and the exact cost is shown before you start. Anyone can browse the templates and try the demo call.

  • Professional
  • Business
  • Enterprise
Build your phone menuCompare plans

On Starter or Creator? Make prompts with text to speech

You can still generate each prompt in text to speech (commercial use from Starter), download WAV and convert it with the free ffmpeg tool. Phone menus does all of this for you, but these commands give the same formats.

8 kHz 16-bit PCM WAV

pcm-8k.sh
ffmpeg -i prompt.wav -ar 8000 -ac 1 -acodec pcm_s16le prompt-8k.wav

G.711 μ-law WAV

ulaw.sh
ffmpeg -i prompt.wav -ar 8000 -ac 1 -acodec pcm_mulaw prompt-ulaw.wav

G.711 A-law WAV

alaw.sh
ffmpeg -i prompt.wav -ar 8000 -ac 1 -acodec pcm_alaw prompt-alaw.wav

IVR and phone menu questions

What is an IVR?

IVR (interactive voice response), also called an auto attendant or phone menu, is the recorded system that answers a business number, plays a greeting and asks callers to press a key ("for appointments, press 1") to reach the right team. In Arabic it is usually called الرد الآلي.

How do I create an IVR for my business phone number?

Plan the menu, write the messages, generate them in one voice, upload them to your phone system and test by calling. The phone number and call routing come from your phone provider or PBX (3CX, FreePBX, Cisco, Avaya, Microsoft Teams and others); Vocla makes the voice prompts and exports them in the format your system needs.

Does Vocla give me a phone number or a PBX?

No. Vocla makes the recorded prompts. Your number, the menu routing, queues and opening-hours rules stay with your telecom operator, cloud phone provider or PBX. You upload Vocla's files there like any studio recording.

Which phone systems work with Vocla prompts?

Any system that lets you upload audio prompts: 3CX, Asterisk, FreePBX, Cisco, Avaya, Microsoft Teams, Twilio, Yeastar, Grandstream, Genesys Cloud, Amazon Connect and others. Vocla exports G.711 μ-law and A-law WAV at 8 kHz, 16-bit WAV at 8 or 16 kHz, MP3 and GSM. There is no direct integration; you upload the files.

Which audio format does my phone system need?

Most phone systems want 8 kHz mono audio. 3CX and Asterisk take 16-bit 8 kHz WAV; Cisco and Avaya usually take G.711 μ-law or A-law WAV; Microsoft Teams takes WAV or MP3; Twilio plays MP3 or WAV from a URL. A-law is standard in the Gulf, the Arab world and Europe, μ-law in North America. Check your system's documentation; you can export several formats at once.

Which Arabic dialects can I use for my phone menu?

Modern Standard Arabic and 18 dialects, including Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti, Qatari, Egyptian, Jordanian, Lebanese and Moroccan, plus English. Every prompt in a menu uses the same voice and dialect, so the whole call sounds like one person.

How many options should an IVR menu have?

Five or fewer per menu, counting the option to speak to a person. Put the most common reason for calling first, say the option before the key ("for billing, press 2"), and move anything else into a sub-menu.

What should a phone welcome message say?

The business name, a short greeting and, only if it matters, one notice such as an emergency instruction for a clinic or a security reminder for a bank. Keep it under about ten seconds and go straight to the menu.

Can I change one message later without re-recording everything?

Yes. Edit the line and Vocla marks it as changed; regenerate just that prompt with the same voice and settings, export again and replace the one file in your phone system.

Which plan do I need?

Phone menus are included in the Professional, Business and Enterprise plans. Generating prompts uses credits like text to speech, and the cost is shown before you generate. On Starter or Creator you can still make prompts one by one in text to speech and convert them yourself.

Is it cheaper than a voice-over studio?

Usually, especially over time. There are no session or revision fees: you pay with your plan's credits for the characters you generate, and changing one line later costs only that line. A studio still makes sense for a famous human voice or a one-off flagship recording.

Can I use my own brand voice?

Yes. A phone menu uses any voice available in your workspace, including a voice you cloned with the speaker's consent. Add your brand, product and street names to the pronunciation dictionary so every prompt says them the same way.

Keep building your phone experience

Guides for phone messages

Your callers hear your phone menu before they meet your team

Start from a template, hear the whole call in the simulator, and download files your phone system plays today.

Build your phone menuSee pricing

Phone menus are included from Professional. Templates and the demo call are free to explore.