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Visual IVR

Visual IVR sends an interactive menu to the caller’s smartphone screen during a voice call. Instead of navigating audio menus by pressing keys, callers tap options on their phone — making complex selections faster and easier.

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How It Works

  1. During a call, the agent triggers Visual IVR.
  2. The caller receives an SMS with a link to a web-based menu.
  3. The caller taps the link and sees interactive options on their screen.
  4. Their selection is sent back to the AI agent in real time.
  5. The agent continues the conversation based on the selection.

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Use Cases

  • Product selection — Show a visual catalog of products during a support call
  • Appointment scheduling — Display available time slots for the caller to pick
  • Form filling — Collect structured data (address, email) via a web form
  • Payment — Send a secure payment link during a billing call
  • Document upload — Let callers upload photos or documents during the call

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Configuration

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Via the Dashboard

  1. Open your agent and scroll to Voice Settings.
  2. Enable Visual IVR.
  3. Configure your menus:
SettingDescription
Menu itemsThe options shown on the caller’s screen
Menu styleList, grid, or form layout
BrandingYour logo and brand colors
TimeoutHow long the menu stays active

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Via the API

curl -X PATCH https://api.thinnest.ai/agents/agent_abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $THINNESTAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "voice_tools": {
      "visual_ivr": {
        "enabled": true,
        "menus": [
          {
            "id": "main_menu",
            "title": "How can we help?",
            "items": [
              { "label": "Track my order", "value": "track_order" },
              { "label": "Return an item", "value": "return" },
              { "label": "Billing question", "value": "billing" },
              { "label": "Other", "value": "other" }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "branding": {
          "logo_url": "https://your-site.com/logo.png",
          "primary_color": "#4F46E5"
        }
      }
    }
  }'

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System Prompt Guidance

When the caller needs to make a selection from multiple options (more than 3),
send them a Visual IVR menu instead of reading all options aloud. Tell the
caller: "I'm sending a menu to your phone — please tap your selection."

Wait for their response before continuing.