Self Service Using Keypad Input

In this how-to guide, we will guide you through implementing a basic self-service IVR application with FreeClimb that utilizes user DTMF (e.g. keypad) inputs. This system will perform the following actions:

Receive an incoming call via a FreeClimb application
Get user DTMF (e.g. keypad) input
Redirect a user to the appropriate endpoint
Return information to the user based on previous input

You can also find the code for this sample app on GitHub

👍
You're ready for this how-to guide if you have:
Followed the IVR sample app set-up instructions

Step 1: Create the express server

The server will provide endpoints where user input can be captured. Create an index.js
file in your project directory, import the needed dependencies, and create/configure the Express application:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const bodyParser = require('body-parser')
const app = express()
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }))
app.use(bodyParser.json())

const port = process.env.PORT || 3000

app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Starting server on port ${port}`)
})

module.exports = { app }

Step 2: Handle an incoming call

The first step in our call routing application will be to handle incoming calls. To do this, add the following to index.js:

const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect,
  Hangup
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')

const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))
 
 
app.post('/incomingCall', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new Say({ text: 'Welcome to the Node self service IVR.' }),
        new Pause({ length: 100 }),
        new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/mainMenuPrompt` })
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

We'll also use index.js to contain the routes for handling call end and transfer. To create these add the following to index.js after /incomingCall but before app.listen:

app.post('/transfer', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new Say({ text: 'there are no operators available at this time' }),
        new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/endCall` })
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

app.post('/endCall', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new Say({
          text:
            'Thank you for calling the Node self service IVR , have a nice day!'
        }),
        new Hangup({})
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

Step 3: Collect digits via a main menu

Next we'll create a main menu for collecting DTMF input from the user and routing their call appropriately. To do this create a new file in your project directory called mainMenu.js and add the following:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect,
  GetDigits
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')
const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))

router = express.Router()

let mainMenuErrCount = 0

router.post('/mainMenuPrompt', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new GetDigits({
          actionUrl: `${host}/mainMenu`,
          prompts: [
            new Say({
              text:
                'Press 1 for existing orders, 2 for new orders, or 0 to speak to an operator'
            })
          ],
          maxDigits: 1,
          minDigits: 1,
          flushBuffer: true
        })
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

router.post('/mainMenu', (req, res) => {
  const getDigitsResponse = req.body
  const digits = getDigitsResponse.digits
  const menuOpts = new Map([
    [
      '1',
      {
        script: 'Redirecting your call to existing orders.',
        redirect: `${host}/accountNumberPrompt`
      }
    ],
    [
      '2',
      {
        script: 'Redirecting your call to new orders.',
        redirect: `${host}/transfer`
      }
    ],
    [
      '0',
      { script: 'Redirecting you to an operator', redirect: `${host}/transfer` }
    ]
  ])
  if ((!digits || !menuOpts.get(digits)) && mainMenuErrCount < 3) {
    mainMenuErrCount++
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: 'Error, please try again' }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/mainMenuPrompt` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else if (mainMenuErrCount >= 3) {
    mainMenuErrCount = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: 'Max retry limit reached' }),
          new Pause({ length: 100 }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/endCall` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else {
    mainMenuErrCount = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: menuOpts.get(digits).script }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: menuOpts.get(digits).redirect })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  }
})

module.exports = router

To make these routes available from our /incomingCall endpoint defined in index.js, add the following content to your index.js file before the /incomingCall endpoint:

const mainMenuRoutes = require('./mainMenu')

app.use('/', mainMenuRoutes)

Step 4: Get an account number

Next we'll create routes to ask the user for an account number and redirect according to their input. To do this, create a new file in your project directory called accountNumberEntry.js and add the following:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect,
  GetDigits
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')
const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))

router = express.Router()
let acctMenuErrCount = 0

router.post('/accountNumberPrompt', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new GetDigits({
          actionUrl: `${host}/accountNumber`,
          prompts: [new Say({ text: 'Please Enter your account number' })],
          maxDigits: 6,
          minDigits: 1,
          flushBuffer: true
        })
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

router.post('/accountNumber', (req, res) => {
  const getDigitsResponse = req.body
  const digits = getDigitsResponse.digits
  if ((!digits || digits.length < 6) && acctMenuErrCount < 2) {
    acctMenuErrCount++
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({
            text:
              'Error, please enter your six digit account number or press 0 to speak with an operator'
          }),
          new Pause({ length: 100 }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/accountNumberPrompt` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else if (acctMenuErrCount >= 2) {
    acctMenuErrCount = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({
            text:
              'Max retry limit reached, please wait while we connect you to an operator'
          }),
          new Pause({ length: 100 }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else {
    acctMenuErrCount = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Redirect({
            actionUrl: `${host}/confirmAccountNumberPrompt?acct=${digits}`
          })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  }
})
module.exports = router

Then, make the routes available by adding the following to your index.js file before the /incomingCall endpoint:

const accountNumberEntryRoutes = require('./accountNumberEntry')

app.use('/', accountNumberEntryRoutes)

Step 5: Confirm the account number

Next we'll create routes to :

read the input from the user back to them and
ask the to confirm their previous entry

To do this, create a file in your project directory called accountNumberConfirmation.js and add the following:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect,
  GetDigits
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')
const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))

router = express.Router()

let confirmNumberErrCount = 0
let retries = 0

router.post('/confirmAccountNumberPrompt', (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json(
    new PerclScript({
      commands: [
        new GetDigits({
          actionUrl: `${host}/confirmAccountNumber?acct=${req.param('acct')}`,
          prompts: [
            new Say({
              text: `You entered ${req.param(
                'acct'
              )} is that correct? Press 1 to confirm your account number or 2 to try again`
            })
          ],
          maxDigits: 1,
          minDigits: 1,
          flushBuffer: true
        })
      ]
    }).build()
  )
})

router.post('/confirmAccountNumber', (req, res) => {
  const getDigitsResponse = req.body
  const digits = getDigitsResponse.digits
  const menuOpts = new Map([
    [
      '1',
      {
        script: 'proceeding to account number lookup.',
        redirect: `${host}/accountLookup?acct=${req.param('acct')}`
      }
    ],
    [
      '2',
      {
        script: 'Ok',
        redirect: `${host}/accountNumberPrompt`
      }
    ],
    [
      '0',
      { script: 'Redirecting you to an operator', redirect: `${host}/transfer` }
    ]
  ])
  if ((!digits || !menuOpts.get(digits)) && confirmNumberErrCount < 3) {
    confirmNumberErrCount++
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: 'Error' }),
          new Redirect({
            actionUrl: `${host}/confirmAccountNumberPrompt?acct=${req.param(
              'acct'
            )}`
          })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else if (confirmNumberErrCount >= 3 || retries >= 2) {
    confirmNumberErrCount = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: 'Please wait while we connect you to an operator' }),
          new Pause({ length: 100 }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else {
    confirmNumberErrCount = 0
    if (digits === '2') {
      retries++ // retries tracked separately from input errors
    } else if (digits === '1') {
      retries = 0
    }
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: menuOpts.get(digits).script }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: menuOpts.get(digits).redirect })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  }
})

module.exports = router

Then, make the routes available by adding the following to your index.js file before the /incomingCall endpoint:

const accountNumberConfirmationRoutes = require('./accountNumberConfirmation')

app.use('/', accountNumberConfirmationRoutes)

Step 6: Create an accounts file for testing

In order to simulate having an accounts service that returns accounts with several different statuses, we'll create a new file for testing purposes. To do this, create a new file called accounts.js in your main directory and add the following:

const accounts = new Map([
  [
    '111222',
    {
      open: true,
      frequentBuyer: true,
      name: 'John Smith',
      mostRecentOrderDate: 'March 30th 2020'
    }
  ],
  [
    '222333',
    {
      open: true,
      frequentBuyer: false,
      name: 'Jane Smith',
      mostRecentOrderDate: 'March 30th 2020'
    }
  ],
  [
    '333444',
    {
      open: false,
      frequentBuyer: true,
      name: 'Sam Smith',
      mostRecentOrderDate: 'March 30th 2020'
    }
  ]
])

module.exports = accounts

Step 7: Lookup the account number

Next we'll create a route to take the account number entered and confirmed by the user in steps 4 and 5 and search for it in the data structure we created in step 6. We'll also direct the call based on the status of the account.

To do this create a new file in your project directory called accountLookup.js and add the following content:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect,
  GetDigits
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')
const accounts = require('./accounts')
const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))

router = express.Router()
let retries = 0

router.post('/accountLookup', (req, res) => {
  if (!accounts.get(req.param('acct')) && retries < 2) {
    retries++
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({ text: 'Sorry, we couldnt find that account number.' }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/accountNumberPrompt` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else if (retries >= 2) {
    retries = 0
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({
            text:
              'Max retry limit reached, please wait while we connect you to an operator'
          }),
          new Pause({ length: 100 }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  } else {
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Redirect({
            actionUrl: `${host}/accountRead?acct=${req.param('acct')}`
          })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  }
})

module.exports = router

Then, make the routes available by adding the following to your index.js file before the /incomingCall endpoint:

const accountLookupRoutes = require('./accountLookup')

app.use('/', accountLookupRoutes)

Step 8: Read account information back to caller

Finally, we'll add the route for reading information about the user's account back to the caller. To do this, create a new file called accountRead.js and add the following:

require('dotenv-safe').config()
const express = require('express')
const {
  createConfiguration,
  DefaultApi,
  PerclScript,
  Say,
  Pause,
  Redirect
} = require('@freeclimb/sdk')
const accounts = require('./accounts')
const host = process.env.HOST
const accountId = process.env.ACCOUNT_ID
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY
const freeclimb = new DefaultApi(createConfiguration({ accountId, apiKey }))

router = express.Router()

router.post('/accountRead', (req, res) => {
  account = accounts.get(req.param('acct'))

  if (account.open) {
    if (account.frequentBuyer) {
      res.status(200).json(
        new PerclScript({
          commands: [
            new Say({
              text:
                'Welcome back platinum member, please wait while we connect you with a customer service representative.'
            }),
            new Pause({ length: 100 }),
            new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
          ]
        }).build()
      )
    } else {
      res.status(200).json(
        new PerclScript({
          commands: [
            new Say({
              text: `Welcome back ${account.name}, I've found your most recent order from ${account.mostRecentOrderDate}, please hold while I connect you with a customer service representative. `
            }),
            new Pause({ length: 100 }),
            new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
          ]
        }).build()
      )
    }
  } else {
    res.status(200).json(
      new PerclScript({
        commands: [
          new Say({
            text:
              'This account appears to be closed please wait while we transfer you to an operator for asistance'
          }),
          new Redirect({ actionUrl: `${host}/transfer` })
        ]
      }).build()
    )
  }
})

module.exports = router

Then, make the routes available by adding the following to your index.js file before the /incomingCall endpoint:

const accountReadRoutes = require('./accountRead')

app.use('/', accountReadRoutes)

Step 9: Run your app

To hear your IVR DTMF self service app in action, run the following command at the command line:

yarn start

Once you do this, call the FreeClimb number associated with your application. From there you should be able to experience your self service application.

Congrats! You can now build your own custom IVR DTMF self service application. 🥳🥳

Or, to add voice-enabled capabilities, continue with the our Self Service Using Text-to-Speech how-to guide.

For a more advanced IVR how-to guide, try out our Pay by Phone with Voice Calling sample app.

👍You're ready for this how-to guide if you have:

Step 1: Create the express server

Step 2: Handle an incoming call

Step 3: Collect digits via a main menu

Step 4: Get an account number

Step 5: Confirm the account number

Step 6: Create an accounts file for testing

Step 7: Lookup the account number

Step 8: Read account information back to caller

Step 9: Run your app

👍
You're ready for this how-to guide if you have: