In today’s world of customer service, the use of digital messaging channels is steadily rising, so it’s easy to overlook how central voice and telephony are for connecting brands to their customers.

IVRs, a long-standing tool for self-service applications, are rules-based systems where calls follow set paths – press or say “one” for sales, etc. How the system responds, or where a call is routed, ...

Jake Peterson is Lifehacker’s Tech Editor, and has been covering tech news and how-tos for nearly a decade. His team covers all things technology, including AI, smartphones, computers, game consoles, ...