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Payments taken during phone calls is my top most priority but I've also been thinking of other use cases such as asking callers to authenticate themselves using their keypad by entering OTP sent by text message to the phone number on file, multi-step verification (e.g., enter postcode, or DOB digits + last 4 of phone number), or a preset secret code on their profile - for secure requests. There are many possibilities..
  • Multi-level IVR-like flows, but powered by AI context (e.g., “Press 1 to reschedule, 2 to cancel, 3 to speak to an agent”)
  • Numeric field data capture
    : Enter postcode, date of birth, account number, item quantity or amount (e.g., “Enter the number of units you’d like to order”)
  • Order-related enquiries (press to select order type (e.g., “1 for new order, 2 for existing order”)
  • Important changes to the contact's information, such as date of birth, etc.
  • Enter ticket number or reference ID
  • Mortgage/loan
    : Enter loan number or last 4 digits of account number
  • Insurance
    : Enter policy number or claim reference
  • Healthcare
    : Enter patient ID or appointment reference
  • Enter card number, expiry, and CVV via keypad (with masking for PCI-friendly secure
    DTMF
    input).
  • Confirm payment amount by pressing a key (e.g., “Press 1 to approve ÂŁ36.00”).
  • Select stored payment method (e.g., “Press 1 for Visa ending 42, Press 2 for MasterCard ending 19”)
  • Press a key to confirm terms, disclosures, or agreements
Must support retry logic
: “That code didn’t match. Please try again.”
Fallback
: After 3 failed attempts, transfer to a member of staff.
Sequential capture
: "Enter your 6-digit policy number, followed by the pound key."
Inline validation
: "That number doesn’t match our records. Please re-enter."
Masking & Security
:
  • Ensure sensitive inputs (card numbers, PINs) are not stored in transcripts.
User Experience
:
  • Allow “#” or “*” as end-of-input markers for variable-length entries.
  • Provide clear instructions: “Enter your 6-digit code, then press #.”
  • Short confirmation prompts: “You entered 1234. Press 1 to confirm, 2 to re-enter.”
Fallback & Escalation
:
  • If keypad input fails repeatedly, offer to send a text message with a link or live agent transfer.
  • Timeout handling: “I didn’t receive any input. Would you like me to repeat the options?”