Cory has started a thread below encouraging people to share their IVR pet peeves. I want to open up a thread to explore the flip side - times when an IVR really gets things right.

I opened a new savings account a few months back, and this weekend called the bank for the first time. The first thing their IVR did right was immediately tell me how many people were ahead of me in the queue, and then offer me the choice of live or self service.

Since I hadn't been able to find the answer to my question on the website, I chose to wait for live service, and it was after my call was answered by an agent that the bank really distinguished itself. The representative asked me for my account number, and then briefly transferred me back to the IVR to enter my PIN number - the same two pieces of information I use to authenticate myself in all my interactions with the bank, and something I felt much more comfortable doing in a potentially public environment than giving the agent my social security number and mother's maiden name.

Share your favorite IVR experience in the comments below.