What forced the formal term 'Interactive Voice Response' to solidify in the business consciousness?

Commercial vendors offering IVR solutions outside of massive telecom monopolies by the late 1980s/1990s

Although the technology existed in rudimentary forms much earlier, the formal naming and widespread adoption of 'Interactive Voice Response' solidified as the technology evolved past simple announcement systems. This consolidation of terminology largely occurred during the late 1980s and into the 1990s when commercial vendors began offering these IVR solutions outside of the control of large telecom monopolies like AT&T. This market expansion necessitated clearer definitions regarding system capabilities—specifically distinguishing between systems offering only DTMF versus those incorporating ASR—which cemented the common understanding of what the term IVR represents today.