Patent ID: 8275768

Claim:
A method for selecting communication means, comprising: receiving a request by a current user for a recommended communication means for a target contact; searching data of prior communication attempts by prior other users with one or more prior target contacts using different communication means, wherein the current user and the prior other users fall within a common first defined category and the target contact and the prior target contacts each fall within one of a plurality of second defined categories, wherein the first defined category and the second defined categories are respective organizational categories selected from the group consisting of an organizational structural level, a department, a group of people having a given relationship to another group of people, and a social network membership; respectively determining a success score of the different communication means of the prior communication attempts by the prior other users with ones of the prior target contacts having the same second defined category as the target contact, wherein determining the success score comprises evaluating one or more of a speed of communication response, and a length of communication; and selecting the recommended communication means from among the different communication means according to the success score thereof, and providing the recommended communication means for the current user.