Patent ID: 8265260

Claim:
A system for routing a telephone call, the system comprising: a call interface device on an interactive voice response system for receiving the telephone call from a caller; a level one agent processing module including instructions for routing the telephone call to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller when a level three agent and a level two agent are not available to handle the telephone call, and when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after an initial interaction and a second interaction between the caller and the interactive voice response system, wherein the initial interaction and the second interaction include failed attempts by the interactive voice response system to understand utterances from the caller; a level two agent processing module including instructions for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is not available to handle the telephone call, when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after the initial interaction, and when the level two agent is available, the level two agent processing module simultaneously initiating the second interaction with determining availability of the level two agent, wherein the level two agent processing module is configured to enable the level two agent to listen to the second interaction between the interactive voice response system and the caller, and the telephone call is routed to the level two agent for direct communication with the caller when the level two agent is unable to route the telephone call after listening to the second interaction; and a level three agent processing module including instructions for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is available.