Patent ID: 7046777

Claim:
A method of acquiring a customer address within an interactive voice response system comprising the steps of: establishing a telephony connection between a customer and an interactive voice response system that provides automated customer support to customers of an entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system; identifying a telephone number associated with said customer; querying a directory assistance data store external to said interactive voice response system for an address of said customer based upon said telephone number wherein the directory assistance data store comprises an information repository that includes multiple telephone number entries and addresses that correspond to each of the telephone number entries, wherein information within the directory assistance data store is automatically updated and maintained by a directory assistance provider, and wherein the directory assistance provider is a source different from the entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system; retrieving an address of said customer from said directory assistance data store by performing a reverse directory search utilizing a telephone number obtained by the interactive voice response system; comparing said retrieved address of said customer with a previously stored address associated with the customer within an interactive voice response customer data store accessible by the interactive voice response system, wherein the interactive voice response customer data store includes data for entities served by the interactive voice response system, and wherein the interactive voice response system can search, add, and update entries within the interactive voice response customer data store that are associated with said customer; and, the interactive voice response system automatically storing said retrieved address within an entry of the interactive voice response customer data store associated with said customer in place of the previously stored address.