Patent ID: 8027459

Claim:
A processor-implemented method of servicing a caller at a call center comprising: placing the caller in a navigation state immediately upon receiving a call from the caller, while in the navigation state the call center providing the caller with an automated interactive system with self-service menu options, the caller not being queued by the call center while the caller is in the navigation state; and transferring the caller from the navigation state to a queued state in the event that the caller is unsuccessful at self-service through the automated interactive system, the transitioning occurring during the call, without disconnecting the call, in the queue state the caller being placed in a wait queue to wait for connection with an agent, the caller being placed at a position in the wait queue relative to other callers in the wait queue based on a credit for a total time spent by the caller in the automated interactive system, the position in the wait queue being ahead of one or more other callers, each of whom spent less time in the automated interactive system than the caller.