Patent ID: 7606359

Claim:
A telephone call processing method, comprising the steps of: operating a call processing device to provide an automated operator position identified by a first operator position identifier; operating a telephone switch, coupled to said call processing device, to provide a call, requesting information, to the automated operator position identified by said first operator position identifier which is indistinguishable to the switch from a manned operator position identifier; and wherein the step of operating a call processing device to provide an automated operator position includes: i. operating the call processing device to collect call related information in an automated manner; ii. operating the call processing device to transmit a call transfer instruction to the switch to cause the switch to transfer the call to a manned operator position for additional call processing, the manned operator position being identified to the switch by a second operator position identifier; and iii. operating the call processing device to transfer at least some of the collected call related information collected in an automated manner to the manned operator position.