Multifunction autoattendant system and method of operation thereof

Abstract

A call processing apparatus incorporates a robust database supporting both autodialing and autoattendant functions. Incoming calls not directed to a specific telephone extension and any call to a dedicated autodialer function are answered and the caller prompted to speak the name of the desired person or department. A speech recognition platform analyzes the spoken name to provide one or more searchable text strings representing the various spellings associated with the spoken name. The database is searched to retrieve corresponding terminal address instructions such as the telephone number or extension of the named party and call routing to the address is initiated. Alternatively, in an autoattendant mode, a subscriber calls a telephone number associated with a specified service such as a hotline and is asked to identify himself by name. The speech recognition platform again provides a corresponding searchable text string used to retrieve subscriber-specific information for handling the call. Based on the retrieved information, the caller is prompted to give any additional information required to process the call and compose and send an e-mail message to an appropriate person or department. Requests or messages not having an appropriate prestored or formatted text message equivalent may instead be sent as voice message files attached to an e-mail message.