Integrated internet and voice enabled call center

A switch interface for use in a call center to route voice calls and internet based inquiries to appropriate agents comprising:

• a voice based automatic call distributor (ACD) to route voice calls to respective agents according to predefined protocols;
• an internet based ACD to route internet based inquiries to selected ones of said agents based on agent information stored in tables in said internet based ACD;
• and
• means to designate certain agents as being unavailable when said certain agents are already occupied on a voice call or an internet based inquiry.

A method of integrating the routing of internet based inquiries with the routing of voice calls to appropriate agents at a call center employing a voice based automatic call distributor (ACD) comprising:

• providing an internet based ACD at said call center, said internet based ACD maintaining a look up table containing agent information respecting skills and availability of said agents;
• providing a switch interface to route both voice calls and internet inquiries to respective agents based on the skills and availability of said agents;
• and
• providing means to remove an agent from a list of available agents when said agent is occupied on either a voice call or an internet based inquiry.