Systems and methods for enabling a user to more easily navigate an interactive voice response (IVR) menu

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu of an IVR system, comprising:

• receiving at a server a request transmitted from a client;
• in response to the request, transmitting from the server to the client webpage data, wherein the webpage data is configured to cause the client to display a telephone number associated with the IVR menu and a first control element such that the first control element is displayed adjacent to the telephone number, wherein
• the webpage data is further configured such that, in response to a user activating the first control element, (a) a first visual representation of the IVR menu and a second control element are displayed to the user without the user ever having to call the telephone number associated with the IVR menu or otherwise connect the client to the IVR system, and (b) the client does not initiate communication with the IVR system associated with the telephone number,
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user, and
• the first or second visual representation shows wait time or Queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu.

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu, comprising:

• receiving a request from a client;
• in response to the request, transmitting to the client webpage data that is configured to cause the client to display a first control element associated with a telephone number associated with the IVR menu, wherein
• the webpage data is further configured such that, in response to a user activating the first control element, (a) a first visual representation of the IVR menu and a second control element are displayed to the user without the user ever having to call the telephone number associated with the IVR menu or otherwise connect the client to the IVR system and (b) the client does not initiate communication with the IVR system associated with the telephone number,
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user, and
• the first or second visual representation shows wait time or queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu.

A system for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu, comprising:

• a server program for receiving a request from a client;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting to the client, in response to the server program receiving the request, webpage data that is configured to cause the client to display a first control element associated with a telephone number associated with the IVR menu, wherein
• the webpage data is further configured such that, in response to a user activating the first control element, (a) a first visual representation of the IVR menu and a second control element are displayed to the user without the user ever having to call the telephone number associated with the IVR menu or otherwise connect the client to the IVR system and (b) the client does not initiate communication with the IVR system associated with the telephone number,
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user, and
• the first or second visual representation shows wait time or queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu.

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system, comprising:

• transmitting, from a client to a server, a request for webpage data;
• receiving, at the client, the requested webpage data, wherein the webpage data is configured to cause the client to display a telephone number associated with the IVR system and a first control element such that the first control element is displayed adjacent to the telephone number;
• and
• in response to activation of the first control element, displaying a first visual representation of at least a first level of options of an IVR menu together with (i) wait time or queue length information for one or more of the displayed menu options and (ii) a second control element, wherein
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user.

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu, comprising:

• receiving at a server a request transmitted from a client;
• and
• in response to the request, transmitting from the server to the client webpage data, wherein
• the webpage data is configured to cause the client to display a telephone number associated with the IVR menu and a first control element such that the first control element is displayed adjacent to the telephone number,
• the webpage data is further configured such that, in response to a user activating the first control element, a first visual representation of the IVR menu and a second control element are displayed to the user without the user ever having to call the telephone number associated with the IVR menu or otherwise connect the client to the IVR system,
• the first visual representation of the IVR menu shows at least a first level menu options of the IVR menu and wait time or queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu, and
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user.

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) system, comprising:

• transmitting a request for a webpage to a server;
• receiving the webpage, wherein the webpage includes a telephone number of the IVR system;
• displaying the webpage, wherein the webpage includes a first control element associated with the telephone number;
• and
• in response to activation of the first control element, displaying a first visual representation of at least a first level of options of an IVR menu of the IVR system and a second control element, wherein
• the first visual representation includes a call me option,
• the method further comprises prompting the user to enter a call me telephone number in response to the user activating the call me option;
• and receiving the entered call me telephone number,
• the call me option is associated with one of the menu options of the IVR menu,
• the method further comprises transmitting to a server the entered call me telephone number together with information identifying the menu option with which the call me option is associated,
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user, and
• the first or second visual representation shows wait time or queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu.

A method for facilitating use of an interactive voice response (IVR) menu, comprising:

• receiving at a server a request from a client;
• in response to the request, transmitting from the server to the client a webpage containing a telephone number associated with the IVR menu and a first control element positioned near the telephone number, wherein
• the webpage is configured such that, in response to a user activating the first control element, a first visual representation of the IVR menu and a second control element are displayed to the user without the user ever having to call the telephone number associated with the IVR menu, wherein
• the webpage includes a script that is configured to display the first visual representation in response to the user activating the control element,
• the second control element is configured such that, in response to a user activating the second control element, a second visual representation of a second level of options of the IVR menu is displayed to the user, and
• the first or second visual representation shows wait time or queue length information for at least one menu option of the IVR menu.