Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing human-assisted natural language call routing

A computer implemented method for routing a telephone calls, the method comprising:

• receiving the telephone call from a caller at a call interface device on an interactive voice response system;
• processing the telephone call at a call routing module in the interactive voice response system, the processing comprising:
• performing level one agent processing when a level three agent and a level two agent are not available to handle the telephone call, and when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after an initial interaction and a second interaction between the caller and the interactive voice response system, the performing level one agent processing including routing the telephone call to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller, wherein the initial interaction and the second interaction include failed attempts by the interactive voice response system to understand utterances from the caller;
• performing level two agent processing when the level three agent is not available to handle the telephone call, when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after the initial interaction, and when a level two agent is available, the level two agent processing module simultaneously initiating the second interaction with determining availability of the level two agent, wherein the level two agent processing module is configured to enable the level two agent to listen to the second interaction between the interactive voice response system and the caller, and the telephone call is routed to the level two agent for direct communication with the caller when the level two agent is unable to route the telephone call after listening to the second interaction;
• and
• performing level three agent processing when the level three agent is available.

A computer program product for routing a telephone calls, the computer program product comprising a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:

• receiving the telephone call from a caller at a call interface device on an interactive voice response system;
• performing level one agent processing when a level three agent and a level two agent are not available to handle the telephone call, and when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after an initial interaction and a second interaction between the caller and the interactive voice response system, the performing level one agent processing including routing the telephone call to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller, wherein the initial interaction and the second interaction include failed attempts by the interactive voice response system to understand utterances from the caller;
• performing level two agent processing when the level three agent is not available to handle the telephone call, when the telephone call is not directed by the interactive voice response system after the initial interaction, and when the level two agent is available, the level two agent processing module simultaneously initiating the second interaction with determining availability of the level two agent, wherein the level two agent processing module is configured to enable the level two agent to listen to the second interaction between the interactive voice response system and the caller, and the telephone call is routed to the level two agent for direct communication with the caller when the level two agent is unable to route the telephone call after listening to the second interaction;
• and
• performing level three agent processing when the level three agent is available.