Abstract

A telephone system automatically connects a potential customer with a nearby dealer who can provide the goods or services desired by the potential customer. The potential customer first dials an "800"-type number which preferably includes digits uniquely characteristic of the product or service desired. The system identifies the originating telephone number of the potential customer and a computer initially routes the call to a specific customer dealer service company (CDSC) office in the general vicinity of the potential customer. The specially equipped CDSC HQ office includes a vertical-horizontal (V-H) file listing each dealer by product/service and equivalent of longitude/latitude. A comparison is performed between the telephone number of the potential customer and the data in the V-H file to find 1-3 selected dealers nearby to the potential customer. The system then automatically dials the telephone number of the closest dealer thereby routing the potential customer directly to a nearby dealer who can provide the products or services of interest to that customer. If the dealer's telephone number is busy or does not answer, the system can attempt to call another nearby dealer if one exists. The system also provides for billing the telephone call and for reporting each call in detail to the advertiser.