Method and apparatus for entertaining callers in a queue

1. A method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a caller;

placing the incoming call in a queue;

determining at least one merchant;

determining access information associated with the at least one merchant;

establishing a connection based on the access information, the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant while the incoming call is in the queue;

determining, after the establishing of the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant, that an attendant is available to answer the call;

notifying, after the determination that the attendant is available, the caller that an attendant is available; and

allowing the caller, after notifying the caller, to choose between (i) maintaining the connection with the at least one merchant and (ii) establishing a connection with the attendant.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring the incoming call to the attendant.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing to the caller an indication of a plurality of entertainment options.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving from the caller an indication of at least one entertainment option.

5. The method of claim 1 , in which determining the at least one merchant comprises:

providing to the caller an indication of a plurality of merchants; and

receiving from the caller an indication of the at least one merchant.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining information that is associated with the incoming call.

7. The method of claim 6 , in which determining the information that is associated with the incoming call comprises:

receiving the information that is associated with the incoming call from the caller.

8. The method of claim 6 , in which determining the information that is associated with the incoming call comprises:

retrieving the information that is associated with the incoming call from a record of a database, in which the record is associated with the caller.

9. The method of claim 6 , in which determining the information that is associated with the incoming call comprises:

retrieving the information that is associated with the incoming call from a record of a database, in which the record is associated with the incoming call.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing to the caller an indication of a plurality of entertainment options based on the information that is associated with the incoming call.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

providing to the caller an indication of the at least one merchant based on the information that is associated with the incoming call.

12. The method of claim 6 , in which determining the at least one merchant comprises:

determining the at least one merchant based on the information that is associated with the incoming call.

13. The method of claim 6 , in which determining the at least one merchant comprises:

determining a plurality of merchants based on the information that is associated with the incoming call;

providing to the caller an indication of the plurality of merchants; and

receiving from the caller an indication of the at least one merchant.

14. The method of claim 6 , in which the information that is associated with the incoming call comprises at least one of:

a time the incoming call was received,

a time the incoming call has been on hold,

an indication of a category of the incoming call,

a name of the caller,

an identifier that identifies the caller,

a telephone number associated with the caller,

an address associated with the caller,

data indicating at least one purchase associated with the caller,

data indicating at least one reservation associated with the caller,

an indication of an area of expertise of the caller,

an indication of a rate charged for expertise of the caller, and

an account identifier that identifies a financial account associated with the caller.

15. The method of claim 1 , in which the access information comprises at least one of:

a uniform resource locator (URL),

a telephone number,

a discount identifier that identifies a discount,

a promotional code,

a digital certificate,

an account number, and

a password.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a caller, the call being associated with a first merchant;

placing the call in a queue;

determining a second merchant;

establishing a connection, the connection enabling communication between the caller and the second merchant while the call is in the queue;

presenting, to the caller while the call is in the queue, a choice between (i) maintaining the connection enabling communication between the caller and the second merchant and (ii) establishing a connection with an attendant; and

receiving an indication of a selection by the caller to either maintain the connection enabling communication between the caller and the second merchant or establish a connection with an attendant.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining a telephone number associated with the second merchant; and

in which establishing the connection comprises establishing the connection based on the telephone number.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions to direct the processor to:

receive an incoming call from a caller;

place the incoming call in a queue;

determine at least one merchant;

determine access information associated with the at least one merchant;

establish a connection based on the access information, the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant while the incoming call is in the queue;

determine, after the establishing of the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant, that an attendant is available to answer the call;

notify, after the determination that the attendant is available, the caller that an attendant is available; and

allow the caller, after notifying the caller, to choose between (i) maintaining the connection with the at least one merchant and (ii) establishing a connection with the attendant.

19. A computer readable memory storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a caller;

placing the incoming call in a queue;

determining at least one merchant;

determining access information associated with the at least one merchant;

establishing a connection based on the access information, the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant while the incoming call is in the queue;

determining, after the establishing of the connection enabling communication between the caller and the at least one merchant, that an attendant is available to answer the call;

notifying, after the determination that the attendant is available, the caller that an attendant is available; and

allowing the caller, after notifying the caller, to choose between (i) maintaining the connection with the at least one merchant and (ii) establishing a connection with the attendant.