System and method for controlling identifier provided when returning call / message

1. A method performed by an application instantiated on a computing device of a professional, the method comprising:

receiving transmitted information from an answering service relating to an incoming call from a client for the professional, the client having placed the incoming call to the professional, the incoming call having been forwarded to the answering service and answered thereat, the transmitted information having been sent from the answering service to the professional regarding the answered incoming call;

displaying at least a portion of the transmitted information on the computing device and to the professional, the displayed information including at least one identifier of the client by which the professional can place a return call from the computing device to the client;

receiving a selection of the at least one identifier of the client by the professional to place the return call from the computing device to the client by way of the selected identifier of the client;

upon receiving the selection of the identifier of the client, presenting to the professional a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call to the client, the options including an identifier associated with the computing device of the professional, an identifier associated with a business to which the professional is affiliated, and an identifier to be manually entered by the professional;

receiving from the professional a selection of one of the options for the identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call to the client;

presenting to the professional a routing option to determine whether the return call is routed indirectly from the computing device to the client by way of the answering service, or directly from the computing device to the client without the answering service interposed therebetween;

receiving from the professional a selection based on the routing option; and

placing the return call from the professional to the client and in doing so providing the selected identifier of the professional with the return call and routing the return call indirectly or directly according to the selection thereof,

whereby the selected and provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate thereof may be reached, and whereby the client may ascertain the provided identifier of the professional from the return call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate thereof, and

whereby the answering service if interposed between the professional and the client during the return call takes part in the return call and provides additional services relating to the return call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the incoming and return calls are telephone calls, the computing device includes telephonic communications capabilities, and each identifier is a telephone number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the incoming and return calls are electronic messages, the computing device includes electronic message communications capabilities, and each identifier is an electronic message address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the service is an answering service, the client having placed the incoming call to the professional, the incoming call having been forwarded to the answering service and answered thereat, the transmitted information having been sent from the answering service to the professional regarding the answered incoming call.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed information includes identifiers of the client including a device identifier associated with the incoming call as automatically determined by way of an automatic identifier determination service, and an electronic identifier associated with the client as provided thereby, the method comprising receiving a selection from among the device identifier and the electronic identifier by the professional to place the return call to the client by way of the selected identifier.

7. A computing device of a professional, the computing device having a memory, a processor, and an application instantiated in the memory and operating with the processor to perform actions comprising:

receiving transmitted information from an answering service relating to an incoming call from a client for the professional, the client having placed the incoming call to the professional, the incoming call having been forwarded to the answering service and answered thereat, the transmitted information having been sent from the answering service to the professional regarding the answered incoming call;

displaying at least a portion of the transmitted information on the computing device and to the professional, the displayed information including at least one identifier of the client by which the professional can place a return call from the computing device to the client;

receiving a selection of the at least one identifier of the client by the professional to place the return call from the computing device to the client by way of the selected identifier of the client;

upon receiving the selection of the identifier of the client, presenting to the professional a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call to the client, the options including an identifier associated with the computing device of the professional, an identifier associated with a business to which the professional is affiliated, and an identifier to be manually entered by the professional;

receiving from the professional a selection of one of the options for the identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call to the client;

presenting to the professional a routing option to determine whether the return call is routed indirectly from the computing device to the client by way of the answering service, or directly from the computing device to the client without the answering service interposed therebetween;

receiving from the professional a selection based on the routing option; and

placing the return call from the professional to the client and in doing so providing the selected identifier of the professional with the return call and routing the return call indirectly or directly according to the selection thereof,

whereby the selected and provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate thereof may be reached, and whereby the client may ascertain the provided identifier of the professional from the return call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate thereof, and

whereby the answering service if interposed between the professional and the client during the return call takes part in the return call and provides additional services relating to the return call.

8. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the computing device is a mobile communications device.

9. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the incoming and return calls are telephone calls, the computing device includes telephonic communications capabilities, and each identifier is a telephone number.

10. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the incoming and return calls are electronic messages, the computing device includes electronic message communications capabilities, and each identifier is an electronic message address.

11. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the service is an answering service, the client having placed the incoming call to the professional, the incoming call having been forwarded to the answering service and answered thereat, the transmitted information having been sent from the answering service to the professional regarding the answered incoming call.

12. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the displayed information includes identifiers of the client including a device identifier associated with the incoming call as automatically determined by way of an automatic identifier determination service, and an electronic identifier associated with the client as provided thereby, the method comprising receiving a selection from among the device identifier and the electronic identifier by the professional to place the return call to the client by way of the selected identifier.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call is the identifier to be manually entered by the professional, the method further comprising receiving from the professional the manually entered identifier.

14. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the selected identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call is the identifier to be manually entered by the professional, the method further comprising receiving from the professional the manually entered identifier.