Abstract: A vendor information service is offered utilizing the services of attendants for identifying customer requests and for taking orders, utilizing a voice processing unit for announcing prerecorded information to customers and for recognizing voice commands or keyed requests. Such commands or requests may be to announce another message to a customer, to set up a connection to a telephone operator, or to connect the customer directly to a vendor. A customer is initially connected to a telepone operator who ascertains the basic customer request. In response to that request, the operator sets up an announcement for the customer. A voice processing unit then monitors the customer for voice commands or keyed requests in order to play another announcement or to set up a connection from the customer to another telephone operator or a vendor attendant.