Web-based call center system with web document annotation

The present invention relates generally to communications systems and, more specifically, to web-based call center systems. A web-based call center and a method for its operation include multiple agent and customer terminals connected to a web server. The agent terminals and the customer terminals include a web browser for accessing web documents from the web server and annotation plug-in software for recording and replaying static and dynamic annotations on web documents. An HTML document registration tool formats web documents prior to storage on the web server, so that the web documents are formatted for annotation. An annotation server includes a database for storing annotated documents received from agent and customer terminals. Indexing software associated with the annotation server extracts key information from annotations received from customer terminals as part of callback requests. The extracted key information is indicative of a skills set which is required by an agent in order to handle the callback request. An ACD server utilizes the key information to route callback requests to qualified call center agents. A customer terminal can transmit an information request in the form of a telephone call, a fax transmission, an e-mail, or a callback request which includes an annotated web document. An agent terminal can respond to the information request by telephone, fax, e-mail, or by returning an annotated web document. Alternatively, the customer and agent terminals can initiate a dynamic annotation data sharing session.