SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN ELECTRONIC CHAT SESSION BETWEEN A DATA TERMINAL AND AN INFORMATION PROVIDER AT THE REQUEST OF AN INQUIRING PARTY INPUT INTO THE DATA TERMINAL

A system and method for providing an electronic chat session between at least one inquiring party and at least one agent includes an inquiring party data terminal through which an inquiring party requests an electronic chat session with a call center agent over a data flow path that the inquiring party establishes with an information provider. A computer network and associated network interfaces, interface the inquiring party data terminal, the information provider server, and the electronic chat session distribution system to the computer network and allows data to be exchanged there between. A call center controller, responsive to a chat session request, generates a routing signal which establishes a data flow path between the inquiring party and at least one call center agent. The agent/inquiring party data flow path is an extension of the data flow path established between the inquiring party and the information provider and the data flow path established between the information provider and the call center allowing for the exchange of data between the inquiring party and a call center agent at the time the inquiry for information is made and without the need to establish another data flow path.