[dodgem22]

With regards pressing the option numbers for various departments where I worked these did route you to various departments. In all cases however the system would also automatically read the incoming number anyway and if it was a new connection it would send your call to my department regardless of what was pressed or if the system recognised the number as a high spending customer it would route the call to a special VIP department where the calls would be taken much quicker and agents able to do more for the customer than other departments. Most customers have no idea that depending on what they spend can influence who they talk to lol. Makes business sense I guess.
The system would also have markers for customers if they have been difficult or abusive in the past so the agent as a heads up as they answer. Also it would say how often customer calls as we had a right first time policy if the customer had to call back again within a certain time frame it would be a black mark against the call handler. No idea if VM has these systems in place as it was a different mobile provider I worked for.