16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises: processing the work item via the first IVR resource, wherein processing the work item includes executing the first IVR function; and returning the processed work item to the work assignment engine.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising: analyzing, via a work assignment engine, a work item for work assignment information, wherein the work item represents a contact received at a contact center; determining, via the work assignment engine, whether the work assignment information includes customer information for assigning the work item to a resource of the contact center other than an interactive voice response (IVR) resource; determining, via the work assignment engine, a first IVR resource of a plurality of IVR resources that is capable of obtaining a first portion of the customer information when the work assignment information does not include the customer information; and assigning, via the work assignment engine, the work item to the first IVR resource when it is determined that the work assignment information does not include the customer information, wherein the first IVR resource is configured to execute a first IVR function configured to obtain the first portion of the customer information, wherein the first IVR function represents an individual IVR function that is separate and apart from an IVR unit and other IVR functions, and wherein the first IVR resource is configured to automatically return the work item to the work assignment engine after executing the first IVR function.