at a call center from a caller at step 202 the ivr system determines if the caller has been prequalified for visual prompting over a text message channel prequalification may be performed during the caller identification process using automatic number identification service anis the number of the caller 39 s communications appliance may be checked against a database of customer information including name contact information and any prequalification data obtained and stored by the system during a previous interaction with the caller relative to the same communications appliance if at step 202 the system determines that the caller is prequalified for accepting visual prompting using a text messaging channel then at step 203 the system greets the caller and identifies the end device of the caller prequalification means that the system has already configured this user to receive text messages providing visualization of voice rendered menu options from a voice application in one embodiment the messaging capabilities of the end device are identified by device serial number lookup the serial number provided in advance by the calling or called party if at step 202 the caller is not prequalified to receive text visualization of ivr menu options the ivr may prompt the caller if the caller would like to have menu options sent as text messages in conjunction with ivr voice rendering of the same vxml options at step 204 during this interaction with the ivr the ivr might also confirm that the end device or appliance used to call into the center has text message capability sufficient to practice the invention using the same appliance for both voice and text interaction an end device may be one of a cellular telephone a.