1. A method for providing automated directory assistance, comprising: initiating a multi-stage directory assistance dialog with a user; prompting the user for a directory assistance utterance in accordance with a current stage of the multi-stage dialog; recording a user utterance in response to the prompt; gathering one or more directory assistance search parameters from the user utterance; determining whether a user directory assistance query may be completed based on gathered directory assistance search parameters; repeating the prompting operation until either the user directory assistance query may be completed or a determination that a user utterance satisfies an error condition; and displaying gathered directory assistance search parameters on an operator terminal and forwarding one or more recorded user utterances to an operator for playback in response to a failure to obtain the directory assistance search parameters needed to complete the user directory assistance query.