Why oh why when I call any automated phone...

[SHRED]

...answering service for a large business do I always get stuck in the automated tree? I have difficulty reaching a real person.

Why can't they answer with this...

"Hello, if you'd like to use our automated service press 1. If you'd like to speak with a representative press 2".

Grrrr.....

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Law firms always have a receptionist. It's a nice touch. I guess clients pay for that, though!

[SCantiGOP]

2. Try this

https://gethuman.com

I haven't used it in some time, but I have used it before with fairly good success.
The most common advice is to just start pushing 0 until someone answers, but I've noticed lately that doesn't work as well and some sites just say "invalid entry" and hang up on you.

[Goblinmonger]

3. Related rant

So I navigate successfully through the tree and in the process I enter my account number or whatever is going to identify me to you. Why in the name of Thor do I need to go through that all again when I finally get someone on the line? Why isn't that information given to them?

[SHRED]

5. I know right?

[CBHagman]

9. I wish we had a "Like" button for posts like yours.

Modern communication (?) is an exercise in redundancy and repetition done to a constant refrain of "Your call is very important to us."

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. When you hit the menu keep saying "operator" and you may get transferred to a real person.

[LiberalElite]

6. or "representative" -

I was stuck in the Metro PCS Press one for whatever queue for 20 minutes trying to get a human. It was nearly Kafkaesque. Every time I said "representative" I was mildly scolded by the automated voice (paraphrasing) "ok but Metro PCS has set up this system to keep rates low. Now, how can I help you?" I got to cursing and then hearing the automated system say "Sorry I didn't understand that." REPRESENTATIVE! "Metro PCS has set up this system..." FUCK! "Sorry I didn't understand that" No kidding you fuck... REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!! "Metro PCS has..."

[csziggy]

10. One of the times I got frustrated with that kind of setup

And the only option was voice entry, I just started mumbling nonsense words. Finally the computer system gave up on trying to translate the gibberish and gave me to a human.

[hobbit709]

7. Here's a list of tips

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2427972,00.asp

[ohnoyoudidnt]

8. On many automated services pressing 0 will connect you with a person. nt