There was a website called something like findhuman.com that listed workarounds for various phone mazes. Perhaps they still exist.
What are some of your examples of these ridiculous hidden phone support numbers and/or robot menus that are programed to never let you speak to a person. And add solutions to them..if they exist.
I keep dialing ‘0’ (zero) over and over. That sometimes works.
Worst is “Tell me in a few words how we can help.”
No way in hell am I going to talk to a machine. So I keep dialing zeros until I break thru. Usually works.
I had to get a different VA assigned doctor because I couldn’t penetrate the recordings to get to a human, it was far beyond the several layers we normally have to penetrate.
Even when someone from the doctor’s office contacted me after the VA told them about the problem I had with their system, the office girl who contacted me could not reach a human herself.
Just keep repeating representative. That’s what I do. The no human will finally say they don’t understand, and they say we will connect you to a representative. 🤣
The absolute worst is comcast/xfinity. Even their automated voice is a snarky bitch. The whole thing is designed to never let you speak to a real human.
I had a local Hertz number through which, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to obtain a local employee.
I had a priority mail package lost somewhere in downtown Philadelphia a few years ago, according to tracking. It was supposed to go to Valley Forge. This was during Covid. I tried all the official USPS reporting methods and got nowhere.
Finally I called the number of the PO in downtown Philly that I thought was the one where it was stuck. I got the number off Google. It was answered. I stated my business. I was told “We can’t give you any info about packages.” I said “You are the post office but you can’t give me any information about packages?”
The woman said “Listen. This is the jantitorial office. I don’t know how this number got listed but we get calls all day. Let me tell you what’s going on here. We’ve got trucks lined up all around the block, day and night, the place is chaos, they are so far behind they might never catch up.”
I told her “Thanks. You’ve given me more info in two minutes, from the janitor’s office, than I’ve gotten in over an hour screwing around on line.”
Well, when you finally get to speak to a human it’s usually someone in India.
I spent several hours trying to talk to a live human being at the IRS. I don’t think there is one.
A lot of times when you get to the robo-menu (”Press 1 for...”) if you just keep pressing ‘0’ button continually, you’ll get a real-live person on the phone.
Don’t remember where I learned that trick, but it works. Except at my VA Hospital.
“Hello? I’m bleeding out here! Help!” Dial tone. *SMIRK*
Be careful if you use a search engine to find customer support numbers. Some scammers set up phony call centers to try to get you to divulge sensitive financial information so they can rip you off. eBay is a prime example because they do not have a customer support number that you can call and you must submit a request online for a callback.
I used to work retail sales, warranty, and customer service by phone, fax, email, and walk-in. Did it for c. 25 years. People from all walks of life, every range of attitude and aptitude.
Around 2013 the company I worked for installed an auto attendant with phone menu for all incoming calls.
It was then that calls routed to my desk started to become, shall I say, less good-mannered, or more ill-tempered.
By the time I quit, well, I QUIT!
My method is to use a loud, annoyed voice and say you want to talk to a representative, operator, person, human being.
I’ve found some of the automated systems sense the anger and transfer you.
I pay the bills, and handle the technology, but most of the credit cards are in DH’s name.
We got an email from Shell Oil advising us to update the profiles. We never had set up an online account so I called while Hubby was at a doctor’s appointment. No trick I ever had used worked with the AI robo thing. Using gibberish used to work.
Finally, screamed, “What is wrong with you f—king people?! I have been trying to speak to a human for 22 minutes!” I continued in that vein. Finally a person came on. (Maybe bad language DOES trigger AI to get a person.) Since I’m not the “primary card holder” they refused to speak to me.
And since I’m not the primary card holder, they transferred me to Fraud Dept. When I screamed, “THERE IS NO FRAUD!”, they told me our cards were suspended because I placed the call instead of Hubby, and my placing a call constitutes fraud!
Next day, DH made the call, got through to a person after major time and emotional pain, and was able to un-suspend the cards. They will not permit any other to speak to them besides the primary card holder, not even authorized users.
We asked what would happen if DH were incapacitated or DEAD. Answer: “That would be a problem.”
Got the same email from Exxon yesterday. (They all are “citi.”) Have to get psyched up before we jump into that.
Some have mentioned Comcast/Xfinity, but I have had positive experiences with them. That was a year ago and maybe it’s worse now.
I just had a reservation with them I needed to confirm after hours would be on site for rental and never could find anyone. Finally had to cancel the reservation.
THE OPPOSITE OF THIS :
1. THE “CALLS TO GRANDMA” seeking bail $$$$$$$.
SCAM from the jump. Young sounding with Hispanic tone.
2. THE CALLS ASKING IF YOU WISH TO SELL YOUR HOUSE: “NONE OF THOSE CALLERS HAVE ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE”.
I AM NO LONGER ANYWHERE NEAR POLITE.
I SWEAR PROFUSELY IN HIGH DECIBELS.
The Third candidate is the guy-—again English NOT his FIRST language-— WHO KEEPS CALLING me about my “MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS”. I have lost my patience there, also.