How to Get a Human on the Phone

Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:10PM EST

See Comments (342)

IVR, or Interactive Voice Response: It's the scourge of the western world. And even if you don't know it by its official name, you certainly deal with IVR, probably on a weekly basis. IVR is better known colloquially as voice mail jail, voice mail hell, and other, less savory terms that I can't publish in this column. But whatever you call it, everybody hates "talking to the computer."

But just because IVR exists doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down... for hours on end. If you know the right code, you can bypass the computer and get right to a real person (or at least the queue to wait for a real person) with no trouble at all.

GetHuman has compiled a list of all the methods, tricks, and tweaks you need to bypass IVR for 500 of the largest and most commonly called companies you're likely to deal with, from car companies and computer dealers to government agencies and more.

Even better: GetHuman provides the toll-free number (or a regular toll number, if no toll-free line is available) you need to dial, too. It's all on one big web page, HERE.

While you're on hold, don't miss GetHuman's tips on finding phone numbers (if they aren't listed on the main GetHuman site) and tips on how best to get to a human in general. Also worth reading: GetHuman's advice on how to deal with an operator you can't understand.

Finally, Bringo! is still around (though it hasn't been updated in a while). This service actually dials the number for you, then rings you back when you're no longer on hold. Worth a try if your arm is going numb.

LINK: GETHUMAN.COM (Note: Site may temporarily be down due to overwhelming traffic; try again later!)

Comments on How to Get a Human on the Phone

Post a Comment

Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

  • 26 Posted by jgf1953@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    How do I get a person who speaks English as their first language.You Allways get a spanish or far east Indian Who you cannot understand.

  • 27 Posted by kristen8212@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thank you Frettniestef.... I also work in customer service and when you people call in and ----- and complain.... believe me, you will get less quality service. Yea you may have to wait about 5 minutes, or even longer, but you people dont think about what we have to gp through. imagine sitting there taking call after call and all you hear is rude, inconsiderate people yapping in your ear!!!! C'mon now... Oh, and have your account number ready like the IVR says!!!!!!

  • 28 Posted by charlesandrafael@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have figured if that company can't afford a real person then its time to move on, who has time to sit and listen to a multitude of sales offers when all you want to do is save time by calling??? If it's a business you can't do without tell them you want a direct line and if they don't comply, tell them you will move on or ask them who is thier biggest competitor and inform them you will try them. I know any other company will be happy to take your money. JUST MOVE ON.....

  • 29 Posted by psheehan26@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    Sorry, but today at least the FTD number won't work. They have a recorded message saying they are just too overloaded to respond and the system throws you out of the queue. Have been trying for 18 hours to get a response to my complaint of non-delivery of flowers for Val's Day. Emails also will not respond -- get a computer generated email back.

  • 30 Posted by gerrysarkisian on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree you have to be nice....but they ask for some unknown name , you say they are not at this number , they say they will remove the number and bingo.....they call again......Ive got their number, tried calling back it just wont go away.......glad to hear Im not alone

  • 31 Posted by arartz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    Great and very useful info. I'm wondering if the human being will be in the USA and speaking English?? Hope so!

  • 32 Posted by davoart1@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    i spent lots of time trying to get through on capital ones customer service. it was not only hard to get through but they don't even offer a prompt for a live person. i had to push the prompt for fraud. Then i finally figured out how to get through. When the computer starts asking to push this for that service or that for this service - just start pushing the star botton several times and "bingo" the recording immediately connected me with a live person. i don't know if it will work with every co. but it did with Capital one.

  • 33 Posted by psheehan26@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    The only reason we the customers are so rude is because we have usually waited on hold for 20-30 minutes after our 5-10 minutes of automated run-arounds. Then we are often told we need to call another number where the whole thing starts over again -- ATT is famous for this. By the end of 2 hours, yes, we get pretty frustrated and rude. We hope you will go to management and complain!! We certainly don't know how to get ahold of them.

  • 34 Posted by ichudi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    I work in customer service also, and am a customer of my company as well. Occasionally, I have to call in the the voice response system myself for my own account. It is so much easier to get through to a representative if you actually take the 30 seconds to enter your account number, PIN number, or whatever the system first asks you for. This also saves time when you actually reach a person, because your account information will come through to our computers. We may still need to ask you a couple of additional things, but that is mostly for security reasons, to verify we are talking to the actual account holder.

  • 35 Posted by 3billoo@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have attempted to email this article through the email option at the bottom of the story a few times and I have been unsuccessfull. Yuk! This is good info to share and save for future use.

  • 36 Posted by bullseyebabe72@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    I work at an MD office, try to pre cert with insurance companies, you will be tearing your hair out. They are HORRIBLE at customer service.

  • 37 Posted by rfphelan@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    I fervently hope this really works, as I HATE dealing with computers! I have stopped dealing with some companies, especially if their people are in India. We must force companies to repatriate jobs to the USA.

  • 38 Posted by blondie81566@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:09PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thank you GOD!!!!! No more 10 hour waiting for a Dell associate or someone from another country who speaks undiscernable English! You guys ROCK!

  • 39 Posted by jehague@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    if only they would stop playing that stupid music while your on hold.

  • 40 Posted by seville28@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I REFUSE TO PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW DO WE ELIMINATE HAVING TO PRESS ANYTHING AFTER WE HAVE DIALED THE NUMBER WE WANT TO REACH, OTHER THAN A NUMBER FOR THE DEPT. WE WISH TO REACH. IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY EXPECTED THAT ENGLISH IS THE CHOICE. IF NOT, THEN WE CAN PRESS (WHATEVER) FOR ANOTHER LANGUAGE. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE IS ENGLISH!!! WHEN I CALL VERIZON I AM ASKED TO PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH. INSTEAD I USE MY DIRECT DIAL TO PUNCH IN MY CODE NUMBER (3 STROKES) - THE COMPUTER TELLS ME MY CODE NUMBER IS INVALID AND I AGAIN I USE MY DIRECT DIAL TO PUNCH IN MY CODE NUMBER. FROM THERE ON IN THE COMPUTER TELLS ME IF I WISH TO MAKE A CALL PRESS 1 AND THEN THE NUMBER. I DO SO BY (AGAIN) USING MY DIRECT DIAL. I REALIZE THAT I HAVE TO PUNCH THREE KEYS IN TWO TIMES TO AVOID PRESSING 1 FOR ENGLISH. IT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING I AM TRYING TO PROVE.

  • 41 Posted by johnindallas@swbell.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    I must object to a few comments in your article. First, people wouldn't hate talking to machines IF the machines did what the person wanted. The problem is not the machine but the people who design it. I design these for a hospital/university and we NEVER trap anyone in the system. 2 fails and you go to a live body... or... if the list doesn't have what you want I always end the list with "other requests". I know it's hard but people should, at least, give it a chance. Unfortunately, it's the large companies that Paul Enlish lists out on his gethuman.com website that are the biggest failures. Also, know that Paul English and gethuman.com are not AGAINST machines... they just want them to work well for the caller. The reason many of the machines are there is so they can route you to the best person to help... otherwise you stumble through with someone while they either try to help you or try to find the right person to send you to. Just my 2 cents. And by the way... I also always let someone say "operator" or press zero anytime they want! Give them a try... praise the good ones when you find them and complain about the bad ones... either through the customer service dept (if you can get to it) or by changing to another company! John

  • 43 Posted by winston1020@ameritech.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    But, as a society, we also have to stop accepting machines AND unhelpful, unsympathtic Call Center agents and managers when you actually reach a live body. I know the industry and Corporate Finance people have decided to dumb down "customer service" to let machines, and low level employees handle complaints. Try to escalate. Good luck. Most refuse. We all need to take our business elsewhere when possible and call corporate offices when possible. It takes times (I spent hours this week just to find a Fortune 500 package delivery employee that cared about my bad service experience. It took several days and hours on the phone. Most people talk over you. They need to listen first, then react. They react before they know what your complaint is. This happens over and over and over. I used to work for the phone company and where their service used to be phenomenal, I am now embarrassed to have their name on my resume. "Queen of the Pigs" was the internal description for their own customer service.

  • 44 Posted by mh2005inc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    So the link doesn't work alot good this does!

Post a Comment

Sign In to Post a Comment

My Tech

Please enable your browser's cookies to activate the My Tech column.

Also on Yahoo! Tech

Computers Home Office Wi-Fi & Networking Phones & PDAs Cameras & Camcorders TV & Home Theater Portable Audio
 

Site Map | Tour | Subscribe to Yahoo! Tech

Question and Answer content at Yahoo! Tech is written by Yahoo! users at Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo! does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any Yahoo! Answers content. For more information, read the Full Disclaimer.

Opinions expressed by the Advisors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Yahoo! Inc. Yahoo! receives no compensation from any manufacturer or distributor nor does it compensate any Advisor for the coverage of any product or service in any Advisor's content.