Our neighbor and friend Margie sent us this extremely helpful reference site to use to circumvent the automated system runaround most companies use to "help us" and cut directly to the chase to speak to a human representative. GetHuman.com lists 500 direct phone numbers, with directions and the quality of the number. The shame is that getting to a human representative doesn't guarantee you any help. But at least it means a little less Muzak, and that's gotta count for something during these holidays. A few notable business are listed under the cut...
Amazon.com - 800-201-7575 or 866-216-1072
Apple - 800-275-2273 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Belkin Tech Support - 800-223-5546 At prompt press 2263; press 1 at each prompt thereafter.
Dell Sales - 800-624-9897 Press 0 at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Dell Tech Support - 800-624-9896 Press 3; say "agent" at each additional prompt, ignoring messages.
Home Depot - 800-793-3768 Press # at each prompt, ignoring messages.
Ikea - 800-434-4532 Press 0 quickly and repeatedly.
Target - 800-591-3869 Press 2, don't press or say anything, ignoring messages.
About a month ago, I had to call my phone company, but couldn't get through their voice-command menu system with a rammy toddler and cranky baby fussing in the background -- they kept making menu choices for me!
Finally, I called the TDD/Disability line. The operators picked up right away.
view wag's profile
Question: How many 'Humans' are prison inmates in The States and how many are from International call centers?
Answer: Probably all of them
Heck if The States do not want to take customer service seriously the automation is the way to go. I do not find that The States in just about every industry truly do not want my money. The customer service skills are dying.
...follow the white rabbit...
view ffffffrabbit's profile
Another trick I found out - just don't enter any account/id information. Sometimes it'll ask a couple times, but if I just wait it out, I usually get bumped to a real person.
I figured this out after asking someone why they needed my account number after I'd just entered it, and they told me that they don't get the account number from the system, entering it is only for the automated options.
So if you don't enter it, they don't route you through all those automated options first. :D
view Jenny (Usagi)'s profile