Phone-Tree Frustrations

Thank you for sharing this tip with us. I also hate getting lost in the automated call systems, they are so annoying. I can't stand them. This will make everything so much easier for me.

I hate this too, and this is coming from someone who IS one of those agents on the other end of the phone. I hear it all too frequently, "it took me so long to get an actual human on the phone," or "I hate that blessed machine!!" or any derivation thereof. It is "meant" to direct you to the appropriate department for the service you are calling about faster and more accurate. Unfortunately (for the company I work for in Canada - a big one), in Canada we have a very diverse, multicultural country and a lot of our customers' first language is not English and our voice recognition program has trouble. It's supposed to be "smart" and know what they're asking for anyway, but it never does. IE. I still get people saying they were on with the machine for "an hour" which is of course hogwash, but the point it still taken. It's frustrating. Even when I have to call in for service I'm frustrated... but I know the backway in, as you say. The unfortunate part about http://www.gethuman.com is that it's only for American companies. It'd be great if they could start a Canadian/North American one and abroad. The good part is that I don't have to call in much, usually only for tech support. For the most part I know what to do, since I work for the company I get all my services from. But I have had to call tech support for many other things and yes, found the same horror as you. I must say though, Applecare support is pretty good. At least here in Canada, anyway ;)

Oh yes you are right the customer care is usually annoying and they wont usually listen to you in one call Yes to deal with it i have to switch the abusive mode cuz thats the language the understand the best

well i have been through this but then i call back and place a complaint against their service n now a days it is not really a prob..it's consumers' world today!!

I've heard of this site and some others that do something similar, and they seem like a great idea. I usually use a company's Web site to get to the info I want quicker, but sometimes no Internet connection is avaailable and I must resort to the old phone tree and get lost a few times before finding the right option (if I find it at all). Thanks for posting the link.

I do not know about 800 numbers since we don´t have that over here but to dial a number and get caught in a fpor.... press 1, for .... press 2 thingis so annoying and yet i work for a company who uses this system wich means i have to deal with complaints all day =)

It is very upsetting. Especially if you called on a cell, and held on for over half an hour, and in disconnects. Thanks for the extra hint what to do. I'll give it a try. Blessings, M&M

Boy are you ever great with providing us some really helpful information here!!!!! You are just awesome!!! And I so have to agree with you that it is the most frustrating thing in the world - trying to reach someone who can actually help you out with the problem!!! You would think the companies would somehow make it much easier for us to reach a live person without having to go through the tree method because I can bet you not that by the end if you finally get an actual person you are going to be so aggrivated - yet most customer service reps just don't understand why we feel that way!!!!

Thank you so much for this link... I hate those automated systems... press 1 to do this... press 2 to do that... press 3 to do something differnet... press 7 to pull out all your hair... Not only that, but I think they make them as crypitic as possible to get to a real human. What do they care really? All of it seems to be being outsourced anyway...

i think this is one way the humans is benefitted by the internet thank you dude

I know exactly what you mean. It's so aggravating. I was on hold for 20 minutes one day before being disconnected by one of those robotic voice answering services. If possible I now try to deal only with companies where I can get through to a real life person on the phone.

I have heard a trick to bypass the tree is to select Spanish, everyone who speaks Spanish speaks English as well. Also you can usually select 0 for operator and talk to someone.

I know what you mean about phone trees being frustrating. One time by the time I actually reached a live person I forget what I needed help with. I know that the phone trees are suppose to get you to the correct department but there have been times I actually had to leave my name and phone number and wait for someone to call me back. Thank you sharing this new link with the community.

I've been on both sides of the phone, as a CSR and consumer. The best thing to do is to complain, and if that doesn't get you a direct number, take your business elsewhere. But be sure to write a letter to the original company letting them know where you are going and why. Mike

I get very frustrated with those dang 'automated' systems. Customer service experts have told companies all over that this annoys most people but they just don't seem to care!

wat?

yes its a our need.

yes very annoying.. sometimes i just hang up out of frustration and call again and give a piece of my mind to the operator lol

If I have to deal with that I won't do business with them. They will lose me as a cutomer.Who these days has the time or the patience.I think that link is great.