NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
It's safe to say we've probably all been victims of automated customer-service hell. I mean, of course, that maze of choices we're forced to listen to when we call a bank or an airline before, hopefully, being connected to a live voice.
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 CNNfn's Valerie Morris shares tips on how to escape automated customer service and shares a few codes that will help you get a human on the phone.
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The live operator has increasingly become the target of corporate cost-cutting efforts. Push-button phone menus or virtual agents are replacing human beings.
You might be thinking, "Can't I just press 'zero' and be directed to a real person?" Many companies have dropped that option, leaving the caller no choice but to listen to that dreaded automated menu.
Sometimes, however there are escape codes; a combination of keys that will open the gates to a live voice.
The banking industry
- If you're a Chase customer you could skip the automated menu by pressing 5 then pause and hit 1-4-star and zero.
- Bank of America's escape code used to be hitting zero twice, but they may be on to us. Now you must hit zero three times.
- You can still just press "zero" to get an operator when you call Wells Fargo and Washington Mutual.
The credit card industry
- American Express customers can hit zero to bypass the automated menu, but be patient. It will ask for your 15-digit card account number, which you may ignore. It will then say "We do not recognize your input," which you also ignore, and you will soon be connected to a live operator.
- MasterCard holders can hit zero three times for a live voice.
The airline industry
- You can bypass American Airlines' menu by pressing zero twice, then when the virtual woman says she will need some information, just say "Agent."
- For a Continental airline live operator press 3.
- Northwest Airlines press the star key then zero.
- Southwest Airlines actually has live operators answer every call. If they're busy you'll be put on hold, but there's no automated menu.
PC support
- If you want to reach a live voice at Gateway, hit zero twice, but be prepared to wait on Hold for a little while.
- For Hewlett-Packard say "agent" when you're first prompted to speak.
- We found no magic bullet to bypass Dell, Apple, or IBM's automated voice menus.
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