The GetHuman Project is a volunteer Website devoted to improving the quality and speed of telephone support and service systems in the US. The Website offers general tips and advice for speeding through and getting the most out of dealing with any company over the phone. For instance, did you know that most companies’ Spanish support queue is often a potentially much shorter wait than the English queue, and that most operators on the Spanish queue are bilingual, offering support in English as well? Chose uno and maybe you’ll be helped and off the phone faster than you would if pressing two.
The most useful advice provided by GetHuman is the GetHuman 500 Database, an invaluable resource listing specific methods to cut through phone system menus and voice prompts to–you guessed it–get a human on the line. America On-Line, for example, who no longer even lists a customer service phone number on their Website, has a primarily voice-only telephone system. If you can’t enunciate to the system’s satisfaction your problem, secret question answer, desired department, probable problem area, and favorite Spice Girl, then you’re out of luck. The system doesn’t even offer the ability to press buttons for most of its prompts. Fortunately, the GetHuman 500 Database has the secret finishing move code–up, up, left, down, right, right, down… Whoops! I mean: 0 (zero), repeatedly while staying silent during all requests for vocal interaction.
Even with the secret codes, there’s no guarantee of reaching a competent human, just that you will reach a human.
Next time you have to call your ISP, cable company, credit card issuer, airline, or just about anywhere else, check the GetHuman 500 Database for the fastest way through to getting to a human.