Comments on: Cussing works!

By: Ric Locke

Ric Locke — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:13:46 +0000

lauraw and EW1 have it right. “Representative” or “Operator” often work, though not always. You do have to be persistent enough to let the robot work its way through the whole decision tree, which can take a while. It’s also possible to mix approaches. “F* YOU! REPRESENTATIVE!” can get the job done when the others don’t, especially when you’re three or four deep into the hierarchy.

Cussing at the live operators doesn’t help. I’m really a bit surprised there isn’t a Web site for clips from irate and/or stupid, confused, or simply insane calls to Phone Support. At one company I knew of, telephone support people were trained by having to put up with a deliberately constructed call that mixed cluelessness, profanity, insults profane and otherwise, and sexual harassment in a way that ought to be funny, but ended up being painful. I guarantee you can’t do better.

BTW what’s an EW1(SG)? I don’t remember comm intercepts or radar characterization in Stargate…

Regards,
Ric

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:19:57 +0000

If you’re using mycheckfree.com try emailing checkfreebillpay@customercenter.net. God knows if it’ll work but since I have to work with Checkfree daily there’s a better than even chance you’ll get someone.

By: Can't hark my cry

Can't hark my cry — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:18:56 +0000

I have been getting a lot of those “please hold for an operator” when they call me these days. I hang up.

I don’t answer the phone if I don’t recognize the number on the caller I.D. So every so often, when the answering machine picks up on one of those 800 numbers I am ignoring, the recorded message is “Your call did not go through as dialed. Please hang up and dial your call again.” If I’m not here to go over and manually hang up on it, it will go on for the full 3 minutes my answering machine allows for a message (I have long-winded friends, and longer-winded family). I just can’t figure out what on earth the geniuses who programmed that particular autodialler thought they were up to. . .

By: lauraw

lauraw — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:08:29 +0000

Usually just saying ‘Rep’ or ‘Representative’ works for me. It’s a fucking shame that I’m terrified of using bad language with anybody but friends.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:22:03 +0000

Best thing I read on the Internet today.

By: EW1(SG)

EW1(SG) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:42:36 +0000

Seems like a waste of harsh language to use it on a machine. But I did learn a new trick along the same line just yesterday: many of the robots are programmed to recognize “Operator!,” who then gets the stream of invective saved for a real person!

And I’m gonna sit on hold because your machine called me?

I don’t think so.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:44:20 +0000

I have been getting a lot of those “please hold for an operator” when they call me these days. I hang up. If they don’t have time to have a real person on the line when I answer, then I don’t have time to talk to them. They eventually send a letter if they can’t get you on the phone. Also, I’ve noticed a lot of the robot boy calls I get lately just hang up if you answer and say nothing right away. I guess they assume it is a machine or something. Hah! A machine that hangs up on machines!

By: surly ermine

surly ermine — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:21:35 +0000

Fucking fantastic! Thanks Weas! Now where’d I put that number for Time-Warner? Pardon the french, just warmin’ up.

By: Pupster

Pupster — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:48:50 +0000

I don’t know if it’s word recognition, or more tone and volume. That’s why I keep air-horns in strategic places around Pupster manor.

My bank has started calling ME via robot and then asking ME to hold for the next available operator. *seething*
The next available operator does not have a good day.

By: S. Weasel

S. Weasel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:09:27 +0000

I came to atheism by way of the church, Gregory.