| Previous :: Next Topic |
| Author |
Message |
Hiker Boy
Hinking Fool
Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 1569 | TRs | Pics
Location: Northern Polar Icecap |
|
Hiker Boy
Hinking Fool
|
 Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:29 pm |
|
|
Just got off of the phone after dealing with one of these infernal things! After what seemed like an eternity of arrogant lectures from a machine to annunciate more clearly ( ok maybe it's my imagination but the tone of the recording sure sounded like it's all my fault that it can't understand! ) and being shuffled from one department's answering service to another, I got told that the business hours are for central time and to please call again. If I had a human on the phone, it would have been taken on time during central business hours! 
|
| Back to top |
  
|
|
Meander
J Prettymountain
Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 288 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
|
Meander
J Prettymountain
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:40 pm |
|
|
Try Gethuman.com
"The gethuman project is a consumer movement to improve the quality of phone support in the US. This free website is run by volunteers and is powered by over one million consumers who demand high quality phone support from the companies that they use.
The most popular part of the gethuman website is the gethuman database of secret phone numbers and codes to get to a human when calling a company for customer service. (See also our general tips.)"
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skinem
Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 293 | TRs | Pics
Location: Washington ex-pat |
|
Skinem
Member
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:58 pm |
|
|
| Hiker Boy wrote: | | If I had a human on the phone, it would have been taken on time during central business hours! |
I absolutely hate 'em, too! But don't count on a human helping a lot. I spent 30 minutes on the phone yesterday speaking to "Barry" (or maybe "Harry" or "Gary"). His accent told me his name was Barry as much as mine was Patel (it's not.).
The accent was so heavy he had to spell things to me occasionally. Of course, then I get conflicted feelings--feeling like an idiot because I can't understand him, feeling bad for him because I'm having to ask him to repeat nearly everything, and finally getting mad because I can tell he's getting impatient, and mad because I'm having to deal with someone in a foreign country making communication tough because some company wants to save a few bucks and has outsourced a customer relations job. Not good for relations.
There. That's my own rant. I feel better now.
Thank you Jensea for the link. I couldn't remember that site. Bookmarked now!
Earth First! We'll strip mine the rest of the galaxy later.
They call me the thread killer...
Earth First! We'll strip mine the rest of the galaxy later.
They call me the thread killer...
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dayhike Mike
Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Posts: 10955 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to Tukwila |
Swearing up a storm on those voice recognition systems usually gets you a human immediately.
Also, simply pounding the '0' key repeatedly usually works.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tom
Admin
Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17857 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Tom
Admin
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:08 pm |
|
|
Too funny. Whoever thought swearing at a machine would do anything. 
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:26 pm |
|
|
If you mutter or swear, the recognition system doesn't understand you, so you get transferred to a human.
Recently I said that I want to spreak to a human, and it recognized that, and responded that it understands what I want, but to please continue using the automated system. That was freaky. Pressing "0" usually helps, but some of those systems are getting wise to it. Too many people press "0" too soon. So if you press "0" too soon, it tells you to listen carefully again, to the options.
The human race is going to hell in a handbasket (not via the MidFk though).
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Davidą
Token Canadian
Joined: 25 Jul 2002
Posts: 3040 | TRs | Pics
Location: The Great White North |
|
Davidą
Token Canadian
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:53 pm |
|
|
I do a lot of shipping at work where I have to call in a pick up. All the couriers have automated systems - which is fine as it doesn't take long to memorize the sequence and I can call it in - hands free - in a few seconds. UPS however in their infinite wisdom, switches halfway through the procedure to voice recognition instead - and thus I spend several minutes shouting back and forth at the phone until it figures out what it is I want.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dayhike Mike
Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Posts: 10955 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to Tukwila |
| Quark wrote: | | If you mutter or swear, the recognition system doesn't understand you, so you get transferred to a human. |
That's not it. It's actually looking for those words -- signs of frustration -- and if it hears them tries to get you to an operator before you hang up.
Try it. Say things like "broccoli", "carrots", "quelquefois", etc. and you'll hear it just keep repeating the menu items. Then swear at it...instant transfer to a human.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:15 pm |
|
|
The last time I whispered "quelquefois" into a phone, I got paid $100 then was arrested for it shortly afterwards.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Solo Steve
Harry Mudd wannabe
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 639 | TRs | Pics
Location: Federal Way |
|
Solo Steve
Harry Mudd wannabe
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:46 pm |
|
|
| Dayhike Mike wrote: | | Try it. Say things like "broccoli", "carrots", "quelquefois", etc. and you'll hear it just keep repeating the menu items. Then swear at it...instant transfer to a human. |
OK, now I'll need to keep a short list by the phone: parabola, onomatopoeia, tangelo, precipitous, tincture and merkin. The curse words I know.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ree
Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 4399 | TRs | Pics
|
|
ree
Member
|
Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:28 pm |
|
|
| Solo Steve wrote: | | parabola, onomatopoeia, tangelo, precipitous, tincture and merkin. The curse words I know. |
For inquiring minds.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sore Feet
Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6305 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out There, Somewhere |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
