Getting a human being on the (corporate) phone

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Yes, Virginia, you can actually reach a human being for customer service at large companies!

I got to read the article from the Ledger on phone tree hell (automated telephone customer service) yesterday after the posts went up. (Here's an archived copy - "Secrets for reaching a real human being")

I wish I had known of it before my recent encounters with Allstate and Hewlett-Packard!

Allstate has you fumble through four or five levels before you even get a chance to dial the claims agent's extension -- even when you know it.

HP's phone tree is just as dense, but the company has one nice customer service touch: when you do actually reach a human being and they have to send you to someone else, they tell you the numbers to punch to get through the phone tree without listening to all the options.

Paul English's gethuman website is one man's attempt to fight back. He tracks thousands of shortcuts for getting a human being on the line when you have to call a big company.

Another resource the article points out is the Better Business Bureau's company reports.

Here are a few tips of local interest:

• AAA Emergency Road Service, 1-800-222-4357. (Press 0 repeatedly after initial introduction.)
• Amazon, 1-800-201-7575. (Don't press or say anything.)
• Bank of America, 1-800-432-1000. (Press 00 at each prompt.)
• Chase, 1-800-945-2000. (Don't press or say anything.)
• Comcast, 1-800-945-2288. (Press * at each prompt. Ignore 'invalid response.')
• Commerce Bank, 1-888-751-9000. Direct to human. Hooray!
• Continental Airlines, 1-800-784-4444. (Press 00.)
• Dell, 1-800-999-3355. (Press 0 repeatedly.)
• Discover, 1-800-347-2683. (Press ****.)
• eBay, 1-800-322-9266. (press 00) or 1-888-749-3229.
• eTrade, 1-800-786-2575. (Press # # # #.)
• Exxon Mobil card, 1-800-344-4355. (Ignoring message, press 000.)
• IRS, 1-800-829-1040. (Don't press or say anything.)
• MasterCard, 1-800-622-7747. (Press 000 at each prompt.)
• MBNA, 1-800-421-2110. (Say "customer service" at each prompt.)
• Medicare, 1-800-633-4227 (Say "agent.")
• Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, 668-2000 (Press 0.)
• Plainfield Public Library, 757-1111 (Press 0.)
• PNC Bank, 1-888-762-2265. (Press * repeatedly.)
• PSE&G, 1-800-436-7734. (Press 0 at each prompt.)
• Sears Credit Card, 1-800- 917-7700. (Press 0000000; press 0 at subsequent prompts.)
• Sovereign Bank, 1-877-768-2265. (Don't press or say anything.)
• TIAA-CREF, 1-800-842-2733. (Don't press or say anythiing.)
• UPS, 1-800-742-5877. (Press 0 0.)
• US Postal Service, 1-800-275-8777. (Press 5 4 2 2 at each prompt.)
• Verizon Billing, 1-888-780-3964. (When prompted for telephone number, say "operator.")
• Verizon Repair, 1-800-275-2355. (You get a human!)
• Verizon Wireless, 1-866-251-9611. (You get a human!)
• Visa, 1-800-847-2911. (Press 000, ignore "invalid entry" messages.)
• Wachovia, 1-800-922-4684. (Press 00 at each prompt.)

-- Dan Damon