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A neat little trick for dealing with voice-driven phone menu systems
C-Pol: Constitutionalist, Conservative Politics ^ | April 22, 2005

Posted on 4/22/2005, 2:40:54 PM by Constitutionalist Conservative

A couple of days ago I inadvertently discovered a useful little trick. Many of you may already be veterans at this, but I just had to share the joy of discovery.

I called my insurance company to have an adjuster come out to check for the presence hail damage on our roof. Like many companies do nowadays, this company uses a voice-driven menu system to route calls. And like many companies, this menu system seems like it is 300 levels deep.

I had made it to about the third level when my son Daniel tried to ask me a question from the living room. As the menu system was asking its question, I called out to Daniel from the kitchen, "Daniel, I'm talking on the phone!"

The menu system instantly broke off mid-sentence. Silence for a moment, then:

"I'm sorry, I didn't understand your response. Please hold while I transfer you to one of our customer service representatives."

Three seconds later, I was talking to someone who was able to take care of my claim.

I don't know if all voice-driven menu systems behave in this way, but you may want to try it some time. Here are the steps once again. You may want to write them on an index card and leave it by the phone, just so you'll be ready.

1. Dial the desired number.

2. Wait for the menu system to begin a voice prompt.

3. While the menu system is in mid-sentence, call out in a loud voice, "Daniel, I'm talking on the phone!"

It is possible that some name other than "Daniel" might work, but this name has a proven track record. You may use it royalty-free.

You're welcome.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Humor
KEYWORDS:
Like I said, I may be the last person on earth to discover this trick, but that's okay.
1 posted on 4/22/2005, 2:40:55 PM by Constitutionalist Conservative
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To: Constitutionalist Conservative
I just keep pushing "0" until someone - semi-alive ideally - gets on to "help" me.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

2 posted on 4/22/2005, 2:43:22 PM by Mike Bates (Irish Alzheimer's victim: I only remember the grudges.)
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To: Constitutionalist Conservative

I've found that "I've about had enough of this b*llsh*t!!!" works equally well.

3 posted on 4/22/2005, 2:52:28 PM by Fintan (Someday we'll look back on this moment and plow into a parked car.)
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To: Fintan
"I've about had enough of this b*llsh*t!!!"

I can recall saying "I hate voicemail. Where are the F***ING PEOPLE!"

The computer poops out and calls for human help (yay!).

4 posted on 4/22/2005, 2:55:04 PM by Petronski (Pope Benedict XVI: A German Shepherd on the Throne of Peter)
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To: Constitutionalist Conservative
I'll give you one back. I have problems with junk faxes coming. I've tried calling the numbers, but I have better things to do with my time, than constantly calling the same three or four numbers to pull my number off fax lists.

Since my caller ID also works on the FAX machine, I simply record the number, then FAX back a sheet of black paper to the number. A second fax from the same number gets a second sheet and so on.

In seven of the 11 times I have eventually gotten a call back demanding I stop. We then mutually agree to stop the faxing in either direction.

The overall number of junk faxes have also stopped.

5 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:00:34 PM by Military family member (Bless the Legacy of John Paul II)
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To: Petronski

Love the tagline!!!

6 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:06:26 PM by Fintan (Someday we'll look back on this moment and plow into a parked car.)
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To: Constitutionalist Conservative

I just say "Hillary is a witch".


7 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:09:28 PM by 1Old Pro
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To: Military family member

You really want to have fun with that? Get about four of those black sheets, roll one have way through the feeder so that you can see both ends, and then tape them end-to-end to as to make a loop. It's called a fax bomb.

Hehehehehehehehehehehe.


8 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:13:19 PM by Lee'sGhost (Crom!)
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To: Military family member
FAX back a sheet of black paper to the number.

FAX spammers are the scum of the Earth!! I've heard of someone taping three pieces of black paper together and then taping the beginning to the end as it comes through the machine, making a loop and letting it run until the other end dies! Don't know if it's true but I like to think so!

If there was a button on fax machines that said "2x4 to the head" of the scum spammer who sent this I'd honestly have pushed it fifty times in my life... and you'd not be getting those unwanted faxes. :)

9 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:17:56 PM by MarineBrat (Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They need changing often, and for the same reason!)
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To: Constitutionalist Conservative

If you get one that asks you if you know the person's extension you wish to dial, just say some numbers and it will transfer you, and when they answer you say "FINALLY A LIVE VOICE". Then you ask them to transfer you to directly to a person in the Department you need or give you an extension number to use. They will normally do so, as it makes them feel bad if they don't, unless you get ahold of a real jerk. I do purchasing for an international corporation, so I do this on a regular basis to save time.


10 posted on 4/22/2005, 3:25:27 PM by ravingnutter
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To: Lee'sGhost
It's called a fax bomb.

Been there, done that. The unwanted faxes quit the next day. Snicker, snicker......

11 posted on 4/22/2005, 4:12:44 PM by Arrowhead1952 (TV News and the MSM - - - ROTFLMAO)
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To: Military family member

"The overall number of junk faxes have also stopped."

I do the same thing, but also cross post - companies that send me junk mail get routed to other companies with junk mailing lists.


12 posted on 4/23/2005, 5:33:31 AM by Fenris6 (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months w/o missing a day of work? He's either John Rambo or a Fraud)
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To: MarineBrat
More advanced fax servers do not even use ink - they're collected electronically and viewed on a PC.
13 posted on 4/23/2005, 5:38:02 AM by Cultural Jihad
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