AUTOMATED PHONE MENUS:

A survey by Consumers Union of 1000 people disclosed that 71 percent were extremely irritated when they can't reach a human on the phone.

Websites such as http://www.dialahuman.com and http://gethuman.com list customer service numbers and tell how to bypass automated prompts to get a real person.

Another free service, http://www.lucyphone.com, will help you avoid sitting on hold by letting you to provide your phone number and hang up. The service calls you back when a live representative is on the line.

Other Tips for getting around those nasty automated phone systems and getting to a human:

1. Dial O, or try multiple zeros

2. You can add the # key or the * key before and after a 0

3. Dial multiples of other numbers 1111, 2222, 3333, 4444, etc.

4. Being silent sometimes works (believe it or not some people still have rotary phones)

5. Speak non-sensible phrases to confuse computer

6. Try speaking and repeating "Operator" or "Customer Service"

7. If there is a company directory, press just one letter and then try to connect to that person and then may transfer you or give you an inside phone number

8. Make sure once you get a human, ask for the direct line to call (and then email us with it!)

(Source: MoneyTalksNews, Karla Bowsher article, June 22, 2011)