Dial a human

I don't have the link for this page but this was published by Seattle Times. The called a number of companies and compiled this table.


This information is based on a survey conducted by the Seattle Times. Unfortunately I lost the link for this page but I guess you can Google it.

Company/Company Web site
Phone number
How to reach a human
Minutes to reach a human
Notes
Banks
Bank of Americahttp://www.bankofamerica.com/
206-461-0800 or800-442-6680
Press 0 immediately.
1.5

KeyBankhttp://www.key.com/
800-539-2968
Remain on the line, press nothing.
1.5

US Bankhttp://www.usbank.com/
800-872-2657
Press 0. Ignore prompts through short menu of choices, then you're transferred to a representative.
2

Washington Mutualhttp://www.wamu.com/
800-788-7000
Press 0 immediately, then press 0 again.
1

Wells Fargohttp://www.wellsfargo.com/
800-869-3557
Press 0 immediately. Wait through prompt for account number.
1

Cellphone companies
Cingularhttp://www.cingular.com/
866-246-4852
Press 1, enter cellphone number or press 0 three times to be transferred to a representative.
2.5

Sprint Nextelhttp://www.sprint.com/
800-480-4727
After brief announcement in Spanish, press 1, then 2. Press 0 twice, then say "agent."
3
System warned that "time to reach a representative might be longer than usual" due to high call volumes. Predicted wait: Less than three minutes. Actual wait: one minute.
T-Mobilehttp://www.t-mobile.com/
800-866-2453
After announcements, press 2 for existing customers. Then say "representative."
4.5

Verizon Wirelesshttp://www.verizonwireless.com/
800-922-0204
Press 0 a total of four times, once after each prompt.
2

Credit/Financial Services
American Expresshttp://www.americanexpress.com/
800-528-4800
Press 0 a total of four times, once after each prompt. Ignore the "invalid entry" prompt.
2

Capital Onehttp://www.capitalone.com/
800-955-7070
Press 0 a total of three times, once after each prompt. Or simply wait through all the menu choices and press 0 at the end.
2

MasterCardhttp://www.mastercard.com/
800-622-7747
Press 1 for English, then press 0.
3.5

Safeco Insurancehttp://www.safeco.com/
800-332-3226
Press 1, press 1, press 0#. Pressing 0 alone automatically disconnects you.
2

Visahttp://www.visa.com/
800-847-2911
Press 0 three times, ignoring prompts that say it's an invalid option.
1
System warned of a high volume of calls, but a human answered in about a minute.
Government
King County District Courtwww.metrokc.gov/kcdc
206-205-9200
Press 6.
6.5
The county gets extra credit for publishing the phone shortcut on its Web site and apologizing in advance for the wait time.
State Department of Licensinghttp://www.wa.gov/dol
Call your local DOL office.
Press 1 after the announcement about the Web site, then stay on the line through a long menu to be transferred to a representative.
2

State Department of Labor and Industrieswww.wa.gov/lni
Call your local office.
Press 1, then 0.
0.5

Seattle Municipal Courtwww.seattle.gov/courts
206-684-5600
Press 1, then 0.
0.5

U.S. Passport Services Officetravel.state.gov
877-487-2778
When prompted to select English or another language, press nothing. The system assumes you have a rotary-dial phone and transfers you immediately to a representative.
1

Internet Service Providers
AOLhttp://www.aol.com/
800-827-6364
Press 0 a total of three times, once after each prompt, ignoring the automated voice promising that "it will be a lot faster if I can just keep asking you questions."
1.5
Points off for making it hard to find the customer-service phone number on the Web site.
Comcasthttp://www.comcast.net/
888-266-2278
Press 0 twice, after each time the system asks for your phone number. Press 1 for English. Then press 1 for English again. Press 1 again for existing customers. Press # twice when asked for your phone number.
2.5
Points off for not listing customer-service phone number on Web site.
EarthLinkhttp://www.earthlink.net/
888-327-8454
No easy escape from endless menu choices. It may be fastest to answer the annoying list of automated questions. For billing questions, press 2. For technical issues, press 4 and follow the prompts.
7
We were transferred to a system dead-end on the first attempt, cut off on the second attempt.
Phone
AT&Thttp://www.consumer.att.com/
800-222-0300
Press 1 for English, 0 each time you are prompted for your phone number, then say "agent" twice.
2

Qwesthttp://www.qwest.com/
800-244-1111
Say "representative" a total of five times, once after each prompt, or press # four times.
1.5

Retail products/services
Amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com/
206-266-2992; 800-201-7575
Press 0, then stay on the line through the menu listings.
0.5

Best Buyhttp://www.bestbuy.com/
888-237-8289
Press 1 a total of three times, once after each menu prompt, then press # six times, ignoring prompts for your order number and telephone number.
2.5
Press 0 twice, and the system hangs up on you after saying, "I'm sorry you're having problems."
Circuit Cityhttp://www.circuitcity.com/
800-843-2489
Press 0.
1.5

Costcohttp://www.costco.com/
800-220-6000
Press 0 twice, ignoring prompts that say it's an invalid option.
0.75

eBayhttp://www.ebay.com/
800-322-9266
Press 0 twice.
0.5

Macy'shttp://www.macys.com/
206-506-6000
Press 0 three times, ignoring prompts and the automated voice telling you it can't understand you.
0.5

Nordstromhttp://www.nordstrom.com/
888-282-6060
Direct to human.
0
Representative answered so fast the phone hadn't even rung yet.
The Seattle Timeshttp://www.seattletimes.com/
206-464-2121
Press 0.
1.5

Starbuckshttp://www.starbucks.com/
800-782-7282 (card services); 800-235-2883 (retail)
Press 0 (either phone number).
16.5
Cool hold music. They warn that they're experiencing a high volume of calls and encourage you to go to their Web site instead.
Ticketmasterhttp://www.ticketmaster.com/
206-628-0888
Press 2, then 6, then 2.
3.5
Ads and announcements can't be bypassed. Ticketmaster wins the "most annoying computer voice" award for the nasal fake-female who greets callers.
Technology
Applehttp://www.apple.com/
800-676-2775
Press 1 for English, 2 if you're an existing customer. Wait for the next menu to start, then choose 3, then 2 to talk to an agent.
6
Automated voice blames long hold times on the new iPod Nano.
Compaqwww.hp.com
800-752-0900 (general questions)
Say "connect."
1.5

Dellhttp://www.dell.com/
800-999-3355
To bypass each of five menus you have to get through to reach an agent, press 0 twice after each begins, then ask to be transferred to customer service.
1 if you skip the menus.

Microsofthttp://www.microsoft.com/
800-642-7676
Press 0 five times and ignore the automated warnings that your option is incorrect.
0.5

Travel
Alaska Airhttp://www.alaskaair.com/
800-252-7522
Press 3.
8
Pressing 0 reroutes you to the beginning of the menu.
America Westhttp://www.americawest.com/
800-363-2542
Press 2 for America West, then 2. Then press 0.
2.5
You start with US Airways system.
American Airlineshttp://www.aa.com/
800-433-7300
Press 0 twice. When the automated voice comes on, say "agent."
2.75
Before transferring you to an agent, they warn that they'll charge you an extra $8 service fee if you buy a ticket over the phone.
Amtrakhttp://www.amtrak.com/
800-872-7245
Don't try to outsmart the automated voice by staying silent. It's quicker to say "agent," then confirm by saying "yes."
1.5

Continentalhttp://www.continental.com/
800-523-3273
Press 0 two times.
12

Deltahttp://www.delta.com/
800-221-1212
Say "agent" twice after the introductory menu.
4

Expediahttp://www.expedia.com/
800-397-3342
Say "agent" twice.
0.5

Northwesthttp://www.nwa.com/
800-225-2525
Press 0.
2

Sea-Tac Airportwww.portseattle.org/seatac/
206-433-5388
Press 9.
1.5

Southwesthttp://www.southwest.com/
800-435-9792
Direct to agent.
0.25

Unitedhttp://www.united.com/
800-864-8331
Stay on the line to get the automated system. Say "agent," and then "yes." They'll ask you what kind of agent you want, and if you say "agent" again, you'll end up with a reservations agent.
16.5

US Airwayshttp://www.usairways.com/
800-363-2542
Press 1 for US Airways, then 2, then 0.
0.5
___________________________________________________________________

TV

Comcasthttp://www.comcast.com/
800-266-2278
Ignore requests to enter your phone number. Press 1 for English, then 1 for current customer. Ignore requests for your phone number again, and they'll transfer you to an agent. If you plug in your phone number, you'll end up at another menu.
2
Points off for not listing phone number on Web site.

DirecTVhttp://www.directv.com/
800-494-4388
Press 1 for English, 1 for existing customers. Ignore requests for your phone number. Press 0, then either press 3 twice or 4, 0, to get an agent.
2
If you don't choose a reason for your call, it hangs up on you.

Dish Networkhttp://www.dishnetwork.com/
888-284-7116
Press 1 for existing customers, then press 0 when prompted for your account or phone number.
1.75
It said the wait would be two minutes, but an agent picked up in about 30 seconds.

TiVohttp://www.tivo.com/
877-367-8486
Instead of choosing from the menu, say "agent." When the automated voice repeats the menu, say "agent" again and the voice will relent, saying, "OK, agent."
6
While you're waiting, recorded voices try to talk you out of it, telling you it would be "much faster" and "faster and more convenient" to go online.
Utilities

City of Seattle garbagewww.seattle.gov/util/services/garbage/
206-684-3000
Press 3, then 0.
0.75

Puget Sound Energyhttp://www.pse.com/
888-225-5773
Press 0.
0.5

Rabancohttp://www.rabanco.com/
206-332-7777
Press 1.
13.5
That's the phone number for Seattle. Other numbers are on their Web site.

Seattle City Lightwww.cityofseattle.net/light
206-684-3000
Press 0 four times.
0.75

Snohomish Co. PUDhttp://www.snopud.com/
425-783-1000
Press nothing. The system assumes you're using a rotary-dial phone and transfers you to an operator.
0.75

Comcasthttp://www.comcast.com/
800-266-2278
Ignore requests to enter your phone number. Press 1 for English, then 1 for current customer. Ignore requests for your phone number again, and they'll transfer you to an agent. If you plug in your phone number, you'll end up at another menu.
2
Points off for not listing phone number on Web site.

DirecTVhttp://www.directv.com/
800-494-4388
Press 1 for English, 1 for existing customers. Ignore requests for your phone number. Press 0, then either press 3 twice or 4, 0, to get an agent.
2
If you don't choose a reason for your call, it hangs up on you.

Dish Networkhttp://www.dishnetwork.com/
888-284-7116
Press 1 for existing customers, then press 0 when prompted for your account or phone number.
1.75
It said the wait would be two minutes, but an agent picked up in about 30 seconds.

TiVohttp://www.tivo.com/
877-367-8486
Instead of choosing from the menu, say "agent." When the automated voice repeats the menu, say "agent" again and the voice will relent, saying, "OK, agent."
6
While you're waiting, recorded voices try to talk you out of it, telling you it would be "much faster" and "faster and more convenient" to go online.
Utilities

City of Seattle garbagewww.seattle.gov/util/services/garbage/
206-684-3000
Press 3, then 0.
0.75

Puget Sound Energyhttp://www.pse.com/
888-225-5773
Press 0.
0.5

Rabancohttp://www.rabanco.com/
206-332-7777
Press 1.
13.5
That's the phone number for Seattle. Other numbers are on their Web site.
Seattle City Lightwww.cityofseattle.net/light
206-684-3000
Press 0 four times.
0.75

Snohomish Co. PUDhttp://www.snopud.com/
425-783-1000
Press nothing. The system assumes you're using a rotary-dial phone and transfers you to an operator.
0.75
Would you rather talk to these machines or Indians?