erion

Quick question:

When calling a place of business, would you rather have the phone answered by a person or have a computer system pick up?

World's King

I talk to my computer all day. It's nice to have a conversation with a real person every once in a while.

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Regziever

I'm with World's King. The computer can get a little boring sometimes...

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Redlemon

D) I prefer a direct dial to someone's desk.

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mml

I put down a person, because in general I hate dealing with "push 1 for english, push this for x or this for y". But when calling someone who I call frequently(like my wife), I prefer to not go through a receptionist.

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sixate

I could care less.
As long as I can get what I need it doesn't matter to me.

G5_Todd

nothing more annoying than listing to a list of 20 options when urs is # 19

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ninety09

Machine. I don't like talking.

Moskie

I get really annoyed with this new trend of voice recognition systems that some businesses use. Usually, they have about 3.5 words built into the system, and I'll be damned if what I want is one of them. So yea, gimmie a real person

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hansthemolemann

I like people to be on the other end

absorbentishe

6 of one 1/2 dozen of the other. Makes no difference to me.

Buk

I like to talk to a person, because I don't always know exactly which option to chose on the automated ones, and then when you need to get transfered departments no one ever picks up and what not.

Also, if I need directions to a place I'm driving to, or I'm lost getting there having a knowledgable person tell me where to go is very important to me.

TheBrit

When I get a machine, I just do nothing. They assume you do not have a touch tone phone, and put you through to an operator.

Angel

I want a live, moving, breathing being at the other end of the phone. If I am calling, it is generally to aquire assistance. I want it direct and simple.
We (my b/f and I) have tried several times to reach a live person at the cell phone company we went through to hook up his service so we could give praise to the wonderful girl who helped us out and let them know what a great sales rep she is. We never did get a live one. Had to go in person.

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GakFace

Its not fun hanging up on robotic telemarketers...

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RoboBlaster:
Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

powder

Real person. I hate telephone voice messageing hell. Push 1 to..... push 2 ....... I often just push 0 or pick random numbers until something happens.

tj2001cobra

I hate automated services. Our company has a strict policy that a live person must answer the phone at all times. And it is also implied that a woman answer the phone (not being chauvanistic... our business is male dominated and they like women answering the phone more than a man).

I trick for automated phones... Alot of systems now know that people just hit "0" to get to an operater. They now say that this is an invalid option and they make you listen to all of the options again. On most systems, if you hit "0" twice, it will override that command and take you to an operator.

I will flat out do business with someone solely for the fact that one company has a live person to talk to rather than one that has an automated system. The live person wins every time.

sexymama

A live person is just so much more friendly than a machine and results are much quicker!

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bundy

last week i called a small hotel in Canberra to get a message to someone... and they had a machine answering device... you know the ones that say welcome, dial 1 to do such and such...

well, this place had just one option... it just said, ¨hello, dial 1 to talk to someone...¨

what was the point??
one option... just to talk to reception.!!!

i much prefer to talk to other humans.

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monty121052

I like talking to people if I dont get transfered to India or some other part of the world where they barley speak English,which happens often in Australia.

raeanna74

I hate where theres a list of menu options and then you go through 2 and 3 menus to find there's nothing specific to your question so you end up waiting for half an hour for a real person.

I dealt with AT&T over a couple problems and spent about 20 hours on the phone in 2 months mostly because I was on hold. After I got it all solved I was in a bad mood about the whole thing. I had a telemarketer call and I told them my gripe and asked them to hold. I just left them on hold and went to town. I don't know how long they were there but I haven't gotten a telemarketer call from them since.

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phredgreen

when i have something with a heartbeat on the other side of the line, there's much more of a chance of getting exactly what i want, not what's currently available on a menu of options.

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Jolt

I want to deal with humans, as annoying as they can be at times. Automated voice mail means that someone doesn't feel you're worthy of their attention.

I can't stand ATM's either.

About the only mechanical non-human transaction devices I care to use are vending machines which dispense guzzly bubbly caffeine.
Even then...I'd rather have a beverage from a fountain than a bottle ANY day.

89transam

person

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mew

Yeah, definetly need a person. I have to call a lot of co at work for info, and they all have machines. I never get the right extension I want or the right person. I just press 0 and ask them a question. If they patch me through to the appropriate person I dont care. I just want a straight answer.

Fearless_Hyena

The ones that Verizon and Tell Me are real impressive, I think!! If it works right, I think it's cool as hell. Cool technology, in any case.

But what I cannot stand is when the prompt system is touchtone-based and REAL SLOW, and when companies are constantly saying that "their menu options have changed" -- why the heck can't they just stick to one system?

Skytel used to have a great system but they put me on a "newer" system that sucks, once I got my 2way pager....it's still pretty annoying.

Miekle

Sometimes a machine is nice, expecialy when your just going to keep being redirected else where. At least you can sit and swere at the machine and not get hung up on.

Tirian

With the exception of the few good ones, I find that most automated systems are actually smarter than your average receptionist, so I go with the machine.

Now if most receptionists were intellegent and actually checked if the person your wanting to speak with is free before transfering you, than I'd choose the real person.

Xiangsu

Has anyone ever had an automated service call you and put you on hold? This pisses me off so much. I hang up every time.

anti fishstick

o i'm an oddball who said machine :P i'm relieved to not have to talk to a real person stranger.

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mattevil

definetly a person just like sex i guess. a machine will get the job done but the real thing can't be beat. i guess it can be beat come to think of it hehe.

Lunchbox7

It depends pn my mood. If Im in an unsociable mood I dont want to have to deal with any person. But If Im in a sociable mood I prefer person because I can get the feedback that I need.

Midlandmadman

Just last night I called to order something off the TV.... no, not porn (you freaks). It was like 11pm and this was a timelife thing for the muppet show.... so I call. I got greeted by a machine offering options...I almost hung up.... I am calling to buy something the least they could do is let me talk to a person.

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Loup

I would rather have the machine with the option to talk to a representative. I know that the machine can't answer your questions but companies usually cover all the bases. Besides, the people that usually answer the phone of the businesses that I call don't care about customer support and if you ask a question that is not on their answer sheet - they are lost on what to do/say. Robots of the flesh ... kinda scary.

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Semi-Normal

I hate to be anal, but I think you mean you couldn't care less. If you could care less, it means you do care at least a bit. If you couldn't, then you don't care. Makes sense if you think about it.

People always get that saying wrong, and for some reason it just annoys me.

Anyway, to answer the question, I prefer a real person, but if a recording can give me the info I'm after quickly and easily, then I don't mind too much.

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jbrooks544

For the average small business, it is a HUGE savings to not have to have a dedicated receiptionist. We are probably saving $20,000+ dollars by not having to have someone who just answers the phone. Also, everyone else's productivity goes up b/c they can manage their calls and messages better. There is nothing worse than a bad "voicemail hell" setup. I spent a lot of money on ours and took great care with crafting the choices and scripts so that people don't get annoyed and put around in circles. It isn't just being really cheap or anything. Many sm. businesses saving $20,000 can be the difference between making money or not.

SecretMethod70

If I get a machine I just always press 0. More often than not it will bring you to a real person. It's never failed me.

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ARTelevision

In things where I get no choice, I tend to have no preference.

I find there's less frustration to living when you don't have an expectation concerning things that are not choices.

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feartheraiders6

I know there aren't very many of us out there... but I really don't mind talking to the computer on the phone... I like to see how well the company can do with the system... if you've ever activated Windows XP over the phone... that's a cool system... it uses all voice recognition

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MSD

And then when I can't understand what they're saying, I feel bad asking them to repeat it five times. I've always been bad at understanding people with more than a bit of an accent.

It didnt' help when I had to do sales and I was paranoid that I'd offend someone when I couldn't understand what they were saying. It feels impolite.