How to reach a 'Human'

Cheating interactive voice response (IVR) systems

"If you don't not want to be disconnected, please press the pound key, followed by the number sign."

The Get Human site www.gethuman.com helps you reach out and touch someone human. It collects data on how to reach a person when faced with an interactive voice response (IVR) program designed to prevent you from reaching a human. It is presently supported in the U.S. and the U.K. I provides details on how to cheat IVR for individual US companies.

GetHuman for Canada www.quickbase.com has some useful tips.

The GetHuman web site founder was interviewed on CBC's "As It Happens", April 18, 2006: "Radio that never returns to the main menu" (posted to a mailing list in 2006)

Another site www.800-numbers.net helps you find a business 800 number that will provide access to the information you need.