One of the worst voicemail mazes I’ve encountered is the one at the U.S. Postal Service number, 800-275-8777. Here are some tips on how to get to a real, live person.
Don’t expect these instructions to make sense. Voicemail systems are designed to save time and money for corporations by wasting the time and patience of customers.
- You may have to sit through a message or two before you even reach the main menu. This week it’s a message soliciting contracts from businesses who currently trade with DHL instead of USPS.
- At the voicemail menu, say “Delivery Services.”
- At the next prompt, say “Delivery Assistance.”
- When asked to briefly state the reason for your call, press “2” on your keypad. (I’m serious. Don’t waste your time trying to make the computer understand you.)
- Congratulations. A real, live person will be with you shortly.
These instructions may become obsolete as soon as a postal executive concludes that customer service employees are spending too much time helping customers.
Thank you so much for this! I just tried it (12/11/10) and it worked beautifully. (After 30 minutes of trying and failing to get a real person on the line). Thanks again!