We’ve all been there — trapped in the labyrinth of a company’s automated operator, pressing numbers, saying and repeating the nature of your problem, hoping that someone, anyone, will eventually pick up. In an effort to help, the Houston Chronicle’s Frugal Confessions blog put together a helpful run-down of four things you can try.

1. By Voice: Say “Agent” sternly into the phone. Many systems are voice activated through each of the menus. Also try “Representative”.

2. By Keypad: Press “O” in a menu. This is typically a default to connect you through to a service rep. If it does not work in the main menu, try it in the second menu, and the third. In most systems, you do not need to hear all of the options of each menu in order to press a number.

3. By Placing an Order: You do not actually need to place an order, but most systems will punch you through to a live rep if they know you are going to buy something from them. From there you can ask to be directly connected to whichever department you need.

4. By Selecting Tech Support: Once again, I know that you do not need tech support, but select this option because you will most likely be put through to a live rep. Once there, they can directly transfer you to any department you need.

Of course, once you actually get your hooks into a live CSR, that brings up a whole host of other problems. Perhaps that will be dealt with in another list.

How to Get Through to a Live Person in Customer Service [Houston Chronicle]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.