Does anyone know how to skip the Premier robot?
 

One of the benefits of Premier status used to be the dedicated phone line, answered quickly by real live human beings. Nothing makes my blood boil like the computer-generated voice that now answers the Premier phone. I've tried calmly saying "agent, agent, agent" and I've tried screaming curse words that would make a sailor blush, but I can't figure out how to skip the robot and get directly to an actual, live person. Does anyone know?

Before I made 1P, I used to scream "agent" just like you. Eventually, I jus pushed "zero" and waited for the robot to say that he did not recognize the entry, hit "zero" gain, waited some more, hit "zero" one last time and eventually be transferred to a live agent.

The good news is once you make 1P, the robot is much nicer to you. You only have to enter your MP#, say your name, and whether or not your trip is domestic or international, before aksing you to hold for an agent.

Even 1Ks get the robot. Ridiculous. By contrast, Amtrak Select members are simply inserted into the queue at the next opportunity (always within 30 seconds), and speak immediately to a live human being.

I assume UGS members do not have to deal with a robot.

"AGENT...AGENT" will get you to a CSR. However, even if you call the 1K line and say that, you will not go to the 1K desk, IME. You have to put your MP number in to actually get to a 1K (or 1P, 2P etc) agent.

Sometimes calling the wrong line (e.g., MP when you want reservations) will get you warm transferred (agent to agent phone transfer). It may not save you time, but it might help circumvent the robot. BTW, calling the wrong number or selecting the wrong call option, ironically, is sometimes the most effective way to get the person you really want to talk to, depending on the CSR who transfers you and the transfer protocol.

In that case, I must be getting really lucky. I dial the 1P number, say Agent, Agent, and get through very quickly to a great CSR. If all those people I've been talking to aren't 1P CSRs, they should be. And I get through alot quicker than calling the general number.

Correct. Answered directly by person. Usually no hold at all.

I call the 1K line and just say AGENT, AGENT and it gets me through with trouble.

Assuming you meant '...gets me through with NO trouble.'? :D

You might want to bookmark the Find a Human website. It lists ways to get through dozens of corporate IVR (Idiotic Voice Response) telephone systems and reach a real human. For UA it says to "Say nothing (but you have to listen through lots of menus)".

PLEASE STOP CALLING THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM A ROBOT. ALL YOU PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO HURT MY FEELINGS. BESIDES, THE SYSTEM IS MORE LIKE HAL, THE WHACKO COMPUTER FROM 2001, A SPACE ODDESEY. AGAIN, IT IS NOT A ROBOT. THANK YOU!

Sincerely, RobotDoctor

:D

I usually jam on the 0 key until something happens...sometimes it takes a while though, of course. I love IVRs.

I always input my MP number before hitting 0 for an agent. That way the robot gets your MP information and transmits it to the agent answering the phone. I have never ever go an agent from India inputting my MP number first.

Any automoton can be considered a robot. The phone robot qualifies under two definitions from the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Shouldn't that be a device that automatically complicates repetitive tasks? :D That is what the MP Robot (IVR) does. Grrr, I was quite pleased when the robot went away for a while, but it appears that the robot (IVR) has returned.