Tired of having to waste 30 minutes or more, just trying to get a real person on the phone every time you call a large company?

There are ways to bypass the frustrating automated menus that most all companies now use.

(And did you know that some companies actually monitor how hard you press your phone keys, or how aggressively you respond to voice prompts, to identify "problematic" customers?)

Bringo!, also known as NoPhoneTrees.com, allows users to choose the company they wish to call, and the site will dial the company, navigate the phone tree for you, and call you when an operator or customer service rep is available. It costs nothing and can save you loads of time.

You can also try the GetHuman database, which has instructions on how to reach a real human at a long list of companies.