# UPS automated system got some sass

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-automated-system-got-some-sass/827824>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 15, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-automated-system-got-some-sass/827824 "2019-01-15T21:43:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-automated-system-got-some-sass/827824/1 "2019-01-15T21:43:30Z")

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I am actually, genuinely mad at a computer lol. I had to call UPS today (goddamn brokerage fees, don’t get me started) and got the automated system. Since I wasn’t tracking a package or shipping it, nor any of the other options I pressed ‘0’. The following interaction then occurred with the automated system.  
**UPS** : We’re more than happy to get you to a representative but please choose an option. Do you want to track a package? Ship a package? Find UPS locations?

**Me** : _clicks 0 again_

**UPS** : _this time it’s a recording of an actual human_ You are REQUIRED to give a reason for your call. Push 1 to go back to the main menu and chose a VALID reason for your call.

**Me** : … _clicks 0 again_ … _hears dial tone_  
It hung up on me! I couldn’t believe it! What the hell? Part of me thinks it’s kind of funny but part of me is actually insulted. I mean, how rude!

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-automated-system-got-some-sass/827824/2 "2019-01-15T22:30:43Z")

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At some stage in the development of AI, I wonder if there will be a market for AI systems that are designed to negotiate past customer-facing AIs to reach a human being. You call the AI system that you subscribe to, tell it which company you want to talk to, and it calls you back when it reaches a human being. When a human service rep finally picks up, they hear (from your AI): “Your service is important to us, please hold for the next available customer.”

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ups-automated-system-got-some-sass/827824/3 "2019-01-15T22:38:09Z")

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I have to call UPS from time to time. I just pick random buttons until I get to a person. 9 times out of 10, it’s a billing issue, but mashing in a tracking number a bunch of times (which will be wrong, since you made it up) hopefully gets you the “hmm, I didn’t quite get that, let me transfer you…” script.

In the last year or two, I’ve found it’s much faster to just send them a facebook message. In fact, that tends to work the fastest for a lot of big companies.