In your lifetime you’ve almost certainly spent time on the phone to the bank, or a cinema, or another kind of service that uses a technology called ‘Interactive Voice Response’ or ‘Private Branch Exchange’. This is the thing where you’re told to say a word, or dial a number on your phone’s keypad, in order to navigate your way through an automated menu system. Sometimes it doesn’t work, or you’re directed through about five different stages before being put on hold – and if you’re in a hurry you might want to scream.

It turns out screaming is actually the best way to get past some of these menus. According to Twitter user @annebot there’s a patented system that gauges a user’s mood, and if their mood is especially bad, it’ll direct them straight to a human call handler.

My friend created and patented this technology! If you swear at an automated system, many will redirect you to an operator. That is a legit way to shortcut automated menus. https://t.co/47yl2iUbDG — thankful annebot ? (@annebot) November 18, 2017


According to her, swearing or saying ‘operator’ connects you automatically with an operator.

Not that I know of. Either profanity OR saying "operator" typically works — thankful annebot ? (@annebot) November 18, 2017

And if you’re not in the mood to swear, you can also just say ‘human’ or ‘agent’.

I yelled "HUMAN HUMAN HUMAN!" at a system the other day and got immediately transferred to a person. It's such a pleasant surprise when technological advances make things BETTER for me instead of worse! — Naomi Kritzer (@NaomiKritzer) November 18, 2017

"Agent" is also a code word to bypass directly to a human https://t.co/HoH83v3QfK — Natural-born Heathen (@mtnwizard) November 19, 2017

Unfortunately, according to several users, the trick only works in the USA – not in the UK, as this Twitter user found:

Doesn't work here in the UK, I've launched into a tirade of 'F' & 'C' words on several occasions & it made no difference whatsoever ? — Phil Spearpoint (@_Tenacious_P) November 19, 2017


Hard to believe, sure, but it turns out Britain needs to up its game in the profanity-based service stakes.