I just started reading your blog a few weeks ago, and as always I enjoy the content. I find that asking for a specific person and asking “with confidence” works very well. Also, asking for them by first name (after you find the person you are interested in speaking with). Good post, I look forward to reading your future ones.

Come to think of it, I could have done with a technique like this a year or two ago, when Register.com decided it would be fun to change a friend’s MX records to point to 127.0.0.1 when they switched registrars. Thanks to long TLD delegation TTLs, that took a while to clear fully – meanwhile, an entry-level drone was assuring me that register.com has no control over the zone files published by ns[1-6].register.com.

Something I didn’t mention in this post is that many companies (especially Web-based ones) have a Twitter account that is monitored by staff. I’ve also used this for effective problem resolution. You can always check @companyname on Twitter to see if that company has an account there. I used this for GoToWebinar when their phone support system hung up on me after placing me on hold for over 30 minutes. Their Twitter person was able to resolve my issue in mere minutes, and escalated the hangup issue to management.

-Erica

Wow, incredibly useful tip! I had no idea. Thanks for posting that…I love it when my readers know even more than I do!

-Erica

Here is a link to an EECB How To: http://consumerist.com/2007/05/how-to-launch-an-executive-email-carpet-bomb.html

You can search for a company’s name to find email addresses for most large companies.

Using false names to protect the guilty Megacorp did something which left me needing resolution right now. Problem…their website listed no contact information. Solution…the “corp” part of their name.

Every public corporation is required by law to publish a Form 10K every year disclosing their operations. Additionally, that form is required by law to be made available to the public by the Securities and Exchange Commission; which they now do online.

So, a quick Google of “Berkshire Hathaway 10K” (NOT the company involved) returns this link in Google:

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067983/000095012905002423/a06623e10vk.htm

And on the very first page is the all important Registrant’s telephone number, including area code, in this case (402) 346-1400.

Putting a dead-end phone-tag number on this form will get a company one thing and one thing only…an audit from the SEC. You are all but guaranteed to speak to a live human being if you call the Registrant’s number. I echo Erica’s caution…this isn’t a way around gatekeepers, so treat it with care. But it works.

Good hacks on getting to a number and a person.