Everybody hates having to listen to automated telephone systems, with long menu options, and you just want to speak to a human, even to be redirected to another human. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been in the menu system for 30 mins. I’ve even been lost in the menu system with Telstra, finally hung up in discust, redialed and been almost immediately serviced.
So Apparently if you ring a Telstra number and receive voice prompting do the following to get to an operator quicker:
1. Say a word ie “mobile” or “phone”
2. Press the hash (#) key
3. Wait for the recorded message
4. Press the hash key again
Apparently this will put you at the top of the queue for the next available operator.
We just tested this with the 13 2200 number and it seems to work. After step 4, we were sent to a human operator within 15 seconds. Nice.
Well Emptorium Australian Banking Cheat Sheet will get back at big business with a number of cheats.
| Bank | Phone | Shortcut |
| AussieHomeloans | 13 13 33 | 0000 |
| American Express | 1300 132 639 | 0# |
| ANZ Bank | 13 13 14 | 00000 |
| BankWest | 131 718 | 00000# |
| Bendigo Bank | 1300 366 666 | 0 |
| Citibank | 13 24 84 | 00 |
| Commonwealth Bank | 13 22 21 | 000 |
| Diners Club | 1300 360 060 | 0 |
| Esanda | 13 23 13 | 00 |
| HSBC | 1300 308 880 | 1 |
| ING Bank | 1800 639 082 | 0 wait 0# |
| ING Direct | 1800 500 240 | 0 |
| National Australia Bank | 13 13 12 | ### |
| RAMS Home Loans | 13 72 67 | 000 |
| Suncorp | 13 11 34 | 0000 |
| St. George Bank | 13 33 30 | say ‘Everyday Banking’ |
| Wizard Home Loans | 131 970 | 0 |
| Westpac Banking Corporation (Mortgage Sales) | 13 19 00 | 0 |
| Westpac Banking Corporation (Phone Banking) | 13 20 32 | 00*0 |
| Woolworths Ezy Banking | 13 72 88 | 0 |