Sucks for both sides. We're put at each others throat's because I need help, and you need to get rid of me as fast as possible to keep your metrics up. And we both know that the fastest and most reliable way to get rid of a customer is to make them give up. We're made to dehumanize either other because it's the optimal strategy for the corporation.

I've been lied to and jerked around for hours and hours so many times by corps like Comcast and Wells Fargo over and over again I don't even try to play the game anymore. I'll answer basic questions like my name or a brief description of my problem, but after I politely say "I would like to speak to a supervisor" until they realize I'm hurting their metrics and escalate the call to get rid of me. Like sorry, bro, but there's no trust here. We're enemies by necessity, and you're the one whose paycheck is signed by Satan. I'm just trying to cancel my Netflix account for the fifth time.

Re: Your specific case, though, I rarely encounter software problems I can't find a solution for somewhere on the web, and when I can't solve the problem it's usually because of Comcast or Microsoft and I don't call them because anything that came out of my mouth would constitute an actionable threat with terror enhancements at this point. I get other people to handle Comcast on my behalf then go sit in the bathroom biting a leather strap until they tell me it's been resolved. The urge to "return their borrowed hardware" that I never requested and refused to take delivery of by writing "I don't have it you fucks" on a brick and hurling it through their window is overwhelming sometimes.

I used to end-run around automated phone systems by replying to all of the machine's questions with "Operator" until it put me through to a human, but they've wised up and now the machine just hangs up on you. It'll probably be impossible to resolve anything once they hook up plagiarism machines to all the support lines. Why resolve problems when you can have a Markov chain talk the customers in circles for fractions of penny until they shoot themselves to end the suffering?

Supposedly back in the day before anyone really understood what to do with the internet you could occasionally find a company's directory, find the personal line of some high level executive, lie your way through their secretary, and get some really prompt and stellar support once they figured out what was going on.

Fun fact: Back in like 2017 or so it was worth about 30$ an hour to Amazon to get you to stop politely saying "Well, I understand, but I'm very disappointed and I want to know how you're going to make this up to me, a long time customer" over and over to the call center rep.

I forget what the issue even was, I just did it on a lark as an experiment to see how long they'd try to get rid of me before giving up, and what treats they'd pony up to get me off the line.