Most companies use some type of automated phone system. And most of us have been driven to distraction getting pushed into a menu within a menu or repeating ourselves to voice recognition software.

Jeremy Hobson brings a critical ear to the cell phone automated voice-mail woman — who he says is constantly wasting our time with her talk of "sending a numeric page" and "more options.

The next time you make a phone call and are greeted with a machine (voicemail or automated phone system) instead of a person, save some time and get straight to your message or the extension you ...