A BBC consumer expert explains what people can do when a company’s customer service is handled only through an AI chatbot. The guidance focuses on how to ask for a real person rather than being automatically routed through automated responses. The expert says consumers still have rights when dealing with companies online or by phone automation, and those rights do not “disappear” just because the first point of contact is a chatbot. The advice highlights that many chatbot systems are designed to understand certain requests and can provide routes to escalation, such as asking to speak to a human or requesting alternative assistance options. One outlet reports four example phrases that can be used to prompt an operator or a different channel, while another outlet stresses the available options more generally. Overall, the guidance is presented as practical wording that may help users get past automated customer service and connect with a human representative, where the system allows it. The expert’s message does not claim all chatbots will comply, but it frames the approach as a way to seek a human response when automation prevents straightforward access.