It is possible to talk to a live agent about YouTube, but to get to the live agent, you have to work around the directory prompts. It makes sense that Google would want to offer most of its support online, and it will leave it at that if you don't push back against the system. That said, in the end, I was able to talk to someone about issues with syncing my YouTube account, but I had to call twice and go against the suggestions of the automated AI agent. 

There are dozens of reasons why people might call YouTube, which is probably why they try to offset many callers and direct them to the digital help site. From questions about monetizing an account to subscriptions to basic account settings, there are a lot of problems that can arise while maintaining a YouTube account. However, it would be nice if the actual phone support line catered more to people who are choosing to get help in real time. People like myself are not tech-savvy; it is just easier to work with a real human than to use another digital platform sometimes. 

When you first call, a voice thanks you for calling the GooglePlex in Mountainview, CA. Then, you are told that calls are recorded and subject to their training policy. Then the same voice says, "Please hold," but immediately a new automated assistant speaks. I was asked, "So, what's the issue you are calling about?" This time, I simply answered "Trouble syncing YouTube." I thought being straightforward would be helpful, but it worked against me. The automated assistant informed me that for help with YouTube, experts suggested that I start with the website support.google.com/youtube, and then, it was repeated twice. The voice then asked if I needed the address repeated again. I attempted to say, "No, I need more help," but it was too late. The voice assistant responded, "Okay, I hope that helps. Thanks for calling." It then promptly hung up on me, which was extremely frustrating. 

After a moment of shock, I decided to call back again, and when the voice assistant asked what I needed, I said, "Need to speak to a customer specialist." It then said, "I can get you to someone who can help, but first do you need help with..." and listed a bunch of services. I chose the option for something else, and it offered a range of options, but I said something else. I didn't want to be told to go online again, and it worked this time. 

I had to wait about 5 minutes for an agent, but the agent offered me support, and it was worth my time. It would be nice if I didn't have to bluff my way through the directory to get help.