How do you handle telemarketers?

[BNH4221]

Since my phone number is listed in the phone book under my dog's name, they usually ask for "Lucy". That tips me off right then.



I politely interrupt them, say "No thanks, have a nice day" and then hang up.



I guess I am just an old poop.



Steve

 

[daveshoe]

I have a special love for Dish Network. They were calling Mom twice daily when Dad had two weeks to live. I get the phone and ask them ''why do you keep calling when she keeps saying she is not interested? put her on the do not call list. They call the next day--I say---''You Win! Send out the installer--I want him there at 8:30 tomorrow morning. We want the best package that you have!. Just make sure that you finish by 9;00,because we do need our privacy when we bathe my dying father--we have to do it in his bed. [this was all true]

''Now when the installer arrives,he will experience all my pent -up frustration of dealing with a company that does not understand the meaning of NO WE ARE NOT INTERESTED. If the installer is smart,he will exit his truck armed,locked and loaded,because that is what he will encounter when I greet him at the door. ''

We have not heard from them since --I am really suprised they did not call afted the death notice appeared in the paper

 

[JWestley]

I work as a telemarketer for a political survey company and we get people every once and a while i get someone who likes to be an *** hole, but what most people don't realize is that when people get that way i just hang up and code it as respondant not avaliable so they get a call back later. Same thing with when you hang up, it just sends it back into our computer that we will call you back later. Now if you politely say take me off your list or don't call back I will code it as such and move on. All i have to do is hang up and i am given a damn near infinate list of numbers to call so go ahead. However if you get a call from someone named John at Voter Consumer Research or the Tarrance group, it might be me.



I do laugh at the whole thing though, i make 300+ phone calls a day and get maybe about 15 completed surveys and thats considered a pretty good day

 

[rbattelle]

I do laugh at the whole thing though, i make 300+ phone calls a day and get maybe about 15 completed surveys and thats considered a pretty good day

That is fascinating. I've always wondered what success rate they get.



I always try to be polite, and it came and bit me once. I agreed to take a "short survey" that turned out to be a full 28 minutes (and then some). I was really angry. Among the questions were "what credit card is appropriate for everyone?". Give me a break, I'm not qualified to answer that!



Since then, I basically refuse to take surveys (politely).



Ryan

 

[JWestley]

You not only hate to take surveys that long, but we also hate to give them because about 75% of the time people will get about half way through it and realize what they have gotten themselves into and just hang up. Which in our case means that we don't get credit for it and half just wasted time. Plus imagine how often we get to say the same exact lines over and over again. I feel like the secretary in office space half the time.

 

[Loghead]

JWestley,



It may be more effective in the long run to ask to be removed from the list, but that process always takes a whole lot of arm-twisting too. Hanging up is easier.

It's too bad that telemarketing has forced many (including myself) to do what I was taught was rude (hanging up on someone). I'm certainly glad for the no-call list, although I'm considering a phone system that blocks or diverts unwanted calls.

 

[JWestley]

actually if you just tell us that you no longer want to be on our list we are legally forced to say thank you and remove you from the list. We are not allowed to argue with the person or anything, or else i can get fired on the spot.

 

[midlife crisis]

Daveshoe- We had the exact thing with MCI-they are relentless. Would not stop @ 3-4 times a day. I started out polite-asked to be removed from the list-it only worsened.

Then we had a medical issue with our daughter, and we were waiting for the doctor(s) to call. . several times with results from different tests over a long period.

Yeah-we have call waiting-but they just didnt get the idea of nervous parents waiting for "The Call". And really-if we were on a important call, and switched over thinking it was a doctor-well, you can imagine how I let the expletives fly.

I went for answering the phone "Hello. . Suicide Hotline". . and letting the conversation run its course as "counselor"-finally suggesting they do us all a favor.

I do believe in telmarketers following the 3 basics for a polite conversation. Speak PROPER english, no delay when I pickup, and has never called before.

 

[Loghead]

We are not allowed to argue with the person or anything, or else i can get fired on the spot.



I guess it hasn't been one of you who was calling. Most of them don't understand English (literally).