Telemarketing

[Chantal]

If you get fed up with being hassled on the phone, take a listen to this

http://howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com/

[lizzie]

Nice one Chantal. Duly filed and sent on to others!!!

Thanks for sharing

[peter]

New pants and sofa please.

Easier one to try at home is to politely say "can you just hang on a minute", put the phone on a suitable flat surface and get on with life, while the cold-caller runs up a bill for his/her company.

Five minutes usually does it.

[sally wright]

Dear Chantal,
I got a double glazing salesman the other day and I got him GOOOOOD!!!!!
I told him I would love to have double glazing. I then asked for the name and address of the company. Then I told him I would call my landlord the very next day and were these windows suitable for a house within a conservation area.
For some strange reason the phone went dead... can't understand that.
Regards Sally Wright.

[jane E]

Have you noticed how often these calls come from a call centre outside Britain. I usually listen to their speel really politely and then say that I didn't catch all of that and ask them to repeat it at least several times and usually they get fed up before I do and ring off. Oh and have you noticed how the question 'Why?' usually flumoxes these sales people? Mind you, I really wouldn't like to do it for a job. We've gone exdirectory to get rid of the nuisance of it.

[Johnboy]

Hi Sally,
Similar to you I just say my house is grade 2 listed and somehow the line goes dead!
JB.

[Allan]

We live in a conservation area, opposite open ground, the river Wye and a water museum. We were pestered by Staybrite salesmen for many years. Recently a salesman called with the info that Staybrite had been taken over by Zenith, furthermore they now offered double glazed sash winows of a very nice spec on special offer. After weeks of haggling and playing hard to get the price went right down under the local manager's decision. We now have them fitted and are delighted with them.You can slide them up and down, or hinge inwards so cleaning is a doddle. The only difference visible from outside is that we have 3 panes across instead of 4.
One problem, when fitting they left a void above the window so I had to fill that in before installing the curtain rail.
Don't go for the deferred payment option as you will get charged for 3 months interest at top rate.

[oldherbaceous]

My old next door neighbour who died a few years ago at the age of ninety eight, always used to keep them chatting for ages before telling them he was not interested.
One young lady that was trying to sell him something, ended up ringing him every so often just to see how he was keeping, and also sent him a birthday and Christmas card.
So maybe we should try and turn the tables like old Chris did, and turn an annoying situation into something a bit more pleasing.
I still miss the old boy.

[Chantal]

I recently had two calls from a young lady who said she was with "a financial institution I deal with" and she wanted to ask me a load of questons. I asked her which financal institution and she refused to tell me as it could "prejudice my answers". She was quite put out when I refused to talk to her and even if it was genuine, are they stupid to think I'd talk to her not knowing who she represented? I'm ex directory and also TPS registered so it may well have been genuine but I'm taking no chances.

I learnt long ago to get rid of cold callers very quickly as I still get some at work. I was called by a guy who wanted to sell me a new phone system. I tried for the better part of 15 minutes to get him to go away, getting more and more stressed with his persistance and then he said "you sound stressed out and should take a holiday"! That did it, I banged the phone down and now don't even let them get started but say "I'm not interested but thank you very much for your call" then put the phone down before they have a chance to reply to me.

Another memorable caller was the lady from British Gas who when I said I wasn't interested demanded to know why not!

Having listened to that link I posted I must say I am tempted to talk to them again...

[richard p]

i just dont let them start, just tell them i dont do phone deals, put it in the post, goodbye and then hang up. then turn the ansaphone on cos occasionally one will ring back a few minutes later.

[Primrose]

Loved this one. The husband of a friend of ours has found the answer, whatever the sex of the caller. He just puts on his sexiest voice and asks "Do tell me, what colour knickers are you wearing?"
This inevitably ends in the call being immediately terminated.

[Mr Potato Head]

Quite a good one is to pause for as long as possible then repeat back the questions they ask you... i.e.

caller: "Hello sir, can I ask you if you're happy with your current mobile phone?"

me: "Hello, can I ask you if you're happy with your current mobile phone?"