How to talk to a Telemarketer

The least she could have said was 'beddi bye'

 

When I was getting 10-20 calls per week...I asked for the business name, address, and phone number...then I would say "I HAVE YOU ON MY NEVER CALL LIST...IF I EVER NEED THE PRODUCT YOU SELL, I WILL CALL YOUR COMPETITOR WHO DIDN'T CALL ME"

 

Step 1: Place CO2 horn close to reciever.

Step 2: Give 3 second blast.

Step 3: Hang up phone.

Step 4: Smile

 

Best way to handle a TM is to say "I'm on the other line, call back later" and hang up.

They never do of course.

Don't forget these poor slobs are just trying to make a living too. No need for anyone to be an ass about it.

On those RARE instances when they do interrupt your precious dinner try to remember, it's just a silly phone call. They have NOT destroyed your entire life.

LOL

 

People...

Talking dirty and doing the air-horn thing are good for a laugh, but that's all.

Telling them to call back is a complete waste of time. The problem is that they do call back. Maybe, not the same day or even the same week, but they paid money for that marketing list and they will use it again.

Telling them you're going to buy from their competitor...the problem with that is you're telling it to someone who really doesn't care. The person on the other end of that phone has a job where he/she is seriously under-paid and has to take a lot of abuse for it. They probably buy from the competitor too.

What I do is wait for them to get through their pitch, then at the first breath I say, "That sounds great, but what I'd REALLY like is for you to take me off your call list. Can you do that for me, please?"

And they do.

I used to do a more polite, "No thank you, can you take me off your list?" It worked most of the time, but there were a few companies peddling time-shares in my state where the telemarketers were trained to hang up the phone the moment they heard the "N" sound. I guess they figured if they never let the person ask to be removed, they might make the sale later. Last I heard, they were getting sued.

 

Them hanging up, or should I say, cutting me off mid sentence drives me crazier than anything. If I have the decency to politely say thank you but I'm not interested and I don't want to waste their time, then they could at least get off the phone without being jerks. They cut me off and move on to the next vicitim, while I'm sitting in my living room steaming for 10 minutes. The last call I got the guy was really abusive and called me a few names before he hung up. I was so mad that *69 didn't work. A friend suggested saying, "Wait, I'm having problems with my phone and we might get cut off. Give me your name and number in case that happens." Then if they're rude you can call them back and let them know how it feels.

 

Verizon has a feature called Call Intercept, and I've said before that it's the best $5 a month I've ever spent. Since it's been in effect on my line, calls from TMs have been close to zero. Of course, Verizon themselves are probably already selling packages to TMs to circumvent this feature, but at least for the time being, I'm in solicitation-free bliss.

wajaba

 

This product called the Tele Zapper works pretty well to. buy it a radio shack, and use it for a week, the telekarketing calls are cut by 80%. it kills the connection on any computer dialed phone call.

 

you know what they say, pretty soon that same company will start offering a system to consumers to bypass the bypass, Im starting to wonder if the Amishmen that live out in middlefield have it right by having the phone in the barn.

 

I have always just politely told them that I already own their product. Craftmatic bed? I love mine!! Scolastic Encyclopedias? My child reads his every night!! Lions Lightbulb sales? Bought 3 years supply just last year!! Actually the last one was true.

We don't get many calls anymore.

 

The telezapper travels through your phone line and zaps the telemarketer ---or at least it'd be cool if it did

 

Re: Re: How to talk to a Telemarketer

Middlefield! Great NE Ohio reference! Like anyone on else creditnet knows where that is though...

I let telemarketers talk all they want. I set the phone down and walk away.

 

Re: Re: How to talk to a Telemarketer

Put the phone down and walk away, that is just genius, I never thought of that one.. I may have to use it.

 

While in college, for 2 days before I was fired, I worked as a telemarketer. You sit in front of a computer monitor with a headset on and give the spiel that's printed on the screen. The ONLY thing that a person on the other end can say that will really have any effect besides buying something is for the person to say "Put me on your 'do not call' list" If you say I already bought one, you're makred as "not interested" but still are in their database, so the next time they decide to peddle something they will call you back. If you are rude, the person will either hit the key for "no answer, call back" to be a b**** back to you and harass you again, or will click "not interested" The telemarketer is trained that unless the person on the phone asks to be put on their "do not call list" they remain fair game.

Helpful hint: Keep a do not call list log next to your phone, and write down the date, time, person who called's name, company they're calling for. This way, if you get another call for the same company within a year, they've violated federal law and submit a complaint to the FCC.

My telephone company offers a similar feature to what was mentioned above from Verizon, which clearly asks to be put on the do not call list so the calls never get through. The problem with all the "avoid telemarketer" features is that if a telemarketing firm decides to have their telephone number displayed the call will go through every time on just about every method of blocking.

 

I was also a telemarketer my first year in college. But what I coincidence.. I was fired too

 

My deal with getting rid of telemarketers is to play along with them and get them to hang up on me. What I do obviously has to do with what they are selling:

Magazines: "I don't read any of the magaines you're selling. Do you have "Perverts Digets, Pedophile Daily and Faggot Gazette?"

Charities: "I am very involved with the Special Olympics here in Tucson. I sponsor the Wheelchair Demolition Derby. Can I count on your support for that?"

Telephone Services: "A T & T sends me a check to switch to them. How much are you going to send me to switch to you? Nothing? Sorry, no bribe, no switch."

A T & T: "Yeah, I know I switched away from you but MCI sent me $50 to go to them. How much are you going to send me to switch back?"

The funny thing is, A T & T and MCI send me a check every other month to switch. Considering my average long distance phone bill is under $15, I wonder how long they can keep sending me checks for 50-60 to switch service between them every month.

Political Candidates: "Sorry, as a convicted felon I can't vote. But I will, for a fee, assassinate your guy's opponent"

C'mon, people - let's get creative

 

Chris...interestingly enough when I asked to be put on their do not call list, the calls kept coming. We always assumed that being put on the DNC list meant that they would sell your name to 100 other companies.

The first time I told them I already had what they were selling my hubby freaked. Now they'll want to sell you everything, he said. But the calls have all but stopped. Really.

 

we are being inundated with offers for security systems.....next time i get a call for that, i'm going to ask them if they want to talk with my security system, his name is sparky and he is a 20 lb corgi. i really don't like when they do the 3 minute long run-on sentence, if i'm tied up with anything i will listen to them then tell them about a situation i have going on and what their advice is. my husband can't say no. drives me nuts. i kept getting an invoice for a donation to the sheriffs something or other. well, i threw them away. my husband gets another call about why we haven't paid. hello, it's not a bill, leave us alone.