Telemarketers

Sendarie · Post by **Sendarie** » March 4, 2004, 2:26 pm

Ok so I'm 29 and just now getting my first ever telemarketing phone calls. Most of my adult life I've lived in Japan so its a new thing to me.

Here is how my first call went:
*Ring*
Me: Hello
Them: Yes, is this Mr. insert_polish_surname_here (Sounded polish to me)?
Me: No this is the "X" residence.
Them: Oh hello Mr. X i'm calling from the yadda yadda yadda.....
Me: (Cutting her off) Well that was pretty smooth! *Click*
*I hang up*

I'm just curious how normal people deal with this shit.

I know my wife is not as rude as me and hears them out, is that the majority or the minority?

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » March 4, 2004, 2:29 pm

Mine usually went like this:

*ring*
Hello?
*2-3 second pause while the dialing software pops the information they have on the number that's answered to the screen*
*click*
Hell...oh

Heheheh

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » March 4, 2004, 2:32 pm

The best part is if you've actually been into some of these calling centers and heard them making calls... a lot of them get hung up on but they still have to end the call by saying "well soandso thank you for your time and have a nice day."

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » March 4, 2004, 2:44 pm

I usually just cut them off, say I'm not interested, and hang up. If they continue trying to convince me, they can try through a dead phone line. I'm probably more on the rude side in my tone - than in what I actually say.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » March 4, 2004, 2:46 pm

If I have a business relationship with the company already...I tell them if they call me again i will terminate that relationship...

If i dont I ask if they have a no call list and tell them to add me to it

Jassun · Post by **Jassun** » March 4, 2004, 2:52 pm

Depends on what kind of mood I'm in at the moment.

Like Zaelath, if I hear the pause, I normally hang up before they can answer.

However, if I'm in a devious/joking/good kinda mood, I like to see how much I can mess with their head before they hang up on me!

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » March 4, 2004, 2:54 pm

aye .. i'd say fuck with em ... once ... i was really annoyed with them so i screamed as loud as i fucking could into the phone once with it right beside my mouth (i have this ear piercing scream/yell thing) needless to say they wern't there when i said hello on it again

Sylvos · Post by **Sylvos** » March 4, 2004, 2:55 pm

Sirensa is also somewhat rude to people who come up to your door too =), which is why I am the one who answers the door or phone cause I am far nicer and at least let them give their speil before saying "thanks but no thanks"

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » March 4, 2004, 2:57 pm

Answering machine.

Anyone know status on the Do Not Call list?

Sendarie · Post by **Sendarie** » March 4, 2004, 2:58 pm

Jassun wrote:However, if I'm in a devious/joking/good kinda mood, I like to see how much I can mess with their head before they hang up on me!

Hmm that sounds like fun. Maybe crack a beer or 2 head out to the porch and see how long I can keep em jabbing.

Spankes · Post by **Spankes** » March 4, 2004, 3:01 pm

In reality, your best bet is to cut them off and say, "No thanks, and please take me off your call list and all distribution lists." then just hang up.

If you request that they never call again and remove you from all your lists they are required to do so. Eventually you will get off most call lists and the solicitations will be few and far between.

Or, be like me and live off your cell phone...I have never gotten a solicitaion on my cell in the years I have had it...I don't think they are allowed to call them or they are not public record like home phones are or something like that. I don't even have a home phone.

Ebumar · Post by **Ebumar** » March 4, 2004, 3:04 pm

<---- same boat as psnak.

When I still lived at my parents, though, I'd fuck with them as much as possible. Those were the days~

Ennia · Post by **Ennia** » March 4, 2004, 3:12 pm

depending on situation, but usually i hang up when i hear the pause, or let them introduce themselves, then say, no thanks and hang up.

Sendarie · Post by **Sendarie** » March 4, 2004, 3:30 pm

mmm cell phones...

Personnel preference but I'll never own one again. Had one for about 2 months once and kicked that to the curb.

edit: I digress...back on subject.

Sanaelya · Post by **Sanaelya** » March 4, 2004, 3:47 pm

depends on if im busy or not
if im not i will let on that i might be interested and let them continue their speil for a minute or two or however long it takes them, whether i am paying attention to them or not, after they finally get done if i am feeling in a joking mood i will screw with their heads, or if i am bored of it ill just say no thanks and bye

but point is, i like to make em work lol, if they are going to call and annoy me when i dont' want them to im gonna piss them off

i've also recently started mailing back all spam snail mail i get in their free envelops with all the original contents of the letter as well as the opened envelope it came in stuffed inside without anything filled out so they have to foot the bill for postage

Clatis · Post by **Clatis** » March 4, 2004, 4:33 pm

I

telemarketers ...here's why

When I answer the phone and it's a telemarketer, they go through their whole routine, and after listening for about 30 seconds I usually say something like, " ah yes, I'm quite interested, but could you hold on for a second please? my other line is ringing."

They usually respond with an 'ok' and so i set the phone down and go back to what I was doing for about a minute, then pick the phone back up and say 'ah, where were we?' and they go on some more for maybe a minute this time askin questions then i interrupt and give another excuse like, "ack, one sec, someone just got home and i have to help them unload groceries, I'm really interested in what you have to offer tho, it will just take a sec' again you will usually get an 'ok'.

This time you set it down for like 2-3min and come back...listen for a minute...and give another excuse cept this time you don't come back and wait and see how long they will stay on the line for... I had one telemarketer still there after almost 20min and I picked up the phone said 'sorry, not interested' *click*

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » March 4, 2004, 4:48 pm

Spankes wrote:Or, be like me and live off your cell phone...I have never gotten a solicitaion on my cell in the years I have had it...I don't think they are allowed to call them or they are not public record like home phones are or something like that. I don't even have a home phone.

It's against federal law in the US and Canada to call and solicit someone over their cellular phone. They can lose their business liscense and be sued.

My husband and I recently disconnected our land line and I finally ceded and got myself a cellular phone even though I don't care for them very much. Our primary motivation behind this was to avoid the incesssant telemarketing calls we get in Vancouver (we averaged 3-5 per day the last year or so). It sucks that these companies are literally able to hold you hostage in your own house by harrassing you so often. There really needs to be laws to protect people from being disturbed at home.

If I ever get solicited over my cel phone I fully intend on litigating the everyloving jesus out of whoever does it.

I tried to have as much patience as I possibly could when I would get a telemarketing call. They are real people who are just trying to do a shitty fucking job that nobody should ever be forced to do. It just got to the point however, where I would literally be shouting at them to leave me the fuck alone.

Post by **Xouqoa** » March 4, 2004, 4:56 pm

If I get the 2-3 second silent pause, I hang up immediately. If they answer quickly and they can't pronounce my name right, I usually tell them I'm not home and ask if I can take a message for myself. That way if it's actually someone I want to talk to I can either call them back or just fess up that it's me.

I try not to be an asshole since they are just doing their job. But if they start getting an attitude and/or won't take no for an answer when I say no thanks, then I start getting mad and begin to get short with them. I've only hung up on one telemarketer, and that was because he absolutely would not stop.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » March 4, 2004, 4:59 pm

Hanging up on them isn't being an asshole, it's just how it is. They know they're doing shit work, harassing you, they're just trying to make money to survive on. Just hang up, but no need to torture them. But if they call back... well, then you can have some fun.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » March 4, 2004, 5:06 pm

Cell phones aren't always a refuge from harassing calls. Apparently, the guy who had my number before me owes a LOT of money to 3 different hospitals and at least 5 different credit banks. They've been pretty good about removing me from their collection lists, but it's still a pain in the butt.

sarlen · Post by **sarlen** » March 4, 2004, 5:17 pm

I just hang up as soon as I figure out its a telemarketer.

Hesten · Post by **Hesten** » March 4, 2004, 6:02 pm

Its easy, as soon as you find out its a telemarketer, just say the following:
"Hiya, i wanna order a double pepperoni pizza with extra cheese"
Whatever they answer with, reply with:
"Oh, sorry, you got the wrong number then", then hang up. That confuse the hell out of them.

Oh, and if its a door to door salesman or "insert whatever religious group that find it funny to go around and bother everyone", i found that opening the door, making the sign of the devil, laugh loudly and whisper to them "I worship Satan" make sure they NEVER come back.

Ravenwind · Post by **Ravenwind** » March 4, 2004, 6:06 pm

I signed up for the Do Not Call list and no more calls. But before that I told them that I was in the middle of a stand off with the cops and to please leave the phone line open for the cops. Then it gets very quiet on there end of the line.

Rav

Mort · Post by **Mort** » March 4, 2004, 7:14 pm

Ravenwind wrote:I signed up for the Do Not Call list and no more calls. But before that I told them that I was in the middle of a stand off with the cops and to please leave the phone line open for the cops. Then it gets very quiet on there end of the line.

Rav

Same here, not 1 call since I signed up for that (The day it came out).

XunilTlatoani · Post by **XunilTlatoani** » March 4, 2004, 7:51 pm

Aye, the national do not call list has been in effect since last October. It is currently around 55 million names or so.

The thing is, the DNC list will not protect you from so-called non profit organizations or companies that you do business with. Legally, if you are a current customer of a business they can call you (like a credit card company, etc.), but most companies I know that telemarket will scrub their lists against the national DNC anyway. Trust me, they would rather avoid the hassle of arguing and explaining to you that they have the right to call you even if you are on the DNC. Telemarketers will even scrub numbers out of an active dialing list if someone complains.

But as far as political campaigns or "help support the police department" calls, don't expect to get off their lists. The Direct Marketing Asscn. has been in court recently arguing that the law should apply to both for-profit and non-profit telemarketers, or no one at all. But, the courts are continuing to uphold the original FTC regulation.

You could have put yourself on the DMA's do not call list a long time ago and you would have not been called either. I write software for some of the larger telemarketing companies, and when the law went into effect we simply just stopped scrubbing our lists against the DMA, and switched to the national registry (which is why the DMA was so mad to begin with, because the FTC stole their business

)

The more significant part of this law (IMO) is the call abandoning restrictions. Before this regulation, a telemarketer can turn his dialer up to full speed and dial many more numbers than agents available. The reasoning is that if you have 12 available agents and you make 24 calls, odds are that some will not answer, some will be answering machines, but hopefully you will get 12 people to connect to your agents. If any more than that answer, the dialer just drops the call. I used to get these all the time. You could sit there for minutes and no one would answer.

The new law states that if you have an abandon rate of over 3%, the dialer has to play a message stating someting or other about this is XYZ Telemarketing, we're dropping your call

Not to mention that all telemarketers have to show up on caller ID too now. These two regulations force telemarketers to be very cautious with what they are doing, and I think overall its a good thing.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » March 4, 2004, 7:55 pm

XunilTlatoani wrote: But as far as political campaigns or "help support the police department" calls, don't expect to get off their lists. The Direct Marketing Asscn. has been in court recently arguing that the law should apply to both for-profit and non-profit telemarketers, or no one at all. But, the courts are continuing to uphold the original FTC regulation.

Yeah politicians aren't likely to support a law banning them from soliciting...

Lor · Post by **Lor** » March 4, 2004, 9:34 pm

usually I'll just hang up, but when I'm feeling silly I'll screw with them until they hang up on me.

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » March 4, 2004, 11:33 pm

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » March 5, 2004, 12:09 pm

Sendarie wrote:Ok so I'm 29 and just now getting my first ever telemarketing phone calls. Most of my adult life I've lived in Japan so its a new thing to me.

Here is how my first call went:
*Ring*
Me: Hello
Them: Yes, is this Mr. insert_polish_surname_here (Sounded polish to me)?
Me: No this is the "X" residence.
Them: Oh hello Mr. X i'm calling from the yadda yadda yadda.....
Me: (Cutting her off) Well that was pretty smooth! *Click*
*I hang up*

I'm just curious how normal people deal with this shit.

I know my wife is not as rude as me and hears them out, is that the majority or the minority?

You should have just answered in Japanese.
Mushi Mushi

Nani?

Nani?

Baka Gaijin!

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » March 5, 2004, 12:10 pm

I normally say can you hold while I get my nut?

Xorian · Post by **Xorian** » March 5, 2004, 2:10 pm

Usually people doint this job get money bonus depending on the number of people they conviced or of the number of products they sold during the day, or during a certain period of time.

Saying no at once or hanging up is better for you and them i would say

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » March 5, 2004, 4:31 pm

Spankes wrote:In reality, your best bet is to cut them off and say, "No thanks, and please take me off your call list and all distribution lists." then just hang up.

If you request that they never call again and remove you from all your lists they are required to do so. Eventually you will get off most call lists and the solicitations will be few and far between.

Or, be like me and live off your cell phone...I have never gotten a solicitaion on my cell in the years I have had it...I don't think they are allowed to call them or they are not public record like home phones are or something like that. I don't even have a home phone.

edit: nm kyo already said it :E

Truant · Post by **Truant** » March 5, 2004, 6:43 pm

I hang up before they can get connected through the computer. And most of the time I just look at caller ID and don't even answer.

If you aren't scared to experiment. In High School I had my own private unlisted number. And when I got sales calls (somehow) I told them that I had just passed away last month (in the third person of course). After 2 or 3 of those I stopped getting calls for at least a year.

Brittney · Post by **Brittney** » March 5, 2004, 8:29 pm

If a telemarketer calls here I listen for a second to make sure they are really a telemarketer and then I go off.

Marketer: "Hi Mr ______, I want to tell you today about our wonderful product."

Me: "WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING HERE YOU DUMB FUCKING CUNT?!?! NEXT TIME YOU FUCKING CALL HERE I WILL FUCK YOU UP BEYOND BELIFE! NOW TAKE YOUR FUCKING PHONE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS AND HAVE A NICE LIFE!" (click)

Now that’s the way to get shit done, they never call back after that.

When I was younger I used to be nice to these people and just said "no thanks" (click). But this shit never worked as good cus sometimes the mother fuckers would call back like 2 or 3 times after still tryin to sell shit.

Now I’m signed up on that do not call list and I don’t get to tell these fuckers off anymore =\

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » March 5, 2004, 8:59 pm

I've had no land line for the past 4-5 years.

There's no need to deal with the local phone company at all with a cable modem and a satellite dish.

My friends and relatives have distinctive rings. Everyone else gets voice mail. I check my voice mail like once a month which is more often than I check it at work. I had 89 messages the other day accumulated over several weeks. Thankfully I can speed punch 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, (delete delete delete!) Everyone at work should know by now to contact me via email or come see me!

VeeshanVault

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