New way of dealing with telesales callers

[Over The Hill]

I might agree if I hadn't taken steps, and paid for the privilege, of having call barring/blocking etc...so the ones that get through now are deliberately circumventing this and are aware that that they are doing so. It's the equivalent of walking up to a front door with a big sign on it saying 'NO COLD CALLERS' but knocking anyway.....they get the reception they deserve.

Are you also aware of just how much they target the elderly and vulnerable, not just the once they'll go in for the kill repeat business.

I agree with MacB

which I am sure will worry both of us!

That is a good point. Those of us with a fair bit of confidence deal with them but some people are press ganged into deals which they may otherwise not have signed up to.

I simply have a rule of not doing business with anyone via a cold call or visit. If we all did then they would stop!

 

[gbb]

I agree with MacB

which I am sure will worry both of us!

That is a good point. Those of us with a fair bit of confidence deal with them but some people are press ganged into deals which they may otherwise not have signed up to.

I simply have a rule of not doing business with anyone via a cold call or visit. If we all did then they would stop!

Agreed.
I tend to just hang up without uttering a word, or if the buggers have sneaked in without me realising, i sometimes just lay the handset on the armchair and carry on watching TV.

It is an awful job i guess, but its difficult to have sympathy when you've tried to be polite and decline their offer, but they just keep going. One occasion i got sucked in, declined, they just kept it going, so i just looked at the phone and thought 'why am i sat here, trapped by his man'....and hung up without a word.
5 minutes later the phone rang again, it was the supervisor of the guy who'd rang.
'I understand you just hung up on my operator ?' he said.
'Yes thats right' i said...and promptly hung up

 

[Dave Davenport]

You can just say no thanks and put the phone down. Many in tele sales are just doing a job.

+1

Most people in tele sales are just trying to make a living doing a crap job until they can find something better, as long as they're polite why not be polite too.

Obviously, if they're not polite or just won't take no for an answer they'll get told to feck off.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I simply have a rule of not doing business with anyone via a cold call or visit. If we all did then they would stop!

My rule is similar, I won't agree to anything over the phone, send me the (full!!) paperwork and I'll think about it.
The last guy I told this to (who was angling for my banking details to set up an extended warranty or something like it on the new appliance I'd bought) tried to claim that the paperwork gets lost in the post.
And I also won't agree to anything if being bullied into it in person, again let me think about it and I'll let you know.

 

[funnymummy]

I have recently been swamped with calls from these types, as far as i knew my number was registered with TPS & I had 'anonymous' caller reject on my phone line.
I contcated Sky to querry the later & was told I did not have it, but they could add it to my package for only £4 a month WTF!!
I am positive i used to have the reject on my line as I have problems in the past with the hospital ringng me via thier switcboard so they only call me on my mobile.

I have printed off your OP & shall be using it as basis for answering their silly calls from now on

 

[Mr Phoebus]

I'm never bothered by 'em since I've been on the TPS.

When I used to get calls asking for the head of the household I'd say hold on

I'll just get him.

Then put the phone down and make a cup of tea or whatever.

Then return to the phone minutes later.

If they were still on the line I'd say "sorry, he's gone out".

Sucker!

 

[HLaB]

What I hate is the increasing number of automated calls; it usually starts 'Have you heard' or 'You've just been selected'; I've no idea what for, I hang up then if I haven't already done so

 

[SavageHoutkop]

What I hate is the increasing number of automated calls; it usually starts 'Have you heard' or 'You've just been selected'; I've no idea what for, I hang up then if I haven't already done so

I've had legit reminders for hospital appointments and also warnings from my credit card company that my card has been blocked come through this way - so perhaps listen a teeny bit longer before hanging up.

I do get texts from someone convinced I could be owed money following my 'accident'....

 

[slowmotion]

I try and be polite and just tell them that I don't want to buy anything and hang up before they can continue. It must be a horrible job. I was staying somewhere for a week once and was spending a lot of time in the garden. Four days in a row, the phone would go and I would rush back inside to take the call only to find it was one of those silent ones. The fifth day, there was a salesman on the line so I asked him if his call centre used auto-diallers. When he admitted that it did, I'm afraid I rather let rip.

Edit: loved the clip in post #6. Thanks NormanD.

 

[Rebel Ian]

My favourite is when I'm called by my bank or credit card company who ring me to flog some additional service but then ask me for security details before they can talk to me......

Bank: Can you confirm some security details before we proceed?

Me: No.

Bank: Why not?

Me: Because I don't know who you are.

Bank: We're from the Halifax.

Me: Yeah,but how do I know that.

Bank: But we need to confirm security.

Me: You rang me, you know who I am or you wouldn't have rung me.

Bank: But we need to confirm you're who you say you are.

Me: I haven't said who I am. You rang me. Don't you know who you have rung?

Bank: But I need to confirm security or I'll have to terminate the call.

Me: You rang me, do you think I'm bothered?

Bank: I'm sorry I'm going to have to terminate the call.

Me: You're not getting this, are you?!

END!

 

[MacB]

My favourite is when I'm called by my bank or credit card company who ring me to flog some additional service but then ask me for security details before they can talk to me......

Yeah, I love those ones, I do similar:-

bank - is that Mr XXX?

me - speaking

bank - can you confirm some security details before we proceed?

me - no

bank - we need these to proceed, may I ask why not?

me - security reasons

bank - yes, that's right

me - no, you don't understand, I don't give out my details for security reasons as per the very advice you give to your customers - not to give out information to unsolicited contacts

bank - but we can't proceed without them

me - not my problem

bank - I've got to terminate this call

me - goodbye

 

[ufkacbln]

My wife spent some 45 minute with "Bowater Zenith" discussing plastic windows and asking leading questions about their product... eventually we agreed that they would provide the kitchen window free if we paid for the living room.

Then they tried to arrange an appointment, and she replied - no need I'll bring them down.

Utter silence and then an attempt to clarify. At this point my wife explained that the "plastic windows" were for the tent, and it wasn't her fault if they hadn't understood as she had been specific in her questions

 

[Arch]

I'm never bothered by 'em since I've been on the TPS.

When I used to get calls asking for the head of the household I'd say hold on

I'll just get him.

Then put the phone down and make a cup of tea or whatever.

Then return to the phone minutes later.

If they were still on the line I'd say "sorry, he's gone out".

Sucker!

This would be even more excellent if you had a recording of sound effects: footsteps receeding into the distance, lots of ever more distant doors opening and closing, and then the reverse getting closer again, giving the impression you lived in a stately home!

 

[swee'pea99]

This would be even more excellent if you had a recording of sound effects: footsteps receeding into the distance, lots of ever more distant doors opening and closing, and then the reverse getting closer again, giving the impression you lived in a stately home!

Spike Milligan used to love doing this kind of thing in The Goons. You'd hear a knock, followed by a lock being unlocked...followed by another lock being unlocked...followed by another...and another....and another.......till finally, a creaking 'door opening noise', and Harry Secombe saying: 'Mr Smith?' 'No.' and a door slamming. Secombe: 'Damn. It's next door.'

 

[vernon]

I do get texts from someone convinced I could be owed money following my 'accident'....

And I text them back asking them to respond with my name if they want my business. They don't respond.