Telemarketers...

[mgargan1]

http://joshualowry.vox.com/library/audio/6a00c225203796f21900c2252ab8c18e1d.html


This reminds me of a time when someone called my mom around Christmas time. They told her that she and her family won a "family vacation". Well, of course there was a catch, but before the guy could go into his speech, my mom thought she would play around with him, and she started crying and telling him how much he meant to her... how he saved Christmas. That her husband had lost his job, and this was truly the Christmas spirit at work. He then started to say how there was a catch, but she kept crying tears of joy, and saying... "No, no, no... you said we won a Family Vacation... you can't take that back... and started thank him more and more... well, he had to apologize and explained everything. I thought that was really funny.

What have you guys done?

 

[yg17]

What have you guys done?

We're on the no call list, so every time I get a telemarketer call (rare) I just get all of the information possible and tell them I'm reporting them and to enjoy paying the fine

 

[bousozoku]

My phone company calls multiple times per week to tell me that they can save me money on bundles. The last time someone called, I told him that I was going to cancel all of my service with them because of all the calls that aren't helping me. It's been quiet since then.

 

[andiwm2003]

i'm on a do not call list. but of course there are always loopholes. when i bought a washer and dryer from SEARS and an extended warranty i must have signed some release clause in the fine print. when my warranty expired i started getting calls from agents on behalf of sears that offered me to extend the warranty for ridiculous expensive prices. i got at least ten calls (sometimes as late a 10pm) and letters up to 6 month after the warranty had expired. at some point i lost it and started yelling at this lady that they should take me of their list and i'm gonna report her to the "do not call list" of massachusetts. she said it would take at least 6 weeks and i might recieve additional calls. eventually i simply hung up. it annoys me without end. they block the caller id, call at ridiculous times and try to keep you on the phone until you get really rude.

SEARS must have either sold my adress and number to third party companies or they have their own companies harrassing people into buying after market warranties. i haven't shopped at SEARS since then and i won't again.

 

[bousozoku]

i'm on a do not call list. but of course there are always loopholes. when i bought a washer and dryer from SEARS and an extended warranty i must have signed some release clause in the fine print. when my warranty expired i started getting calls from agents on behalf of sears that offered me to extend the warranty for ridiculous expensive prices. i got at least ten calls (sometimes as late a 10pm) and letters up to 6 month after the warranty had expired. at some point i lost it and started yelling at this lady that they should take me of their list and i'm gonna report her to the "do not call list" of massachusetts. she said it would take at least 6 weeks and i might recieve additional calls. eventually i simply hung up. it annoys me without end. they block the caller id, call at ridiculous times and try to keep you on the phone until you get really rude.

SEARS must have either sold my adress and number to third party companies or they have their own companies harrassing people into buying after market warranties. i haven't shopped at SEARS since then and i won't again.

That's about right. My adoptive mum bought a riding lawn mower from Sears and ended up returning it. She's getting calls about a recall notice on it, plus they've called her about a washer, though she's never had one from Sears.

 

[IJ Reilly]

The do not call list law is full of loopholes, so I'm surprised to hear anyone say that they don't get many telemarketing calls. They are now thinly disguised as "consumer research surveys," which are completely exempt. I get at least one of these nearly every day. Since it is totally impossible to get off these calling lists, I usually just set the phone on the desk while they're doing their yak and wait for them to hang up. Every minute of their time that I waste is a small victory.

 

[~Shard~]

When I am asked to take a survey or answer questions I usually say, "Sure, just a minute" and then put the phone down and walk away. It's fun to time how long it takes for them to hang up. Even better, if they just go into their long schpiel right away without giving you a chance to say anything, it's fun to see hwo long they talk for before they realize you're not there anymore.

Then of course there's the old, "I'm busy right now, is there a number I can call you back at? No? What's your home phone number, I'll just call you there. Oh, you don't want to be bothered at home - join the club." <click>

 

[spicyapple]

I just say "not interested" and hang up.

Telemarketers have no comeback for that phrase. If you say you're busy, they'll ask when you are free. If you say, "i need to talk to my husband", they'll have a counter for that, too.

I've since dumped my landline and use cell exclusively. It's against the law for telemarketers to call cell numbers.

 

[IJ Reilly]

It's against the law for telemarketers to call cell numbers.

It's also against the law for them to disguise telemarketing as "consumer research," but they do it. It's only a matter of time before they start calling mobiles.

 

[spicyapple]

It's also against the law for them to disguise telemarketing as "consumer research," but they do it. It's only a matter of time before they start calling mobiles.

Ever the optimist.

 

[Lunja]

When they call, make up a fake product and make them go look for it. My best attempt made a guy look round a warehouse for an hour

 

[WildCowboy]

Bah...we're on the Do Not Call list, but they've just converted to "surveys"...we usually get four or five a day.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Ever the optimist.

Got a good reason to be optimistic? They get away with as much as they do now because of the powerful direct marketing industry lobby in congress. That's how loopholes were built into the do not call list law. No, they'll go after cell phones eventually.

Bah...we're on the Do Not Call list, but they've just converted to "surveys"...we usually get four or five a day.

Somebody already said that. Why, I think it was me!

 

[MarkCollette]

My Dad does some telemarketing, but mostly either to corporations, or for charities. For him, more time on the phone with a non-sale is less time for a potential real sale. Some people might see that as a good reason to screw with telemarketers and keep them on the phone line as long as possible. But I know that they're just people trying to earn a paycheck. A lot of them are not as experienced as he is, or are forced to follow scripts, and so they can be really annoying, but it's probably not really in their control. So, I simply say, in a polite and firm tone "Thank you, I'm not interested" and hang up the phone. Saves my time, isn't mean, and lets them go on with their job.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Good luck getting any sympathy for telemarketing and the people who do it. Most people find them to be one of the main scourges of life and they are equally annoying whether they read from a script or otherwise. If was at least possible to have them stop calling -- but it is not. They do not respect your privacy or your peace of mind. They don't care who they call, when or why. They are despised for a reason. So good luck.

 

[atszyman]

It's also against the law for them to disguise telemarketing as "consumer research," but they do it. It's only a matter of time before they start calling mobiles.

They won't start calling mobiles until cell phone providers stop charging for minutes used on incoming calls. Currently it's hard to prove any financial loss when they call you in the evening on a phone where you don't pay for incoming calls, but once they start on mobiles it will be a lot easier to start a lawsuit to get compensation for the mobile minutes you paid for that they waste.

 

[Unorthodox]

Occasionally when I have time, I'll be really chummy with the telemarketers and try to steer the conversation away from whatever there are trying to sell me.

Find out where the live, where they grew up, are they married, hows the weather over there.

That sort of thing.

Then after awhile I'll say "Ok, well it's been nice talking to you " > telemarketers name< "But I gota go now. Bye!"
*click*

 

[Lyle]

I found a wonderful little device a few years back that you plug in-between the telephone and the incoming line. It has a little red button on it. Whenever I get a call from a telemarketer, I can just press the magic button and hang up. In the meantime, this device "takes over" my end of the conversation by playing three loud dings followed by a polite prerecorded message that says something to the effect of, "We're sorry, but this household doesn't accept calls like yours."

I wish I could remember where I bought it. It only cost a few dollars, and it's one of the best investments I've ever made.

Edit: Found it here. This is a great little gizmo.

 

[SMM]

If I have little better to do, I listen politely and then using my best, fake, southern baptist preacher accent, tell them how empressed I am with their presentation. Then I ask them if they have ever wanted to work for Jesus?

"I need you in my ministry Bob, spreading the word of God. You do believe in God doen't you Bob? Well God's message needs to get out and we need talented Christians like you to help spread it. We cannot pay you, Bob, but you are ensuring a place in heaven when rapture comes. Can I depend on you, Bob? How can I get a hold of you? We have ministries all over this great nation which God has blessed. We can use you right now. How can I .....

click.

 

[IJ Reilly]

They won't start calling mobiles until cell phone providers stop charging for minutes used on incoming calls. Currently it's hard to prove any financial loss when they call you in the evening on a phone where you don't pay for incoming calls, but once they start on mobiles it will be a lot easier to start a lawsuit to get compensation for the mobile minutes you paid for that they waste.

This is just the politics of telemarketing. Spam faxing uses paper on your fax machine, and is also illegal. But that hasn't done much to put an end to the practice, because the enforcement is so lax (you have to file a civil suit against someone probably working out of a temporary office in another state). The "market research" exemption did not need to be put into the do not call list law. A lot of these things could be illegal and the existing laws could be enforced.

 

[Foggy]

I wouldnt have a problem with them as much if they had the grace to accept the fact that when I say I am not interested, I mean just that. I have had some get really quite narky. I now have 2 ways of dealing with them, 1) I say "No thanks" and just hang up, 2) I just hang up.

 

[thedude110]

Good luck getting any sympathy for telemarketing and the people who do it. Most people find them to be one of the main scourges of life and they are equally annoying whether they read from a script or otherwise. If was at least possible to have them stop calling -- but it is not. They do not respect your privacy or your peace of mind. They don't care who they call, when or why. They are despised for a reason. So good luck.

I sympathize with telemarketers.

It's a crappy job, but for a lot of folks it's "where they are right now." They get treated like crap (by employers and potential customers) and too often work on commission.

There are plenty of people pursuing far less ethical jobs who make a lot more money and receive far better treatment.

 

[Lau]

I sympathize with telemarketers.

It's a crappy job, but for a lot of folks it's "where they are right now." They get treated like crap (by employers and potential customers) and too often work on commission.

There are plenty of people pursuing far less ethical jobs who make a lot more money and receive far better treatment.

Me too, up to a point. I've done call centre work and it sucks, and it was just a way to earn a bit of cash. I wasn't even selling stuff, I had to make and receive calls, but they were to people who had hit other people in their cars and they were often a bit grumpy. I can't imagine how much more crappy it must be to have to cold-call people to sell stuff. Hence, I'm always polite at the first instance, but I must admit I get more annoyed if they carry on and on. I probably shouldn't be though, as I know that the salaries are pretty low and only are anywhere reasonable if you manage to sell anything. The evil part is the guys that run these companies, not the poor ****er on the other end of the line.

It did amuse me when I was a kid though — we'd moved, but kept the same phone number, and the phone book people made a mistake, so for a year, we were in the directory as so:

A & B Smith...10 Generic Road, Town..........(0123) 45678
A & B Smith...100 Random Street, Town......(0123) 45678

Back in the day before all this electronic stuff, it would just be some poor bastard going down the phone book. We'd be eating dinner, the phone would ring, my dad would get up to get it and it would be some guy selling double glazing. He'd just stand by the phone, and it would ring again two seconds later and it would be the same guy. "You just phoned me, and I still don't want your windows!". I think it confused the poor guys.

 

[xsedrinam]

I have no sympathy for them. Which part of "do not call" do they not understand? I will lead them to a refresher of its understanding and instruct them to take our name off their list. If they continue down their rote, response sheet, I will ask them to take a message since I was doing something else and I'll call them back like at 3 a.m. their time. That usually gets their attention. It's an obnoxious, greedy invasion of privacy which, with their skills if any, does not require a job seeker to make alliances with them.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Yes I know, it's a crummy job -- hardly a step up from shifting horse manure. Still, it's not like the telemarketers are performing some sort of public service, of the "it's a nasty job but somebody has to do it" variety. Nobody has to do it. Nobody has to interrupt your dinner or your TV or relaxation time with a pitch for something you don't want, and if you did want it you probably wouldn't buy it from some total stranger who called you on the telephone anyway.

I truly dislike the false familiarity game they play. My wife and I have different last names. So the telemarketer calls, I answer, he asks, "Hello, Mr. (wife's last name)." Sometimes I let them dangle, by simply saying "No." Then they usually ask for her. All of this before they'll admit to who the heck they are. In addition to everything else, it's all so completely rude.

Sympathy? Not much. Just about none.