disclaimer - read meSubject: Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
originally posted by llizard on Jun 29, 04 - 3:22 PM
On Apr/28/2004 22:58:04 [-05 EST], in a post entitled a rather disturbing phone solicitation, blm wrote:
........................
: A few weeks ago, the police were doing a phone campaign
: donations to an underprivileged youth camp they run. The
: policeman on the phone was many times more aggressive than
: phone sellers usually are
[...]
:...................................
I too have encountered this rather hardsell method from those police-sponsored things (circus tickets for underpriviledged youth....). But I've never, until today, experienced a really really unpleasant situation in which the caller didn't seem to understand what "no" means.
He was selling carpet cleaning services. When I could finally speak during a pause of his spiel to say we would not require these services, he said "What? I can't hear you." I repeated that we didn't want our carpets cleaned for $59.95 (we don't even have that many carpets!). Again, he interrupted me to say "What?? I can't hear you. You HAVE to have your carpets cleaned once a year." Again I firmly said "No. Please take me off the telephone list" Again he said really aggressively, "I can't hear you. You need to clea" And for the first time in my life, as I said NO, I hung up on someone.
And Rats.... I can't remember the name of the company.
Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
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llizard (aka ejm)
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llizard (aka ejm)
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Re: Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
Subject: Re: Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
originally posted by MEF on Jun 30, 04 - 9:08 AM
Whenever I get a telephone call which starts with "Hello, how are you today Mr. MEF?" I immediately ask "What are you selling?" If the reply is anything that I'm even vaguely interested in I go on to say "OK, what's your pitch?". Within 30 seconds I invariably push the "Goodbye" button on my phone. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into a sales pitch you don't want to hear! Hang up!
originally posted by MEF on Jun 30, 04 - 9:08 AM
Whenever I get a telephone call which starts with "Hello, how are you today Mr. MEF?" I immediately ask "What are you selling?" If the reply is anything that I'm even vaguely interested in I go on to say "OK, what's your pitch?". Within 30 seconds I invariably push the "Goodbye" button on my phone. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into a sales pitch you don't want to hear! Hang up!
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llizard (aka ejm)
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Re: Re: Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
Subject: Re: Re: Re: a rather disturbing phone solicitation
originally posted by llizard on Jun 30, 04 - 1:13 PM
MEF wrote:
...........................................
: Do not allow yourself to be drawn into a sales pitch
: you don't want to hear!
:..................................................
In this case, I very politely said "no thank you, we don't require your services". The reply of "I can't hear you" came as rather a surprise. I have never EVER had anyone question the "no". Nor has anyone belligerantly replied with "I can't hear you. You..." when I've asked to be removed from the callback list. In all previous cases, the caller has politely thanked me for my time and said that my name and number would be removed.
I really am sorry that I didn't think to make a note of the company's name. If I had, I would have written a letter of complaint to them with a copy to the BBB (or whatever it's called now).
originally posted by llizard on Jun 30, 04 - 1:13 PM
MEF wrote:
...........................................
: Do not allow yourself to be drawn into a sales pitch
: you don't want to hear!
:..................................................
In this case, I very politely said "no thank you, we don't require your services". The reply of "I can't hear you" came as rather a surprise. I have never EVER had anyone question the "no". Nor has anyone belligerantly replied with "I can't hear you. You..." when I've asked to be removed from the callback list. In all previous cases, the caller has politely thanked me for my time and said that my name and number would be removed.
I really am sorry that I didn't think to make a note of the company's name. If I had, I would have written a letter of complaint to them with a copy to the BBB (or whatever it's called now).
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llizard (aka ejm)
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Blocking unsolicited sales calls
Subject: Blocking unsolicited sales calls
originally posted by David on Jul 3, 04 - 2:38 AM
In the UK it is the normal practice for these kind of unsolicited cold callers to withhold their number from caller-id for obvious reasons. I take advantage of the facility offered by my phone company which prevents anyone doing this from reaching my number. Being an unlisted number also helps. Perhaps you could do something similar?
originally posted by David on Jul 3, 04 - 2:38 AM
In the UK it is the normal practice for these kind of unsolicited cold callers to withhold their number from caller-id for obvious reasons. I take advantage of the facility offered by my phone company which prevents anyone doing this from reaching my number. Being an unlisted number also helps. Perhaps you could do something similar?
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llizard (aka ejm)
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hurray for the "goodbye button"
ubject: hurray for the "goodbye button"
originally posted by CAM on Jul 8, 04 - 6:20 PM
I am now more and more inclined just to hang up. I no longer think it's rude, and may in fact save the poor call centre victim (the low-paid person who has to resort to calling people in this globalized kind of near-slavery) both time and the experience of hearing yet another frustrated person say "no."
As for the person who says "I can't hear you." I expect he has a lot of people shouting at him.
Regarding police solicitation that sounds bullying, I really do think citizens should be standing up against this kind of nonsense by phoning the local police commission to complain -- or an ombudsman or other independent body vested with the responsibility of monitoring police. We must not tolerate fundraising techniques that use the clout of police association to bully citizens.
originally posted by CAM on Jul 8, 04 - 6:20 PM
I am now more and more inclined just to hang up. I no longer think it's rude, and may in fact save the poor call centre victim (the low-paid person who has to resort to calling people in this globalized kind of near-slavery) both time and the experience of hearing yet another frustrated person say "no."
As for the person who says "I can't hear you." I expect he has a lot of people shouting at him.
Regarding police solicitation that sounds bullying, I really do think citizens should be standing up against this kind of nonsense by phoning the local police commission to complain -- or an ombudsman or other independent body vested with the responsibility of monitoring police. We must not tolerate fundraising techniques that use the clout of police association to bully citizens.
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llizard (aka ejm)
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Re: telephone solicitation calls and my new stock phrase
Subject: Re: telephone solicitation calls and my new stock phrase
originally posted by MrsBrown on Jul 20, 04 - 11:18 PM
My 10 year old son answered the phone today at around 5, just the time his dad calls to say he's coming home. I heard him say, "fine, thank you" and then I heard nothing. After a couple of minutes, I went into the room where he was on the phone to see him listening politely in the way that indicated to me that he didn't know the caller. I asked him who it was, he shrugged and said very quietly, "I think it's a salesperson." I took the phone from him and said, "Can I help you?" The woman on the other end said, "Pardon me?" I said again,"Can I help you?" She said,"You weren't listening that whole time???" I told her she had just been speaking to a child. She started in on whatever it was she wanted me to buy, donate to, whatever it was. I told her my new stock phrase,"I'm in the middle of something right now." "Oh!" she said brightly,"I'll call back" and hung up. I didn't tell her I was in the middle of the room.
originally posted by MrsBrown on Jul 20, 04 - 11:18 PM
My 10 year old son answered the phone today at around 5, just the time his dad calls to say he's coming home. I heard him say, "fine, thank you" and then I heard nothing. After a couple of minutes, I went into the room where he was on the phone to see him listening politely in the way that indicated to me that he didn't know the caller. I asked him who it was, he shrugged and said very quietly, "I think it's a salesperson." I took the phone from him and said, "Can I help you?" The woman on the other end said, "Pardon me?" I said again,"Can I help you?" She said,"You weren't listening that whole time???" I told her she had just been speaking to a child. She started in on whatever it was she wanted me to buy, donate to, whatever it was. I told her my new stock phrase,"I'm in the middle of something right now." "Oh!" she said brightly,"I'll call back" and hung up. I didn't tell her I was in the middle of the room.
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llizard (aka ejm)
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Re: Re: telephone solicitation calls and my new stock phrase
Subject: Re: Re: telephone solicitation calls and my new stock phrase
originally posted by cam on Jul 21, 04 - 1:05 AM
Excellent! The only trouble is that she will call back. I hope your son doesn't get trapped on the phone again!
originally posted by cam on Jul 21, 04 - 1:05 AM
Excellent! The only trouble is that she will call back. I hope your son doesn't get trapped on the phone again!
