Cold Callers Rant

[pixiepower04]

It's ridiculous how many times a day I called to put my money in to some kind of advertising for my business.

How many times can I politely say no before I eventually lose the plot completely and tell them exactly what they can do with their advertising.

Some woman wants me to sign up for facebook marketing, really, who goes on facebook looking for a wedding cake designer! (apologies to those of you that do but I imagine most people go to wedding fairs or check google out).

And then I get calls to change my phone or my gas & electric etc etc. Do these companies think we all deliberatly choose to have the highest phone bills and gas tarriffs and that we haven't shopped around already.

I wish I could turn my damn phone off but I can't because I work from home!

Sorry - rant over

 

[mandymouse]

I hate the pre-recorded messages, especially those that start 'Please do not hang up .....' but by then I usually have

They really are annoying though !!

 

[Dimplenose]

The pre-recorded ones are most annoying but I have found a way of getting rid of the few human ones we still get (DH signed up with some scheme to prevent most callers).

When I do get a caller I usually wait for them to say who they are and then politely say "I didn't ask you to phone me." this very often throws them off script and then they usually agree that I didn't ask for a call at which point I say "goodbye" and put the phone down whether or not they are still talking.

 

[Goofyish]

You need to sign up to the "Telephone Preference Service".

It will stop most of the calls but not the ones from abroad. If you do get a call just say you belong to the TPS and they soon ring off.

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

 

[princess jackson]

I used to get regular calls, but a quick phone call to bt they placed the privacy calls on line to stop cold calling.

This may be difficult and no use to you with you having a business from home. May be worth checking to see what the landline provider could do.

 

[karentan]

thanks for the heads up about the TPS, i've just registered online so hoping that they stop calling so much now!

 

[Pegasus928]

I got a call the other day when they began the conversation by asking if I was the 'Master' of the house.
I replied that I wasn't and that he was at work, and that I was in fact the neighbour who was round having an affair with his wife
A moments silence was followed by the caller going straight into their sales pitch - talk about parrot fashion.

 

[paulh]

I got a call the other day when they began the conversation by asking if I was the 'Master' of the house.
I replied that I wasn't and that he was at work, and that I was in fact the neighbour who was round having an affair with his wife
A moments silence was followed by the caller going straight into their sales pitch - talk about parrot fashion.

another good one is tell them can they hold for a minute, then dont hang up but place phone down while you go about your own business,Then return about a hour later and see if there still onthe phone odds are they wont be
Paul

 

[scojos]

another good one is tell them can they hold for a minute, then dont hang up but place phone down while you go about your own business,Then return about a hour later and see if there still onthe phone odds are they wont be
Paul

i do that all the time
tbf, we started timing them to see how long they took to hang up

 

[Chilly]

another good one is if they say can I ask you a question, you say only if I can ask you one first, then there is a whole host of funny/rude/embarassing questions you can ask them that'll be sure to get them off the line.

 

[darthtatty]

another good one is if they say can I ask you a question

My husband loves it when people say...Can i ask you a question?
his response- you just have.
They then say can i ask you another?
his response- you just did.

he could go on all day

If we get cold callers my husband usually says theyve got 30 seconds and times them. Then he says times up

Luckily weve got caller id so any numbers we dont know i answer in a weird voice. It really puts them off.

 

[2Tiggies]

I used to get regular calls, but a quick phone call to bt they placed the privacy calls on line to stop cold calling.

I did that too. Only the occasional call comes through and then I apply the Pegasus approach ...

I replied that I wasn't and that he was at work, and that I was in fact the neighbour who was round having an affair with his wife
A moments silence was followed by the caller going straight into their sales pitch - talk about parrot fashion.

I found that so funny! My line is a bit different. I like to have some fun with them. First I ask them to hold on, followed by me NOT hitting the mute button and running about on the stairs shouting some random name. Then I ask them to hold again. Leave the phone lying somewhere, go and flick on the kettle, go back "Just a minute please" as unprofessionally as I possibly can , phone left lying about, flick on the tv or radio ..... I like to time it to see how long they will put up with it before they hang up. Oh, except the time I felt deliciously wicked and said (after a lengthy runaround) in my best BT style monotone voice: "Sorry, this call is unauthorised. You will now be disconnected"

And hang up and drink my coffee if I have not already done so. If pressed for time I give them the "I am going to report this call" line.

 

[Pegasus928]

I found that so funny! My line is a bit different. I like to have some fun with them. First I ask them to hold on, followed by me NOT hitting the mute button and running about on the stairs shouting some random name. Then I ask them to hold again. Leave the phone lying somewhere, go and flick on the kettle, go back "Just a minute please" as unprofessionally as I possibly can , phone left lying about, flick on the tv or radio ..... I like to time it to see how long they will put up with it before they hang up. Oh, except the time I felt deliciously wicked and said (after a lengthy runaround) in my best BT style monotone voice: "Sorry, this call is unauthorised. You will now be disconnected"

And hang up and drink my coffee if I have not already done so. If pressed for time I give them the "I am going to report this call" line.

After reading some of these I am almost getting impatient waiting for my next call

 

[kristieuk]

My parents take different approaches. My Dad apologises that the person they are wanting to speak to has just died - a lot of silence on the other end as I don't think thier screen shows them what to say in those circumstances. My Mum just puts DD2 on the phone - she will chat nonsense to anyone for as long as they let her

I signed up to the TPS, now the only calls I seem to get are from companies I have an account with trying to sell me accident insurance and the like.

 

[tinks_1989]

the advertising on facebook really annoys me the day I put engaged on facebook I got so many adverts for wedding and no I wouldnt go through facebook even ebay scares me a little bit still

 

[Chilly]

the advertising on facebook really annoys me the day I put engaged on facebook I got so many adverts for wedding and no I wouldnt go through facebook even ebay scares me a little bit still

Yeah that happened to me to. Even though i'm now married its not stopped.

 

[disneyqueenuk]

I run my own business from home also although I do travel a lot with it, but the number of calls I get asking if I would like to sell my business.

I started asking them how much, saying no that is not enough, they soon stopped calling

Love some of the responses here must save them up for the future.

 

[pixiepower04]

the advertising on facebook really annoys me the day I put engaged on facebook I got so many adverts for wedding and no I wouldnt go through facebook even ebay scares me a little bit still

I run my own business from home also although I do travel a lot with it, but the number of calls I get asking if I would like to sell my business.

I started asking them how much, saying no that is not enough, they soon stopped calling

Love some of the responses here must save them up for the future.

I think I know you. Don't you have a Disney personalised number plate and I met you once in Keillers china shop looking at the WDCC stuff and then again at the Huntingtower Hotel wedding fair (I was the cake person there and mentioned your fab earrings!)

I've got some of the responses written down so will have to try them out next time

 

[2Tiggies]

After reading some of these I am almost getting impatient waiting for my next call

Well when you get it, make sure you really make the most of your opportunity

 

[wayneg]

You need to sign up to the "Telephone Preference Service".

It will stop most of the calls but not the ones from abroad. If you do get a call just say you belong to the TPS and they soon ring off.

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

At home its stopped the majority of them, maybe get 1 every 2 weeks now but at the shop I get them almost every day, TPS doesn't help much at all.
Not that it bothers me that much, I quite enjoy getting the odd one if I am not busy.
I have lots of responses to them. I like when they ask me to confirm who I am for security I say no, they can't go any further and are stumped. They usually wish they had never rung in the end.
At home I once had one ring me back about 5 times, told me I could not hang up on him, he was really funny and wound up.
Sometimes ask for their company name and number and how they got a non listed number 9/10 they hang up straight away.
Can't believe anyone actually buys anything from an unknown person on a phone.