How to deal with telephone marketers

Muusers · #1 10-26-2008, 08:49 AM

http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/1869...pam_prank.html

Cacklingjackyl · #2 10-26-2008, 08:51 AM

pretty dang funny

hover · #3 10-26-2008, 09:06 AM

amazing.

Chunk-O-Funk · #4 10-26-2008, 09:10 AM

Old, but makes me laugh every time.

tycobb73 · #5 10-26-2008, 09:59 AM

Just get a cell phone and disconnect the land line.

Spector_Ray · #6 10-26-2008, 10:10 AM

Love Tom Mabe and love Bob and Tom!

baalroo · #7 10-26-2008, 10:16 AM

I hate Bob & Tom (hacks) and I generally hate when people hassle telemarketers, BUT that one was pretty funny.

4-string · #8 10-26-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baalroo

I generally hate when people hassle telemarketers

Why?

Waspinators · #9 10-26-2008, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4-string

Why?

I guess 'cause they're just trying to make a living, ya know? It's like if you're at GC and a salesman asks if you need assistance and instead of "No, thanks." you say "Hell no, does it look like I do? You idiot, go stick a pack of strings up your ass."

That one was pretty funny though.

baalroo · #10 10-26-2008, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waspinators

I guess 'cause they're just trying to make a living, ya know? It's like if you're at GC and a salesman asks if you need assistance and instead of "No, thanks." you say "Hell no, does it look like I do? You idiot, go stick a pack of strings up your ass."

That one was pretty funny though.

Basically.

I've done TMing (for a short period) and it's not fun, and it's mostly desperate people working in those places or kids trying to pay for college. If you don't like getting telemarketing calls just get on the no-call list, don't hassle miserable people trying to ink out a living.

pro-tip: If you REALLY feel you "must" hassle a telemarketer just do everything you can to keep them on the line without accepting whatever they're selling. If you don't want what they're selling and you want to be NICE/helpful just imediately say "take me off your call list please."

fenderhutz · #11 10-26-2008, 01:40 PM

www.donotcall.gov

Simple fix.

4-string · #12 10-26-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waspinators

I guess 'cause they're just trying to make a living, ya know? It's like if you're at GC and a salesman asks if you need assistance and instead of "No, thanks." you say "Hell no, does it look like I do? You idiot, go stick a pack of strings up your ass."

That one was pretty funny though.

FWIW, I'm always polite to salesmen, anywhere. After all, I'm in their shop, which makes it a different thing altogether IMO.

Telemarketers on the other hand.....I've been on the "do not call" list for years, yet some of them seems to think it is OK to just use the white pages and call anyway. Then I see no reason to be reasonable.

I'm pretty good at wasting their time though, makes me feel better.

dwanetom · #13 10-26-2008, 02:10 PM

When the TMs start yammering immediately say "No, thank you, I'm not interested," and hang up. Nice, polite, and to the point.

Hint: If you pick up the phone receiver and there's dead air for a few seconds it's probably a telemarketer frantically trying to gather you information before they pronounce your name wrong. If there's dead air...hang up before they answer. If it's an important call, there will be a call back.

gold_member_321 · #14 10-26-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

www.donotcall.gov

Simple fix.

+1, this works! My Cellphone no longer gets bombarded with calls at 6 am.

fdeck · #15 10-26-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

www.donotcall.gov

Simple fix.

Doesn't block calls from non-profits, which is about two or three calls per day at my house. Caller ID helps. I am thinking of writing software for my PC that monitors caller ID and automatically hangs up on junk callers.

Stumbo · #16 10-26-2008, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Doesn't block calls from on-profits...

Asking to be taken off their call list works. I get maybe one call every 6 months or so. I'm also on the "donotcall.gov" list.

Deacon_Blues · #17 10-26-2008, 03:23 PM

Hilarious clip!

Thanks for sharing.

baalroo · #18 10-26-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanetom

When the TMs start yammering immediately say "No, thank you, I'm not interested," and hang up. Nice, polite, and to the point.

Hint: If you pick up the phone receiver and there's dead air for a few seconds it's probably a telemarketer frantically trying to gather you information before they pronounce your name wrong. If there's dead air...hang up before they answer. If it's an important call, there will be a call back.

Actually, the "auto-dialer" that makes the calls doesn't transfer the call until someone answers the phone. Those few seconds is the automated system transfering the call to a telemarketer.

fdeck · #19 10-26-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Asking to be taken off their call list works. I get maybe one call every 6 months or so. I'm also on the "donotcall.gov" list.

Some of the calls are from my own political party.

Spector_Ray · #20 10-26-2008, 06:47 PM

I always answer the phone like I'm answering a business phone and make up a fake name. They usually say they didn't know the number belonged to a business and they'll remove it from their list.