Telemarketers, how do you handle them?

ahkiatt · #1 02-25-2008, 03:17 AM

Hey guys,

My parents used to get calls for telemarketers( I will answer those calls for them) and I remember having quite a hard time trying to get them to give up without getting nasty.

How do you guys get rid of them for stuff you are not interested in?

ROON · #2 02-25-2008, 03:26 AM

Telemarketers used to call us all the time. About a year ago my dad started yelling to every one at the top of his lungs "STOP ****ING CALLING ME" with a racist comment on the end.

He's not actually racist, he loves the country that most of the telemarketers are from and I love it too, but it was enough to scare them off and they haven't called very much since. We don't get half as many as we used too.

CrashBang · #3 02-25-2008, 03:28 AM

Put yourself on the no-call list, or does that only work in the U.S.A.?

f'nar f'nar · #4 02-25-2008, 03:34 AM

"Hello my name is Gary from global independent toothbrush retailers limited..."

"oh really...?" *hang up*

Toasted · #5 02-25-2008, 04:04 AM

Decline politely and hang up.

theNoseBleedKid · #6 02-25-2008, 04:09 AM

Tell them a long and boring antecdote is what my Grandpa does.

f'nar f'nar · #7 02-25-2008, 04:35 AM

After a recent call (a few minutes ago) I revoke my last answer and suggest murder.

dave64o · #8 02-25-2008, 04:53 AM

I used to mess with them but eventually I realized that it's a crappy job and they're not doing it because they have a passion for it and want it to be a career.

I politely tell them I never take any cold calls and am not interested. They usually say OK and end the call. If they don't, then I tell them again and say I'm hanging up. Then I hang up.

KrisH · #9 02-25-2008, 04:57 AM

Just hang up. Or if I'm in a playful mood, when they ask for me, I'll say, "I'll get her," and put them on hold -- forever. Or if I have time to kill, I'll tell them "no" at the start of their spiel, then let them go through their script and at the end, tell them, "I already said no."

I don't understand why some people have difficulty getting off the phone from an unsolicited call from a stranger. General rules of courtesy don't apply to telemarketers.

i_got_a_mohawk · #10 02-25-2008, 04:58 AM

When they start talking, i just go "Hello? . . . Hellllooooo?"

Act like you cant hear them, tis fun.

Either that, or tell them that "your call is valued, please hold" And leave the phone sitting beside the speakers on my desk with some nice music playing

.

If its to a mobile tho, there are other things to do, if they are offering you something related to your phone, just say its your work phone, they dont call back. If its something else, tell them its your work phone and your busy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKOSwF1uf0

That would be fun

remo · #11 02-25-2008, 05:00 AM

Quickly say "Can you hold on for a second please " then put the phone down and go eat lunch for 45 minutes.

peterbright · #12 02-25-2008, 05:25 AM

I'm on the no call list and have my recorded message in Chinese. That solves most of the problem.

lawsonman · #13 02-25-2008, 05:50 AM

Caller ID. If I don't know the number,I don't answer.

Lalabadie · #14 02-25-2008, 06:05 AM

If he's polite, I decline politely. Otherwise, I apply the following scenario:

I take a lego block or whatever plastic matter there is near me at the time of the call, and stick it on the receiver for a second. Then I stop talking.

The guy usually says "Uh, sir?"
I answer "Yes?"
He says "Ah okay, I thought I heard you hang up the phone."
I say "No, it would've sounded this way."

And I hang up the phone.

Spector_Ray · #15 02-25-2008, 06:09 AM

If I know a telemarketer is calling, I always answer the phone like a business. "Thank you for calling Home Depot. How may I direct your call?". They usually say that they didn't know this was a business phone number and they would remove it from their list. This is usually effective.

jwbassman · #16 02-25-2008, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawsonman

Caller ID. If I don't know the number,I don't answer.

1++++++++++++++

Same thing I do. Then I let the answering machine do it's job and hit delete. If it's that important they usually call my cell or leave a message.

FL Knifemaker · #17 02-25-2008, 06:13 AM

When a call shows up on caller ID that I don't recognize...........the fun begins. Switch on my obnoxious east indian accent. I usually do all the talking, asking for more information than they try to provide me. If done properly, they politely decline and hang up

Phalex · #18 02-25-2008, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remo

Quickly say "Can you hold on for a second please " then put the phone down and go eat lunch for 45 minutes.

+1! Time is money. Especially for telemarketers. The longer you keep them on "Hold", the fewer people they are ultimately able to contact, and that means fewer suckers to take them up on their great one time offer.

ahkiatt · #19 02-25-2008, 06:33 AM

Wow, you guys are evil.

Nowadays, I usually use my asian accent and go, soli long number.

invader3k · #20 02-25-2008, 06:33 AM

I don't bother messing with them. I usually don't answer if I see it on caller ID. Usually if I do answer, I wait five seconds, and if someone hasn't responded, I hang up. If they do answer and start talking, I just say "I'm sorry, I'm not interested, thank you," and then I just hang up. Not that difficult.