Are you rude to telemarketers?

[Airhog]

I hate telemarketers. Plain and simple. I have never given one cent to anyone that has ever tried to sell me things over the phone. If I needed long distance, or a subscription to the local paper, I would simply call up those respective places and place an order. If I wanted to donate to the Fraternal Order of Police, or any other number of charities that use telemarketing, I would call them up and dontate some cash. And I dont care if your doing some survey about something, and I have no desire to waste 15 minutes of my life, that I am never going to get back, to tell you how I feel about Ted's race for city council, etc.

Now when a telemarket calls, I just usually wait for them to start speaking, then I hang up on them. If I wasnt such a cheap bastard, I might spend the 10 dollars a month extra for caller ID. How do you deal with telemarketers?

[Flasch186]

I tell them that Im not interested. If they continue, I tell them, "Look, Im not buying so you'd be better off moving on to the next customer so you can make some money."

They need a job too.

[Coder]

I usually tell them I'm busy at the moment, but if they give me their homenumber I'll call them back when it least suits them.

[HomerJSimpson]

Depends on my mood, and what they are calling about. Anyone who says I "won" something and then tries to sell me something is going to get a rude response (such should be illegal). Others get the standard response "I don't buy/give money over the phone, nor do I do business with companies that employ telemarketers." Surveys I'll sometimes answer, if I have time and they don't sound like scammers.

[Radii]

No telemarketers since we went cell only! I was never mean to them. I always say "no thank you" or "i'm sorry i'm really not interested" but after that if they keep trying to push I just hang up.

[Draft Dodger]

as soon as I hear that it's a telemarketer, I say "sorry, not interested" and hang up.

[gottimd]

I usually just sound panicked, and throw some stuff around making noise, and I cut them short, and say "look, I'll buy whatever you are selling if you can just help me out with hiding/disposing of these bodies".

[Maple Leafs]

I hate telemarketing. I have nothing against telemarketers themselves, since I'm under no illusion that they like their jobs. I figure they're probably pretty miserable, and don't especially need some guy making three times what they make talking down to them.

I will interupt after a few seconds to say I'm not interested, though, so if that qualifies as rude then I guess I am.

[LloydLungs]

My dad once answered a telemarketer by doing an impression of that French guy from The Holy Grail and shouting, "We already got one, you see!" then hanging up. Cracked us all up.

[Joe]

Never answer the phone when its a telemarketer. I love caller ID.

[bryce]

well, i don't have a landline anymore, so i avoid all telemarketer calls, but back in the day, i would just pick up the receiver and set it down on the table and just continue on with things until they hung up. it was fun to see how long they would stay on the line before realizing i'm not going to even say, 'hello.' or how many times they say, 'hello?' before giving up. most telemarketers despise their jobs and would give it quite awhile before moving on, despite most being paid on commission-basis when you'd think they'd be in a hurry...

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by George W Bush

Never answer the phone when its a telemarketer. I love caller ID.

Good point. There is also a feature on phones called "Caller Intercept". Anyone with a "Private" or unknown or 800 type number calls my place, the phone rings in a distinct way. Plus the caller, must identify themselves, and if you choose to pick up the phone, a voice automated system will tell you who is calling (from when they announce themselves) and you have I think 3 options to choose from. Take Call, send direct to voice mail, or have your automated system basically tell them to "beat it".

Register at donotcall.gov (I think) as well.

[oliegirl]

We only have cell phones, but when we had a landline, if I was in a good mood I would just say "not interested" and then hang up on them. But if they caught me in a bad mood I would be very cruel - let them go through their speech...lets say they were selling magazines...at the end I'd get really serious and say "who put you up to this?", "this is a very cruel joke"...after they stuttered and stammered for a minute I'd say "you know I'm blind - how could you do this?" and then hang up Improved my mood every time!!!

[Suicane75]

I put on a heavy accent and tell them im moving to Switzerland.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Coder

I usually tell them I'm busy at the moment, but if they give me their homenumber I'll call them back when it least suits them.

Nice! Gonna have to use this

[Mota]

"Hello, is Mr. or Mrs. X in?"

Sorry, they're not home right now.

90% of them just let it go at that. I tried saying all other polite excuses to avoid hearing their pitch and they invariably go into it anyways.

If I get the 2 second pause before a voice, it's computer dialed and always a telemarketer and I'll usually hang up before the person is even connected to my line.

[Professor58]

Back when my son was less than 2 years old, he loved to talk on the phone, so when I got one of those calls, I handed him the phone. Made him quite happy.

[Yossarian]

My tactic is "Is this a sales call" if they answer yes "sorry, we're not interested"

Some of them go to lengths to avoid telling me.

Q:"is this a sales call"
A:"It is an opportunity call"

etc..

[Barkeep49]

Originally Posted by Mota

"Hello, is Mr. or Mrs. X in?"

Sorry, they're not home right now.

When I've tried calling parents of students I will ask for Mr. or Mrs. X and have gotten the sorry they're not home now, can I take a message, but suddenly when I tell them who I am they are home.

[jamesUMD]

My wife got me into this and is very effective.

Politely cut them off and tell them no thank you, and by the way can you take me off of your list please. They are usually quite cool about it and then I do not repeat calls.

[Samdari]

Ask them to hang on, the baby's crying. Put the phone down and walk away. The only way to truly discourage the practice is to make it cost more money for the seller, without giving them any money.

[Danny]

I had this as my message for about a month when we first got our new number. I have a deep and fairly loud voice which helps the effect. "If this is a telemarketer, we are on the do not call list and if you call back you will be reported to the authorities". When we first moved in there were literally like 5 or so message a day with telemarketers.

Now, we get 0.

[bosshogg23]

I screen all calls with my answering machine. Telemarketers, in laws, my sister, none of them get through

I rarely get Telemarketing calls actually, havent since the Do Not Call list.

[Wolfpack]

The do-not-call list is a wonderful thing. At one time we used to get tons of telemarketing calls, always right about dinnertime, but now we get hardly any. When we did get them before, I did at least try to be polite and say not interested, but if they persisted, it was a challenge not to want to reach through the phone and strangle them. However, knowing they've got a crap job, I did want to at least be respectful. There were few times I purely was rude, though.

[Joe Canadian]

I'm normally not very pleasent to anyone that phones during what is generally considered dinner time... after 7 PM I don't care.

[21C]

I love getting calls from telemarketers. My response will depend on the mood I'm in.

I don't mind the calls where they identify themselves, explain what they are selling and get your response all in about 10 seconds. I tell them I'm not interested and wish them a good evening.

I hate the calls where they read their information for about 10 minutes without any opportunity to respond. I have done the following:

* Waited until they finish their long recital and then start huffing and puffing as if I've been running and say, "Could you repeat that? I just had to run outside to tend to an injured child." They get all flustered and start again before I jump in and say I'm not interested.

* I let them go on for ages about aluminum siding and ask them lots of questions about the benefits and costs. I'll sound really interested and make them think they have the chance of a sale. Finally I'll ask, "So you can put siding on to a brick house?" The phone goes quiet.

* Use the telemarketer's name all the time. When they say, "Hi, my name is Tim and I'm blah blah blah", I'll say things like "Well, Tim, that sounds really good. Tell me, Tim, I can really save that much. What do you think, Tim?" It's more effective when the caller is female and you make your voice sound slightly sinister.

* Keep them on the phone as long as possible. This is when you get one that won't give up - the one's that say things like, "Don't you want to save money?" I used to hang up on these straight away but now I leave them hanging in the wind. They don't give up and come back with another reason for signing up with them but I'll just keeping saying no calmly to see how long before they give up.

* I haven't done this one for ages but I'd ask them if they would hold for one second and then time them to see how long before they give up. I'd listen in to hear their nervous chatter with their co-workers before they'd move on.

[Julio Riddols]

I have three general responses to telemarketers.. If they call me ma'am (I guess to some telemarketers I sound like an old woman) I fake a break in and have a friend forcefully remove the phone from my hand while I scream for help, then hang up..

Or, I tell them my mother died and I have all these expenses that I don't know if I will be able to afford because it was so unexpected.. Then I break down crying and asking them why everyone is after my money at a time like this..

Or I try to talk to them as if I know them, like saying hey, whats goin on, (whatever their name is) Do you remember me? I was the guy who sat behind you in algebra sophomore year!! What are you doing telemarketing? Damn, that has to suck ass.. Well, (name) I gotta run, but we should hang out sometime.. Then I hang up.

And sometimes, but on only the rarest of occasions when the caller is persistent I act as though they have changed my mind, and I get all excited.. Then when theyre about to complete the sale, I hang up.

[Tara]

Originally Posted by Airhog

Now when a telemarket calls, I just usually wait for them to start speaking, then I hang up on them. If I wasnt such a cheap bastard, I might spend the 10 dollars a month extra for caller ID. How do you deal with telemarketers?

The same as you do. I hate people who bother me at home. Morever they always call when I'm having a shower. F**K!!!

[Easy Mac]

Depends on who they are, how I'm feeling, and when they call. Normally I say no thanks or he's not here. But when they call back I tend to get pissed off. Popular Science called 7 times yesterday in the span of 130 minutes. Needless to say I was quite pissed. I know that last month there was some telemarketer who called at least 6 times a day for a month solid. Everyday there would be at least 6 messages on the answering machine doing the exact same thing. Needles to say, if I talked to them, I would have bitched them out.

If they call past 7, I have a little fun with them. Normally voices, or yelling, or pretending I'm having some relations with my girl. They always enjoy that.

However, if you have foreigners doing your calls, you better believe they're getting heckled. If you outsource your calling, your company and workers get no respect from me. I have a good fake Indian accent, so I go in full Apu mode with Sanjay. They better want a fucking squishi.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by bosshogg23

I screen all calls with my answering machine. Telemarketers, in laws, my sister, none of them get through

If I don't recognize the number, the phone doesn't get answered. If it's important then whoever it is will leave a message...

[FBPro]

I either:

-Don't answer if the number isn't one I know, I don't do this often but from time to time.
-Answer, hear it is a telemarketer then tell them I'm not interested and then hang up - not giving them a chance to reply.

[jeff061]

Sometimes I lead them on. Then tell them I'm not interested. It wastes my time, but I have never heard them more pissed off.

[Solecismic]

Since we got caller ID, I've been successful in my goal never again to waste one breath on those parasites. But I have noticed, since the No-Call List went into effect, there are still jerks who continue to call. And they will call over and over and over. Since I keep odd hours, we still have to keep the ringer off of the bedroom phone.

Personally, I think the no-call legislation should include boiling in oil, along with all the spammers. It's not a legitimate job choice. There are plenty of careers, like prostitution, that afford an individual more respect in today's society.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Radii

No telemarketers since we went cell only! I was never mean to them. I always say "no thank you" or "i'm sorry i'm really not interested" but after that if they keep trying to push I just hang up.

This bugs me to no end. In fact, most of the cell phone industry does.

How the heck did they get out of telemarketing calls?

Not only that but how is it discriminatory to not give them their own area code in Houston, for instance. They split the town in 3 rather than just give mobile lines their own area code and split the city in 2. Reading up on this, it was because a court case decided it was discriminatory to give cells their own area code.

And, damn the person who evolved the cell phone billing practices different than land lines. So many fewer stupid calls if everytime someone picked up a phone, they knew they were on the meter. Even if it was just 5c a minute or something, the number of "Oh, yeah, I'm heading home now" calls would be reduced by 90% because how many people on the other end would say "you spent money to tell me this??"

SI

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Best ever: I had several call in a row, so I answered the phone using an old man voice. The guy asked for Mrs. ____ I went into this long explanation about "You must mean my daughter... She moved me in here after I broke my hip. I fell down the stairs at my old place. We bought that house new right before I went off to war...." Blah, blah, blah. When I finished I asked him who he was calling for, he replied Mrs. _____. I said "Oh, you must mean my daughter!" You could hear the wind come out of this guy's sail...