Telemarketers

[neptunestar]

I'm sick and tired of telemarketers calling me. I'm on the 'do not call list' but still continue to receive calls from telemarketers. I usually ay sorry not interested but they continue to harass me but I feel bad hanging up the phone on them. Wondering how the RFD community deal with telemarketers? Is hanging up them wrong or is it justified?

[dolphie]

i don't hang up, but usually interrupt them fairly straight off and just ask to be taken off their call list.
it's a little abrupt, but they always stop what they're saying and just say ok.

[YnD]

Depends on what its related to..

If its for my cell phone/internet services.... I'll listen.....and give them an answer at the end.... if they try to object me I get rid of them....

Otherwise... I nicely ask them I'm not interested and to put me on the do not call list...

I used to be a telemarketer for Bell :)

[Renton]

I don't hang up, I just put the phone down and mind my bussiness and then hang up 15 minutes later.

[legendofxix]

Pull the Jerry Seinfeld on them.
"I'm busy right now, how about you give me your home number and I'll call you back."

[Odysseus_Maximus]

I tell them i'm not interested and that this phone call will end in 5,4,3,2,1 hang up the phone.

[st7860]

play rude adam sandler mp3's on the phone. lol

[Acuratl]

i usually do hang up unfortunately LOL :(

[torontoraptor]

I just can't get myself to hang up the phone. I just usually wait until they pause or when I have an opportunity and say that I'm not interested.

I realize that there people need to pay bills as I do.

[craigskijiji]

I can't hang up either. I used to work at a place called Ipsos and they ONLY do surveys, not selling anything whatsoever, just asking for an opinion. I got so many rude people and I was never pushy. If they weren't interested, I would always say thank you for your time, and leave them alone. I realize that I'm calling right in the middle of dinner, and I'm sorry, but that's my job and not everybody has dinner at exactly the same time. That job got me through college and they were really good to me. It bothered me that so many people would freak out and swear at me before I even say the first 2 words. All you have to do is listen to the first little blurb that they are saying and then tell them you're not interested. IF they push, I end it there as well, but it's a lot more polite than freaking and telling them to f*** off, or putting the phone down and leaving it.

Sorry for the long rant, I never got to say this while I was working. lol

[craigskijiji]

Oh, and one more thing that I'm sure a lot of people don't know. The National Do Not Call Registry in the states... it is ONLY for telemarketers. If you're on the do not call list, it is highly likely that they're not SELLING you anything. If you're not a telemarketer, like Ipsos, they are exempt from the do not call list because they're not selling anything. They thought that having the public's opinions about products, services or politics is still very important and crucial in seeing people's point of view. So that's why they're exempt from it. So keep in mind that, not all the time, but most likely, if you're on the do not call list and someone calls you, they're probably not trying to sell you anything.

[Pete Jones]

I can't hang up either. I used to work at a place called Ipsos and they ONLY do surveys...

I know these people are only doing their jobs, but you have to look at it from the standpoint of the person being called.

The biggest problem is that a lot of people still consider a ringing telephone a "non maskable interrupt" and drop whatever they're doing to answer it. How can you expect someone not to be annoyed when this happens.

In a sense, it's no different than someone barging into your house demanding your attention.

Personally, I employ some simple rules:

1. If the phone rings and I'm not right beside it, I don't answer it.
2. If I am by the phone and I don't recognize the number, I don't answer it.
3. If I do recognize the number and I don't have time, I don't answer it.
4. If it's important, the caller will leave a message and I'll call back.
5. If they can't be bothered to leave a message, I can't be bothered to call back. This goes for callers I know, as well.
6. I only participate in paid surveys/focus groups. My time is valuable and you're not doing this for free, are you?

So with that in mind, if I do answer the phone for a telemarketer, it's because I'm feeling feisty and the poor caller is going to get it with both barrels. :cheesygri

Having said that , I don't swear or shout at the person, (To me, that's just wrong. I can always get my point across without lowering myself to that.) but all other head games are fair game.

--Pete