Is it rude to ...

[Jeff7]

I consider it rude to be interrupted at home, to be given a sales pitch, that I don't want, for a product that I probably don't want.

 

[wetobasura]

Originally posted by: JackDawkins
I suppose it's not as rude as using the airhorn, which is much more fun also.

^^ is my favorite but also starting up a family screaming match during the phone call is fun too. The nervous silence on thier end of the phone is great.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: EXman
Here is what you do

You:Hi there this is not really a good time for me can I get your home telephone # please and the time you eat with your family please. I'll give you a call back then and we can talk further.

TM: We are not allowed to give our personal information out sir.

You: Why you don't want anyone calling you during dinner?

TM: <in a wimpering voice> No Sir... I am sorry for calling

You: <Click>

IT is that SIMPLE!

Unfortunately, it's NOT that simple. By doing what you did they will generally flag you in the system (they call it dispositioning your call) as a callback. They will also flag your number as being valid, and from that point your phone number will be RESOLD to other telemarketing organizations for solicitation.

What I say in every telemarketing-related thread: NEVER just hang up on them! NEVER just say "No thanks"! All you need to do is say, "Put me on your do-not-call list." At that point you have legal recourse should they ever call you back, and each instance is an $11,000 fine. Be rude to them all you want, but only do so after requesting to be on the do-not-call list. If you are rude to them and just hang up, your number will be dispositioned as a callback.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: JBAR
If I pick it up and hear dead air for a few seconds and then a voice, I know it's a telemarketer and I hang up.

JBAR, have you been back for a while, or just recently?

Anyway, I do the same thing but I don't even wait for the telemarketer to get on the line. When I pick up the phone and say hello, I will wait two seconds and say hello again. If I don't get a response, I hang up. Only one time out of hundreds did I hang up on a non-telemarketer.

That pause you get is the result of the delay in what's known as a predictive dialer. I wrote a suite of call-center software which included a predictive dialer, and there are strict requirements on how long the "customer" can wait before being routed to a live agent. One installations of my software had 128 phone lines dialing *simultaneously* with only about 60 live agents available. What happens if all 60 are on a call? You get that delay.

What you don't want to do, as I said above, is hang up during that delay! My software in particular allows the client to configure how a call is dispositioned, but any call that was received (i.e. you answered) and not processed (i.e. not routed to a live agent) gets flagged and will result in a callback.

 

[OutHouse]

If im at work i hang up on them.

if im at home and if its just me and my wife around (kids in bed or outside) we will start to make sex noises.

me: "yea baby, ooo right there, thats it, ummmm, ouch watch the teeth honey, oooooo god your so good."
wife: slurp slurp slurp.
TM: pretty much dead air for a few then a click.


its fricken funny.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Citrix
If im at work i hang up on them.

if im at home and if its just me and my wife around (kids in bed or outside) we will start to make sex noises.

me: "yea baby, ooo right there, thats it, ummmm, ouch watch the teeth honey, oooooo god your so good."
wife: slurp slurp slurp.
TM: pretty much dead air for a few then a click.


its fricken funny.

Funny ones like that are recorded, compiled, and passed around the office. Just so you know...

 

[GermyBoy]

Originally posted by: aves2k
I do it all the time.

I do too. I'd kill them if I had the chance.

 

[Kristi2k]

Originally posted by: Crazymofo

Originally posted by: lukatmyshu
hang up on telemarketers? I picked up the phone just when the answering-machine did and unfortunately the feedback started getting loud. She was talking, and I hung up (if I had said anything it would have started squealing) ... since she was on the answering machine I heard her say "you hung up .... god, some people have no respect. No respect." You're calling me at 6:45 at night asking me about some market-research and I have no respect?

This person obviously does not know the meaning of the word RESPECT!!!! Why would I give some perfect stranger any respect??? Respect is earned and you dont earn it by calling me at my home when I did not ask you too!

That's what's wrong with people today. People think respect should be earned. You should always have it unless they do something that makes you lose the respect.

 

[GroundZero]

fuck'em

 

[JBAR]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: JBAR
If I pick it up and hear dead air for a few seconds and then a voice, I know it's a telemarketer and I hang up.

JBAR, have you been back for a while, or just recently?

Just back recently. This place is like the Hotel California. Got bored so I decided to check out ATOT to see what's up. I notice a lot of regulars are gone.

 

[EXman]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: EXman
Here is what you do

You:Hi there this is not really a good time for me can I get your home telephone # please and the time you eat with your family please. I'll give you a call back then and we can talk further.

TM: We are not allowed to give our personal information out sir.

You: Why you don't want anyone calling you during dinner?

TM: <in a wimpering voice> No Sir... I am sorry for calling

You: <Click>

IT is that SIMPLE!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Unfortunately, it's NOT that simple. By doing what you did they will generally flag you in the system (they call it dispositioning your call) as a callback. They will also flag your number as being valid, and from that point your phone number will be RESOLD to other telemarketing organizations for solicitation.

What I say in every telemarketing-related thread: NEVER just hang up on them! NEVER just say "No thanks"! All you need to do is say, "Put me on your do-not-call list." At that point you have legal recourse should they ever call you back, and each instance is an $11,000 fine. Be rude to them all you want, but only do so after requesting to be on the do-not-call list. If you are rude to them and just hang up, your number will be dispositioned as a callback.

I live in KY we have a statewide DNC list if you opt in I get Nothing except not for profit organizations Firefighters/politicians ONLY I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! 1 a month not 3 a day anymore. :beer:

 

[alkemyst]

I think most telemarketers are recordings now and the last few times I hung up I did here things said before the call dropped. I think it could be guilt trips to get you to listen next time.

 

[psydancerqt]

i get calls every so often... in my dorm room.. i usually give out all the info till they get to my soc number... or sometimes i tell them i'm not 18 since it's always for credit cards.. they need all the info so they can send me the application??

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

I prefer to do this:
TM: "Hello! I'm calling to let you know.."
You (cutting him off): Can you hold just a minute please? I'll be with you in a sec
*press hold button/leave phone unhooked and go do something else*
10 minutes later:
You: "Are you still there?"
TM (iif still there): "Yes, sir I'd like to..."
You (cutting him off): Hold on just another minute
repeat until TM is eventually discouraged and hangs up.

 

[EmperorIQ]

One time i decided to be nice and did a survey over the phone. The lady said it was quick so i agreed. 5 mins into the phone conversation she was still asking me stupid questions, so i just hung up. a week later a man called and said "hi, we are calling about an incomplete survey which was started by a gentlemen (bla bla bla forgets), would that be you?" then i just hung up on him. i thought it was funny.

 

[daclayman]

I used to get quite a few, but the calls have disappeared to my dismay. My favorite thing to do was string the TM along until I could load up UncleFsucker from the SouthPark movie. Then I'd set the phone down in front of the speaker and wait for a couple minutes. I'm getting some mortgage refinance calls from a house I sold in 1995. I'm ruthless with them.

 

[habib89]

i always say "not interested" and they keep going on.. then i tell them that "I ALREADY own a craftmatic adjustable bed"

 

[IEatChildren]

I have a friend who used to work in telemarketing.
For about 3 months, he pitched mooches into dishing over $200 for a device that blocks telemarketing calls
That's so ironic, cause that was such a great seller.