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Telemarketers must Die! :) (1 Viewer)

DeathStar1

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2001
Messages
3,267
Real Name
Neil
>.By this time I've hung up. But it's truly annoying. If you randomly enter a bunch of touch tones, it sometimes fools the phone server on their end into thinking it's an invalid number.
I understand that some of these people are just making a living, and they get paid on a kind of commission. I wish that it were possible to be polite with them and tell them you're not interested. Unfortunately, if you're not forceful, they will continue to hold you on the line as long as possible. Their calls are often recorded by their employers and if they aren't pushy they'll be out of a job.>>
Im' starting to know the Cemetary Schpeil almost as well by this time :) As far as being polite, usually I just hand up with them. But in thecame of yesterdays call, I just got fed up with it, and before hanging up as an afterthought, said, "Please don't call us back again", and hope it works this time :)..
Strange thing is, sometimes I'm not even sure it's a telemarketer. For instance, About 10 minutes after I posted the first note, I got another call.."Hello?" 30 seconds of silence...uh-oh..."Hi is Mr. or Mrs...___ home? This is a courtesy call from the American Cancer Society.." Told them no, and they'd call back at another time. We whern't expecting a call from this organization,. so it probably was a telemarketer. Heard the phone ring today, did X69, found out that it was out of my calling area, so it was probably ANOTHER TM calling in...
Here's something. Is there anyway to get the number even if their out of your calling area? Wondering if a phone company offers a service like that. Maby someone should start up a webpage with all of these numbers and start telemarketing the telemarketers if they don't start leaving you alone :).
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
1,352
I work in a call center so I guess this subject is a bit touchy for me. Sometimes the agents get paid on commission, sometimes they don't. Most of the time they have to make so many sales to just keep their job, but it all depends on the company.

Instead of being rude to them, or asking what they're wearing, or any of that nonsense, just utter these few words "please put me on the Do Not Call list". That's all you have to say. The agent will not try to pester you, or convince you, or get you to stay on the line. They will politely apologize and let you go. Really, that's all it takes.
 

Joseph Young

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 30, 2001
Messages
1,352
just utter these few words "please put me on the Do Not Call list". The agent will not try to pester you, or convince you, or get you to stay on the line.
That very well may be the official policy in call center administration (I did it myself for a time), but I have to say - since I handle sales calls constantly at our firm - that I have dealt with many, many (hundreds of) rude, pushy, bossy, and indignant telemarketers.

I've written up our official Firm manual on handling sales calls. Nevertheless, there are also some basic rules that the savvier telemarkers use to 'bum rush' reception areas and secretaries.

Rule #1 of many telemarketers: Your primary objective is to bypass the gatekeeper. Achieve this goal by any means necessary. Your target is either the CEO, managing attorney, or decision marker. Anybody else is simply an obstacle.

Rule #2: Act as if you have official business. Give out little to no information. Don't give your name or company if asked; act as if in a rush to speak on official business, like you are on a deadline. Use the CEO's first name tersely. Find out first names at the company and sprinkle them liberally into your conversation with the gatekeeper.

Rule #3: If you are unable to dig up first names, get them from the gatekeeper. Get the first/last names, job titles, schedules of all the decision makers. Get the company's physical address, fax number, serial numbers on office products, anything at all which will get a foot in the door.

One telemarketing company found out who services our copy machines, called us pretending to be that company and asked some hapless soul at the firm for the serial numbers on our copy machines (for official purposes). Two days later we received an unsolicited shipment of toner cartridges and were charged $700 for them. Luckily we did not sign for them, but these are the kinds of practices I deal with constantly.

Joseph
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
1,352
Joseph, you're right. I was referring mainly to people that call your house wanting you to switch long distance, etc.

In a corporate setting, I can imagine its MUCH more annoying. As your points illustrate, they are not nearly as friendly and thus require harsher methods to get rid of them. In that case, I am not opposed to being rude right back, or whatever it takes. These telemarketers are masters of social engineering and will do anything to get info from you. I find, though, that telemarketers for the general public don't really care too much and its not worth their effort to get info out of you. Besides, if they are trying to get you to switch long distance, they already have your phone number and they don't need any additional info, just your consent.
 

Greg Rakaska

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 16, 1999
Messages
111
Todd:



When you do it a dozen times or more a night it can be a PITA!

How about the folks that work midnight shifts and are sleeping during the prime time calling hours? They don't want to turn off their phones and miss an emergency call.
 

Scott Dill

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 2, 1999
Messages
116
Telemarketing is where our "war on terrorism" should really focus.

I don't buy the B.S about, "They're just doing there job". You could say the same thing about a mugger or a burglar. These people are thieves who steal our privacy and only maintain there legality through expensive lobbyists and campaign donations.

They deserve no respect IMHO.
 

DeathStar1

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2001
Messages
3,267
Real Name
Neil
>>One telemarketing company found out who services our copy machines, called us pretending to be that company and asked some hapless soul at the firm for the serial numbers on our copy machines (for official purposes). Two days later we receives an unsolicited shipment of toner cartridges and were charged $700 for them. Luckily we did not sign for them, but these are the kinds of practices I deal with constantly.>>

Hmm, too bad you can't report people who use 'advanced' tactics like this somewhere. There was also a guy who had a site, where he had a CD Full of 'scamming' the scamming telemarketers that called him. Wish I could remember it...
 

Jeff Braddock

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 26, 2002
Messages
306
Lelia,
Don't feel alone, I was a TM for about 2 yrs. Overall, it really sucked, but contrary to Mr. Dill's opinion, I did have to have a job. True I could have gotten a job at McDonalds or Taco Bell or something, but I hate the fast food industry and this paid better. I can only talk from my experience, but this is the way it was at my former job. If you don't want to be called ask to be put on the do not call list. Of course by law the companies are only required to not call you for 1 yr after that date. After that you are fair game. As far as the telezapper...I think it's a waste of money. If you get a call, get the person's name, the company (not the organization they represent) they are calling for, keep track of the date/time etc. Ask to be put on the do not call list. If they call back in a year take them to court and make some easy money. Back to the telezapper...the way we were set up is we called back at least a few months later. I almost forgot, if your state has a do not call list, join that. It is probably free. If you get a call that breaks a guideline of the DNC policy, turn them into the state attorney general's office and let them prosecute. Let the flaming begin... :)
 

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