20 Ways to Play With the Mind of a Telemarketer

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:30pm

http://www.bankrate.com/nsc/news/advice/20031107a1.asp

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:33pm

Those are great. I have a friend who was once being hassled by a bill collector. The last time they called she said, "She doesn't live here anymore, but if you find her let me know!! She owes me money!!" and they never called back.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:40pm

We are supposed to be on the national "DO NOT CALL" list, but we get calls for surveys sometimes. The most recent time, which was a few days ago, I just hung up on them.

One time the same telemarketer called my mom twice at odd times. The second time, she got fed up and said, "Why don't you people just get a real job." I found this funny at the time. So, one time I picked up one of those telemarketer calls and said the same thing my mom said. Of course, she got mad at me and said the only reason that she said that was because they called back twice at weird times; after she said she wasn't interested the first time.

I have my own phone number in my room. I had to have gotten at least 1 or 2 calls a day from AT&T a few days in a row. I don't even have AT&T phone service...don't even know how they got my number since I never gave it out, except to few friends, and it was fairly new. Anyways, the last time I said, "This is about the fith or sixth time you've called. Please stop calling me!" and hung up and I never heard from them again.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:42pm

I've tried the voice mail thing, 'no hablo ingles' (thank GOD they didn't know Spanish either), the 'I'm losing the connection', 'hi, you're calling during my dinner', everything.

I felt bad though, because if I was a telemarketer I'd probably be hurt. Those people must have tough skins.

I'm so glad that I don't get those calls anymore.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:43pm

When a telemarketer tried to sell me phone service, i was like, "Well, i kinda live in a box." His response was, "well, is it comfy?" haha and then he just hung up.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:44pm

And think of all the poor students trying to pay their way through university....
Telemarketers are not these evil, heinous, annoying creatures we make them out to be. Most are struggling students, and each one of them is- in fact- human.
Yes, telemarking calls are irritating. If you don't want to listen, at least be polite. There is a soul on the other end of the phone, after all.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:45pm

I feel bad for the people who actually make the calls- it's not a very fun job. And it's really not their fault their companies are so damn annoying. Usually I just hang up and save everyone a lot of trouble.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:48pm

Um ... they picked the job! Um ... they are interupting me! Um ... there is no Mrs. Smith at my house. I'm gay and don't live with my mother! Updated On: 8/6/04 at 12:48 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:53pm

Well, finding a job isn't easy nowadays. But they should avoid calling in the evening, as that is when people eat dinner. 98% of the telemarketer calls I have gotten in the past were made in the evening around dinner time. I understand you can't predict when someone is eating dinner, but why not just stop making calls after 5 pm?

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:55pm

you're right with having a hard time finding a job. Trust me, I have lots of friends who work in telemarketing and it was their last resort before McDonald's. And as for inconvienient times, they do work shift work, they don't have a choice.
If you want to complain, ask to speak with the manager. As with any service, it is extremely rude to get angry with the messenger- they are just doing their job and have been told what to do.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:56pm

i usually play out the "is it safe" scene from marathon man or calmly explain that the person that they are looking for is out of the country and not due back until late 2009 and if they'd call back then it would be helpful.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 12:57pm

Well, now we have the national do not call list...but still, those survey people...

[Plum]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:05pm

There's always the joys of Caller ID.

One of the weirdest things that happened to me last year in college was getting a phone call from a local paper asking me to subscribe. I was so surprised I actually tried to convince them that calling me was pointless.

"I'm a college student; I have no money."

"But we have this great discount deal..."

"My mailbox is 3 inches wide."

"But you should still subscribe..."

"I read three other newspapers."

"What's the harm of adding another?"

I hung up at that point.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:07pm

excuse me, your what is how wide????

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:07pm

Sometimes they talk so fast. All I hear is, "HellowearecallingonbehalfofsoandsoandIwanttoofferyouthisnewrugforonlythirtybucks...."

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:15pm

You know kids, Matt_G worked as a telemarketer. The difference is I worked for a non profit organization whose mailing list consisted of people who had shown interest in the company. The people were still horribly nasty and you know how I can be, so I got nasty back.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:23pm

I didn't send you any money!

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:24pm

No, you didn't you sonofabitch

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:25pm

CLICK!

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:29pm

No, you can't hang up before you threaten to have me arrested.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:30pm

911. CLICK!

[Kelliexo90]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:30pm

Matt_G, you remind me of my sister. She works for a trophy company and she is supposed to be super-sweet, but when people are rude to her, oh God, she gets nasty right back on the phone. It's actually really funny if I listen when she is working from home.

[Nina]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:33pm

Back when I got a lot of these calls, I would just immediately hang up. Then I decided it would be more fun to play with them. I would express interest in whatvere they were selling then say, can I put you on hold for just a second? I had awful elevator type music cued on my cd player and would turn it on and set the phone next to the speaker.

I would sometimes explain that iw as inetrested but, I ma having truoble with my phone. If we get disconnected, please call back. Then keep hanging up after letting them talk a few minutes. They would call back only once, twice at the most. I had persistent person who called back five times before I said "I've had fun playing with you but, I really have to go now. The game is over, thanks for playing."

Another fun thing to do is to pretend interest but be confused. "So, if I subscribe to this service, you're saying I get a year free?"

"Could you explain the terms again? I don't get it but it sounds interesting."

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 1:58pm

I have been known to ask a telemarketer what they are wearing. When asked why I need to know I tell them they have interupted me and now have to help me get back on track.
Funny, I seldom get repeat calls.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 8/6/04 at 2:02pm

I've never had to do telemarketing, but working in the box office once led to me phoning subscribers to our theatre. My only task was to verify their credit cards, because they had failed during the subscription renewal.

These people had subscribed to the theatre, and provided a credit card already...

I was abused, hung up on, etc.
My skin isn't thick enough. I needed a stiff Maker's Mark that night.