Cold Calling Scum!

LoadsaMoney · 4 Oct 2006 at 14:40

Ive had bloody answering machines the past couple of days, phone rings i answer "hello this is some *****, about how to save calls etc... hangs up, today phone rings, didnt get there in time, thought it was someone about my 360 as there was a number there, rings it back, "hello and welcome to kitchens direct" or some crap, phone down again. :mad:

robbiemc · 4 Oct 2006 at 16:42

Im on the Telephone Preference list, so rarely get cold calls, but one in particular made me pretty angry.
Once she had introduced herself, I asked where she got my number, as Im on the TPS. She said 'You must've filled in a questionnaire in the street and said it was ok to receive calls'.
I clearly and calmly explained that I never do that, so this can't be correct.
Now usually this would be the end of the matter, but not for this particular salesgirl.
'Well you MUST HAVE' she said in a firm voice.

Now theres the voice of a desperate (or tired/bored/annoyed sales person)..what was she expecting next? Maybe she was expecting me to agree with her, that she's obviously correct and that Yes, I'd be delighted to buy her product :rolleyes:

I should really have asked for her supervisor, but really couldn't be bothered.

LOAM · 4 Oct 2006 at 16:44

just act like you called them, if your doing a really good job of it, try and sell them something.

with regards the TPS, they really ought advertise that service, perhaps give everyone a call on an evening to let them know, DOH!!!

alexthecheese · 4 Oct 2006 at 16:46

Fair play to the original poster, I would do the same thing. It's all very well for people to sit at home and take the moral highground but when this is a regular occurance you would behave in exactly the same manner.

I used to work for X as a cold caller when I was 16. I remember working at this place and they played music so loud in the office that I couldn't hear the person on the other end of the line and had to hang up. It's hardly professional.

As a cold caller you know the business you're in and are obliged to take the stick. It's a job. They're not digging at you personally, they're digging at the fact that you're another goit that has invaded their privacy in order for you to try and make some money for a company they would otherwise have no involvement with.

Kol · 4 Oct 2006 at 17:14

Alu_ATC said:
No worries. I probably should have explained about how I knew it was a cold caller and not a wrong number to clarify what happened, although - few people who make just an honest mistake would withhold their number. He was calling from a call center and in post 38, I said I get them all the time.

Fair point, must have skimmed that one :eek:

Obviously, you didn't deserve the call back which you got and most certainly I hope he get's what he deserves.

Reading some of the posts above, does anyone remember that audio clip of that cold caller calling the American 'cat woman' ?? Good lord........!

Alu_ATC · 4 Oct 2006 at 17:56

Mikol said:
Fair point, must have skimmed that one Obviously, you didn't deserve the call back which you got and most certainly I hope he get's what he deserves.

Reading some of the posts above, does anyone remember that audio clip of that cold caller calling the American 'cat woman' ?? Good lord........!

Tbh, when I put the phone down, all I could think of was that Dell call. The one where the guy decides not to buy a computer because it doesn't come with speakers or something. The seller gets really abusive and begins to taunt the buyer! :eek:

.

iamgud · 4 Oct 2006 at 18:13

I hate these people also. (although I do feel sorry for them in a way, it is after all just their job).

the other thing I hate is when people call and say I want to speak to MR.xxxxx. and do not give a name or anything, I never just give the phone to my parents as it is likely someone selling double glazing.

I usually say, "Who is this please" and if they wont tell me I put the phone down. Almost hung up on my Antie before but the way I see it, if you aint gonna tell me who you are ehy should I put you through.

Also if they just get your number from the phonebook it is probably illegal.

I just know the law on Spam 'cos I work at an ISP but I assume it is the same for telephone, you have to have had business with them or have previously shown an interest in thier products, they cannot just pick numbers at random or buy your number from someone. It is EU Law.

FunkyCowie · 4 Oct 2006 at 19:17

Normally when I get such calls I hang up... but if I have the time and am feeling particularly evil I just let them waffle on and on and make it sound like I`m interested, then I hang up. If they call back and say that we must have got disconnected i say 'No you were being strung a long, get a real job' and hang up. So I may have in advertantly upset some of these people enough to throw abuse at innocent people. Sorry

Well Splattered · 4 Oct 2006 at 19:31

Van_Dammesque said:
Thankfully after using the TPS I have not had many (touch wood).

Quoted for the truth, hate cold callers then register.

To the OP, i have had a similar experience to yours where they said they would come round. Have to admit, I actually started to goad him on. He got really wound up in the end, thought he was going to blow a blood vessel at one point. Sadly i forgot the original company name from his first call so never pursued it.

Geoff · 4 Oct 2006 at 20:18

iamgud said:
I just know the law on Spam 'cos I work at an ISP but I assume it is the same for telephone, you have to have had business with them or have previously shown an interest in thier products, they cannot just pick numbers at random or buy your number from someone. It is EU Law.

Not quite.

It's illegal to use telephone direct marketing if either the caller has previously been notified that the 'callee' doesn't want such calls, or if the number being called is on the TPS register.

So for anyone whose number(s) are not on that register, you're fair game to any direct marketer for cold telecalls unless you've individually notified the respective caller. In other words, it's an opt-out system, with opt-in as the default. Do nothing, and calls to you are legit. The system you describe, iamgud, is an opt-in system where you get no calls unless you opt in, or have dealings with a company. However, even under the opt-out scheme we have, the generic TPS opt-out doesn't bind a company with whom you have an existing relationship. The opt-out applies only to unsolicited telesales calls. This is why I don't give my phone number even to companies I deal with, and why my telecomms provider has specific written instruction from me that they are not to make telesales calls. It's also why I left BT years ago - they ignored repeated such verbal and written instructions.

Oh, and it's UK law, not EU law, albeit that it's based on an EU directive.

mehuk · 5 Oct 2006 at 12:29

I had a cold call of sorts the other night - not so much a random company, but Sky to try and sell me their extended warranty.

I understand this is probably standard procedure, but I have had the box just uunder 2 months...

(It was all a polite conversation)...Anyway he started going on about the benefits of having a warrnaty and that the Sky Box needs protection as its faulty etc etc

So I just said, I have had this box 2 months and you are telling me that its going to break so I need a warranty... i continued, its pretty bad if Sky are sending out boxes that they expect to break within a year.... :rolleyes:

Raikiri · 13 Oct 2006 at 19:27

I have one trying to sella mobile on speaker phone atm, talked for a minute or so... put the phone down and walked away.

He is still talking

Edit: Hahahaha 5.40 and counting "hello, sir, hello" "are you there sir?"

7 minutes

8 minutes, he must have heard me laughing he said something and put the phone down

dark_matter · 13 Oct 2006 at 21:15

I love cold callers. I always put on an accent like something out of little britain. Me and my girlfriend have a competition to see how long we can keep them on the line for before they hang up. She has the record with just short of 20 minutes. She pretended to be this little old lady. It was fantastic. The guy on the other end was selling mobiles. And she would just isolate one word from his speech and use it completely out of context. Like when he said "do you have a mobile", she would reply very slowly "am I mobile, not really. im not that mobile these days. why? do you want me to go somewhere. I can do. but it may take me some time." Brilliant.

At first we got plagued with them. A month or so doing the above and they all seem to have stopped. Much better than complaining to any authority. And fun to boot!

Meatball · 13 Oct 2006 at 22:09

We get a cold caller once every few days, nothing to bad. They are annoying but I never feel the need to shout at the person down the phone. Most of the time it's just:

Them: Hello is mr/mrs <name> there?
Me: Yeah, may I ask whos calling?
Them: "I'm from marketing blah blah blah"
Me: "Sorry I'm not interested."
Them: "No problem"
END CALL

But! I had some real **** wipe a few weeks ago:
them: Hi Im calling to offer you...
Me: I'm sorry Im not interested
Them: I didn't even say what I was going to offer (in a rude manner)
Me: I'm not interested in any offers thankyou"
Them: But I didn't even say what I was going to offer!
(Me hang up)

I don't mind when they understand and hang up but when they carry on and are rude then I just hang up

wozzizname · 13 Oct 2006 at 22:14

I just say I'm not interested, but while they are on the phone could I ask them if they are interested in letting Jesus into their life ? Then continue ranting about salvation and sinning for a while.
That usually does the trick.