20 ways to monkey with telemarketers

[Uabassoon]

Originally posted by sirrahved
Alas... I was a telemarketer for about two weeks. I got called every name in the book! Seriously, one man made me cry. I was just trying to make a living. *sighs* I now try to be VERY nice to telemarketers!

I'm nice to telemarketers for the same reason. It's just someone that needs a job, yeah they are annoying but that's no reason to be rude. I mean don't get me wrong I hang up on them all the time, but I don't understand the people who feel the need to yell nasty things. Here in Tucson working as a telemarkter is one of the best jobs for someone without a college degree. A lot of single mothers work as telemarketors because it's good pay and they get benefits.

[Karen]

My boss tells all telephone-company telemarketers that he's not interested, that we have no phones! When the few persitent ones say "how are you talking to me, then?" he says - "tin cans and string, you should try it." Whereupon they invariably give up, and hang up on him!

We have the "No Call List" and are gladly on it. We rarely get calls any more. I was never angry or rude with them, simply said "No thank you" before hanging up.

[Sevens]

I have a way of being polite and not dealing with them at the same time.

If it's a telemarketer and they have my name, I just do this:

Telemarketer: Hi, may I speak with Stephanie please?
Stephanie (me): I'm sorry, she's not in right now, may I take a message?

When I ask to take a message, they usually just mumble something and hang up. Now, if it is one of my bills (if I paid a bill late), then they will leave a number and I can call them back.

I actually got caught only once doing this and it was my cable company (I had paid the bill late and it hadn't shown up in their system yet). I then admitted that it really was me and the woman laughed and thanked me for handling the phone call in such a nice way. Actually said she was going to start doing that at her own house.....LOL

[Lillycat]

i am on the no call list......and it appears to be working......i next to never get a call any more...which is great!!!

[jonza]

I agree that it's not fair to be nasty with them, it's not their fault, just as with ticket problems at check-in at an airport or account problems at a bank.

I sometimes commiserate with them and tell them that I understand how depressing it must be for them to have to do this, and hope they're lucky and manage to find a decent job soon!

Normally though, I just tell them that I HATE tele-marketers, and would they please go away and annoy someone else.

[Randi]

When telemarketers ring us, it's usually while I'm cooking dinner. They're nice and polite of course, but I usually say, I'm not interested, or, I don't have time now, please send me some material on it, and I may contact you!

[mruffruff]

Everyone who calls me and gets my answering machine laughs at my message. Of course "I" don't think it's funny.

"Hello. I can't come to the phone right now, but if you'll leave your name and a brief message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If you are selling something, please hang up now. beep."

It seems to have worked.

Mary

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Gah... we are on the no call list and we get Telemarketers ALLL THE TIMEEEEEEE! It gets annoying, and a lot of the time I just hang up...

[smokey the elder]

Unfortunately, those are probably charities, polical groups or entities you've done business with, who are exempt from the Do not Call list. But, if you can prove that they don't fall in any of the above, you can bring some kind of legal action (I think.)

[pitc9]

When they call me during dinner, I get a big mouth full of food and chew as loud as I can in their ear and talk with my mouth full!!

[RedHedd]

The "do not call" list works very well. Whenever I DO get a telemarketer call, I politely butt into their spiel and ask them to please put me on their "do not call" list. My telemarketers' calls are down to almost nothing. You get what you ask for with these people because it is the law - they must comply.