detlef Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 There are few things I am more certain of than that any call I get at work that begins with, "How are you doing today?" is going to end up as a total waste of my time. It's practically become an invitation to hang-up and save everyone the trouble of continuing. It's a shame, because it's a nice sentiment. And, no, "Hot enough for ya?" is not going to make me want to buy what you've got either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballjoe Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 So how are you doing today? I get a lot of phone calls at work from persons wanting to make a doctors appointment. I answer the phone "Demolition Department, Johnson speaking". Even after they hear that they keep going. One day I am going to make an appointment for someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 What I hate worse is when I answer the phone "David Dorey" and the tele-whatever person says "Is David Dorey there?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I like to ask telemarketers to hold, telling them I am very interested in talking to them but need to shut the door to my office. Then I pick up the phone and say, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I am very interested to talk to you but can you please hold on for another minute" and yes, I leave them hanging...I should say I only do this to the ones that speak broken english or have very thick accents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SayItAintSoJoe Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 What about when you get a call from a telemarketer and it's a recording. Those are the worst. What could the success rate even be on those types of sales calls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Here's the worst of all. Mostly because it really effs it up for people who need to use this service. About once a week, I get a call from an operator assist provider for the deaf. Every single time. Not, "nearly every single time" but, literally every single time, it's been a scam. Someone wants to order, for pick-up, like 100 orders of some dish that sounds like the kind of dish your restaurant would make. If you stick with the conversation long enough, ultimately you'll get to the part where they want you to charge an extra couple hundred bucks for the delivery guy, blah, blah, blah. Regardless, it always happens at 7:30 on a Friday night and the hostess is swamped and you've got to deal with this a-hole. Minutes into it, you know it's a scam and you're pissed, so you start yelling at the operator and telling them they're being part of a scam. But they keep telling you that they're just an operator and you need to be communicating with the "customer". "Sir, you need to say "done" when you're finished with your sentence". So you tell them to go cuff themselves and hang-up. The worst part about this is that, one day, some poor deaf person is actually going to call your restaurant with a simple question and, having gotten 10 calls on 10 Saturday nights from some a-hole trying to pull some scam, I'm going to flip out and tell the guy to cuff off and die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 What about when you get a call from a telemarketer and it's a recording. Those are the worst. What could the success rate even be on those types of sales calls? Those are actually the best, because you can hang up instantly and go on with your day. I understand they're lame beyond belief, but they're so much easier to deal with than the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Not as irritating but bothersome nonetheless are the sales texts I get almost every day. At least I can delete them without having to talk to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 When a telemarketer calls, I channel that guy from Fletch with the shotgun that catches Fletch snooping around the bedroom, remember, Fletch says he's with the mattress police? Raise my voice and put on that total idiot inflection, and I add a lot of obscenity. "MAGAZINES?!.....UHHH..............OH JESUS H. CHR*ST, I NEED MORE MAGAZINES LIKE A F*CKIN' CAT NEEDS AN UNCLE......." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Caller ID solves all these problems, at work and home. Simply don't answer the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I love getting these calls at home...I usually act really interested and get them to think they are going to make a sale then midsentance I hang up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Caller ID solves all these problems, at work and home. Simply don't answer the phone. Not always an option. There've been plenty of times when I've gotten a call that looked like it was going to be someone trying to sell me credit card processing that turned out to be someone calling about a reservation or a take-out order. It's just not worth the chance of turning away business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Not always an option. There've been plenty of times when I've gotten a call that looked like it was going to be someone trying to sell me credit card processing that turned out to be someone calling about a reservation or a take-out order. It's just not worth the chance of turning away business. I guess if you run a small business, you're right. I don't, so not answering the phone until I hear the caller's voice is a good option for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 What about when you get a call from a telemarketer and it's a recording. Those are the worst. What could the success rate even be on those types of sales calls? How about an auto-call that basically puts you on hold when you pick up - something like "Hi, this is (name of company), please wait for a moment until we have an available operator." Or worse yet, I have a friend who does that. She gets mad when I hang up. IMMEDIATELY calls me back - "what did you hang up for?"; "Well, obviously you were busy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 How about an auto-call that basically puts you on hold when you pick up - something like "Hi, this is (name of company), please wait for a moment until we have an available operator." Or worse yet, I have a friend who does that. She gets mad when I hang up. IMMEDIATELY calls me back - "what did you hang up for?"; "Well, obviously you were busy." You have a friend who puts you on hold when she calls you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 You have a friend who puts you on hold when she calls you? Phone rings, "oh, it's Melissa" - "Hi!" "Hey, can you hold on a second?" Now, if it happens VERY occasionally, yeah, sure; when it happens EVERY OTHER TIME, it's a tad annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelBunz Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 You have a friend who puts you on hold when she calls you? There's something REALLY wrong with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 There are few things I am more certain of than that any call I get at work that begins with, "How are you doing today?" is going to end up as a total waste of my time. It's practically become an invitation to hang-up and save everyone the trouble of continuing. [huddle trolls] don't be so negative blah blah [/huddle trolls] What I hate worse is when I answer the phone "David Dorey" and the tele-whatever person says "Is David Dorey there?" Say "no" and hang up. PS to the politicians - your pre-recorded message to my phone pimping your candidacy/proposed law/whatever if anything will sway me the other way. I suspect I'm not exactly the only one who has this viewpoint. Also caller IDs which are blocked ("private caller") or vague are a guarantee I will not answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 The only reason we have a land line is for telemarketers, sales calls, and my mother in law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 If I answer the phone and there is a pause for any longer than 2 seconds (maybe less), I immediately hang up the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 If I answer the phone and there is a pause for any longer than 2 seconds (maybe less), I immediately hang up the phone. this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 The only reason we have a land line is for telemarketers, sales calls, and my mother in law. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Most of them get credit for the call if you stay on the phone for 3 minutes even if they don't sell anything. At least they did in the early 1990s when I did it. I stay on for 3 minutes then tell them not interested and thanks for calling. Last thing I'm going to do in this economy is be a dick to someone trying to feed their kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 am I hot enough for you ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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