🚀 go-pugleaf

Kevin Michael Vail wrote:
> 
> In article <57vqcr$khq@news2.his.com>, keitz@his.com wrote:
> 
> >We get those type of phone call all too often! They are telemarketers,
> >we called Bell Atlantic thinking our phone had problems and got the
> >skinny.  What happened is these telemarkers have a huge room full of
> >people and phones with the phone system rigged to call numbers at a
> >rapid rate and the call is picked up by whoever in the place is not
> >already on a call.  If everyone is on a call and no telemarketer picks
> >up the line,you answer the phone and nobody is on the line you just
> >hear the sound of the computer.
> 
> Does anybody but me think this sort of thing shouldn't be tolerated??  It's
> bad enough when a human being calls me, but when a computer calls and
> there's nobody there...ARRGH!  Or those calls that start out with a
> computer saying "Please remain on the line for--"  I never get past that
> point, I figure if they can't have anyone ready to talk to me when I
> answer, tough.
> 
> I've started telling the people who call (when there is a human being, that
> is) that I never buy or participate in anything over the telephone.  A
> couple of them have sort of done the audio equivalent of a double take, and
> then said "I don't blame you, actually."
> --
> Kevin Michael Vail             |      you gave me wings
> kevin@vailstar.com             |                    but took the sky

I use two verbal techniques that have reduced the number 'human' calls to my phone: 

1. If I'm in the mood, I let the person talk for as long as they want, then 
   say 'no thank you' hanging up afterward.  Be careful not to say the words 
   'yes' or 'ok'.  I use "go ahead", or "I'm listening", etc...
   Reason: I've learned they're job performance is rated 
   by (number of sells)/(length of time selling).  Within a short time, 
   say about a week, they get the message.  Apparently, word travels fast 
   with these folks that I'm a bad sell.  Fine with me. 

2. If I'm not in the mood, I tell the person not to call back by saying, 
   "I'm not asking you to stop calling, I'm telling you!" hanging up afterward. 
   If they call back about my rudeness (which some have), their supervisors are 
   particularly sensitive to hearing that.  Fine with me. 

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and do not reflect those of my employer.
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