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Needless to say, my blood pressure shot up so fast my head almost exploded. I just laughed and hung up.
This isn't the first time I've had this happen recently.. Do these idiots actually think they are going to get a sale after insulting someone?
My usual response is, "Busy, goodbye!"
For the others ...
If they are female I usually just put on a low, sexy voice and ask them what colour of undies they are wearing :)
If they are male I usually just put on a low, sexy voice and ask them what colour of undies they are wearing :)
Oh, Man. I thought I was the only person who did that. I just love the silence you get when you do that.
Most of the time I just tell them f off, but sometimes I say "ya I am interested, can you hold on a seceond", then I put the phone down and walk away. I come about 10 minutes later to see if they are still there, then hang up.
There should be some way to bind them to what they have said.
Countless people have phoned me to offer a free mobile handset. I've accepted every single offer, but not one of them has delivered.
You tend to have not terribly smart management who, despite how soul-destroying your job is, think ten minute breaks should end after the first eight minutes.
And the people you have to call hold you responsible for the management's really bad decisions. As if it were your idea to call them and recite the stupid script. When there's nothing you'd rather be doing less.
Now, don't get me wrong, I think front-line telemarketers who start identifying with the organisation are fools, but some of them are just signed up with a high street temping agency and filling in for two weeks.
They're not identifying with the telemarketing company at all, but they still have to look like they're working.
That said, no idea what the rudeness is about in the specific example cited above. That doesn't sound like a temp, that sounds like an "identifier".
I make a point of being nice to telemarketers - especially when they're working for big UK firms like BT and Clerical Medical, because that almost certainly means they've been drafted from a temp pool.
It was sitting in those purgatorial offices - and other similar jobs - which got me through my degree and, several years later, through my eight month redundancy (as I was hatching a secret plan to build a website).
This is my problem with it. Why should I have to interupt my dinner, or shower or anything else to help you get through university. I say.... go work at MacDonalds and leave me alone!
</rant>
I say.... go work at MacDonalds and leave me alone!
LOL!
One used to dress like an undertaker and smoke from a 1930's cig holder, another was arrested for murder, another attempted suicide in the womens toilets, another was a satanist and would keep reminding you of the fact, another would engae in bizarre behaviour like throwing his coat out of the office window.
odd bunch, im glad I dont do that anymore.
One used to dress like an undertaker and smoke from a 1930's cig holder, another was arrested for murder, another attempted suicide in the womens toilets, another was a satanist and would keep reminding you of the fact, another would engae in bizarre behaviour like throwing his coat out of the office window.
It all makes perfect sense.
Of course, being a proper gentleman I would pick up the phone in about 30 seconds, ask "Didn't he pick up?" and proceed to call aloud again "Jeff, would you please pick up the phone!" . . . and so on.
Once kept one the buggers busy for almost 5 minutes.
I figured every 20 seconds I could keep them tied up online (usually whilst I drank my coffee and read a magazine with the phone sitting on my desk) that was 1 less other person whose life they could intrude upon.
Was I being devious or heroic?
One of the worst programming gigs I ever had... programming the scripts that telemarketers in those purgatorial offices were forced to recite. Our side of that particular little hell wasn't much better.
odd bunchYep, that was them allright.
Heroic.
If everybody did that they would be out of business in no time.
I know it's automated, because the phone rang every morning for a week at precisely 8AM. Finally I called it back to politely request that they remove me from whatever list I was on. They put me on hold! I gave up. So, don't call me at exactly 8AM, because I pick up the phone, and put it right back down.
Heroic. The long-suffering caller probably appreciated the break.
It's not just the Asian accents I can't understand very well, but deep southern accents either, but I think thats more because of the screaming in my head when I talk to someone from there.
"did he pick up yet" - love that (;
Or, I'll start telling them about my horrible life and how glad I am that they called so I have someone to talk to about it. That can also get quite nutty.
Other times, I'll tell them to hold on a minute and sit the phone down, like previously mentioned.
I'll just keep asking them a bunch of really stupid questions, and waste their time.
Yes, you're all mixing up the messenger with the message.
In my experience, the messenger is grateful for the respite. You need to reserve your wrath for the company, not the frontline recruit on the other end of the phone who probably respects that company even less than you do.
Them: I'm phoning to offer you a totally free new mobile handset
Me (cutting in): Great, send it, do you have my address?
Them: Yes, your address is .......,........,.........
Me: When should I expect it?
Them: Sir, first I have to take your credit card details
Me: No need for that, just send me the totally free handset
Them: Yo DO need a calling plan to go with the handset
Me: No, I'm quite happy with just the handset
Them: I'm afraid you can only get the handset if you take the calling plan
Me: You told me it was a totally free handset, and since it is totally free, I expect you to send it to me without me having to pay a penny, not now, not ever
Them: If you don't have a calling plan, it's useless anyway, as you can't use it to make calls
Me: Not to worry, I have another handset to make calls with
Them: I'm afraid you do need to take out the calling plan to get the handset
Me: How about this, you take out the calling plan, and send me the handset? I don't want any calling plan.
Them: You can't use a handset without a calling plan
Me: I plan to use it as a torch
Them: <hangs up>
Seems to me that I was in the right and I should have been sent my totally free mobile handset. There was no asterix next to 'free', and it was deliberatly prefixed with 'totally'. They didn't even stay on the line long enough for me to get their company details, name, or address in order to send them complaints.
---
Our HQ used to be near a large telemarketing company. Felt sorry for the kids who applied for jobs there. Most were too innocent to know what they were getting into. Had one young girl stop by our place, sobbing about what she did all day.
New employees sold magazine subscriptions and did fairly honest stuff for very low pay. After a time, the most effective telemarketers were invited to advance into MUCH higher paying work. I took that to mean high pressure scams.
The employees included a lot of freaks.... wicked body piercings, green hair and even mohawks. Fights would break out among them. In time, the landlord booted them out even though the company was probably paying the highest rent in the building.
The guy who ran the place drove a $70,000 Mercedes.
===
I never hang up on them. Putting them on hold works well.
Loved that "totally free handset" story.... Good Work!
How is that working out for you?
I'll have to try Jeff's line.
I found it incredible that people went for the offers, amazing number of mugs still around.
Mr. Newberry: Design Division wants me dead over a leaky sunroof and you want to kill me because of *that*?
Martin Q. Blank: It's *not* me! Why does everyone always think it's personal?
