cracked it, how to get won a holiday !!!!!! off the phone

baldelectrician

I just keep saying 'hello?' in varoius accents, starting with Scottish, then jump about the UK

I also raise my tone and lower it (aka monty python)

It is good laugh and I have had them going for nearly 2 minutes like this

Then they get added to the call blocking list which sends future calls to voicemail

I don't shout or swear as they are only doing their job

ps
if it is a gas / electric company ask them if you can transfer the £700 you owe to your current provider to them. This stops the call

vish16

sales calls for BT Broadband:
"My broadband is paid for by my company at no cost to me. Can you offer BT Broadband for free?"
then follows a quick hasty retreat by the sales person.

sales calls for kitchen/double glazing etc etc:
"My dad does this for a living and he will do this for me for free - can you do this for free"

sales calls at the door for electric/gas:
"Before going any further and wasting both our times, I work for EDF Energy which gets me substantial staff discounts at 30% off my bills, can you beat that?"
They are usually taken aback that they are talking to a person who works in the same industry and will always make a hasty retreat.

No need to be rude as at the end of the day, they are trying to make a living annoying people. just requires tact/diplomacy in dealing with these kind of people with the minimal disruption to your time.

completelybroke

fluffnutter wrote: »

Why bother getting into a conversation at all? If you don't feel able to say 'no thanks' and then hang up just put the handset down - don't hang up, but certainly don't listen. They won't hang on if no-one's responding. It's in their interest to make as many calls as possible so they'll soon hang up and you don't have to listen to their spiel or feel like you have to be rude.

I don't know why people don't just join the TPS. I don't get cold calls at all. Imagine if everyone was signed up to the TPS! A whole industry gone, just like that. Still, I guess it keeps people in employment....

Signing up to TPS doesn't stop all calls, only those where they try and sell you something

So those calls where you have 'won' a holiday etc don't apply to TPS :mad:

fluffnutter

I guess I must be lucky. Quite a few posters have said that they still get calls despite being with TPS. I genuinely get none at all apart from one automated one in maybe 3 or 4 years. I'm ex-directory and I don't give my landline number out when I order stuff; perhaps I'm on very few (if any) mailing lists.

I still think TPS is worth it. Even if it doesn't stop all calls, it will certainly help. It's free, easy to arrange and the more people who are registered the less point there will be to the cold-call industry.

I know it keeps people employed and I know they're just trying to earn an honest wage. But, to my mind, unsolicited calls are just the tip of a much more unpleasant iceberg. If this kind of selling has credence generally then it's only a short hop from 'Do you want a new kitchen?' from a reputable company to 'Give us all your life savings, old vulnerable person for absolutely nothing in return' from a scamming criminal.

If companies are that good, they shouldn't need to solicit business in this way.

Jacey53

My father always used to tell people he was an undischarged bankrupt too.

Some years ago my sister was repeatedly bothered by a salesman from a conservatory company. In the end she agreed to an appointment for a quote. The calls stopped shortly after the appointment (he did not turn up at her door) - perhaps he got to the address and finally realised that she was telling the truth when she said she leaved in a third floor flat.
When i get any calls I tell them that as I have registered with the telephone preference service and that they are breaking the law. I ask for their full name for the court summons

taxi97w

Ivory_Tinkler wrote: »

We signed up for the TPS service too but we still get calls. I take great pleasure in telling any cold caller that we are on this service and I am going to report them. Next time, I'm going to ask where they got our number and tell them they have got through to MI5/MI6 and to get off the line quickly as GCHQ are monitoring the call

Cowardly and childish. Someone tried this on me once- I was sooo scared- not! :rotfl:

Get some gorm and speak the truth and stop making up childish stories !!!!!!, unless you're a child of course.!

taxi97w

hollydays wrote: »

I do this too now,I say I will go and fetch the houseowner,the last time they stayed hanging on for 10 minutes..pmsl..

Bonus. Callagent gets paid for doing nothing for 10minutes, usually over voip, so costing nothing but disabling your phone line for 10mins. Hope you don't get an emergency call within that time- not so funny.

jdturk

Stephb1986 wrote: »

Well I'm back with my report on fobbing off these sales people.

We have tried all the above methods of getting rid of them

talking to god didn't work he just laughed and told the person sat next to him!!

asking a favourite sexual position didn't work he actually told me! :shock:

Any other suggestions?

Steph xx

I kinda am thinking fair play to the people on the other end of the phone!

brightonman123

how about asking what colour underwear etc they have on? it is nearly valentines, innit?? lol

brightonman123

here's an actual firm's answerphone message (recording notice, closed, opening hours etc - no names given)..

just need to work out how to set this on my mobile..

http://rapidshare.com/files/350235169/ansafone_closed.amr.html

(amr format- audio)