Great 'Best Cold Caller Rebukes' Hunt

orange_plastic

Say "Please hold" and put the phone down

Sowilo_2

Put them on hold and forget them or ask them if they have found God. Thank you to the Mormons for tthat one.

agfarmer

I had a call the other day from a salesman who asked said "this call is being monitored for training and quality purposes, is this ok?" at the start.

I duly said "No". Pause. He said oh.... and carried on his script. So, I said, you're not recording this call are you? I dont know, was the reply. Oh, so if I swear, you can't play it back to your boss can you...

He continued again with his script! Every question I answered No, followed by me saying "this is not on record is it?! Eventually after minutes of not getting one scripted answer, he just hung up!

Maybe I should ring back and ask for the recording!

Old_Git

when I bought my house I got the same number the previous owner had .So for a year I was offered new kitchens ,bathrooms ,double glazing ect .After a year the new phone book arrived and yea I was ex directory .Since then the only cold calls have been from BT . I never give out my number and if I have to give a number I swap 2 digits . I treat my number like my bank details and no one is getting it unless they have to .This has worked well for 12 years now .

one guy did call at the door trying to sell me double glazing ,I said sorry mate I only rent this place , that got rid off him

The_MoneySavingKid

I remember reading about how some people would put their phones next to television when marketers called. At that point I was just wanting someon to phone.

Anyway, after a while I got my chance. Me and my brother just so happened to be watching The Apprentice on BBC iPlayer on the TV.

"Hi"
"Hello, .... have you got any loans?"
"Just one moment" * as I quickly react by pausing it while Alan Sugar happens to be having an arguement with someone who is talking back. Meanwhile the guy on the phone starts asking questions, so I turn the TV volume up, place the phone next to it and play..Alan Sugar and the arguement continues, and he happens to say Yes after a while when the marketer asks some questions. THEN!
Alan:"NO YOU LISTEN TO ME" (something along those lines)
...erm....ok.

And for a full on two minutes this guy is quiet listening to Sir Alan having a go at someone.

Never got another chance.

dazzc

I have tried a few different approaches.
1. Indian gentleman phones me a teatime. I ansered the phone and get the "we have the best mobile deal" for you. I asked him his name and then asked him if he had a phone in his house. "yes" he replied. I asked him for his home phone number. "Why?" he asked. So I can annoy you at home and see if you like it.

2. Answered the phone, salesman starts his pitch I told him I needed to turn the TV down so I could hear him. Told him I wouldn't be a sec and left him on the phone until he hung up

Scruffstone

When they say "Can I speak to Mrs xxxx?" I find out who they are incase I do need/want to speak to them and if I don't I say "I'm afraid she's not available" - end of conversation

dollydaydream07

our 4 yr old DD often answers the phone and if it's a cold caller they usually hang up straight away, but sometimes she does get 'is mummy or daddy there?' 'who is it?' 'is mummy or daddy there?' 'who is it?' ....... mummy i don't know who it is and they keep asking for you... so i tell her to just put the phone down!

if it is a friend or some genuine person then she is very good
is mummy in?
i'll just get her for you.... who is it?
mummy it's xxx. ok, tell them i'll just be a sec (say i'm just on the loo)
she'll just be a minute, she's having a wee:rotfl: (thanks darling!!)

mikki-b

After 8 years of cold calling by zenith, ifany one knows how to stop them ringing I'd like to know. I have repeatedly told them not to phone again (politely) and hung up. That does work. I've even had the same guy ring twice in one day.
With any cold caller I say im with tps and they apologise and that's the end of it. If some like zenith ring I poliely ask them not to ring again. If they do I ask to speak to their manager (so avoiding being rude to the cold caller themselves) and rant at them instead, getting their name and asking them if they can guarantee me I won't be called again. If they try to say anything other than yes , I just repeat the question. On the few times I've used this they cave in and none of them have called back, with the exception of zenith. I'm actually considering if legal action of some form is worth trying. If any one has similar problems with them let me know.

madam_h

I have the problem from the other end of things. I work for a university and make a lot of calls in response to people's queries. These people have asked for me to call them but, because I have an excellent phone manner and a very clear voice, they hang up on me because they think I'm cold calling!

I've been registered with the TPS for years but sometimes calls come through. When they involve selling mobile phones I respond (truthfully) that I haven't got one and don't want one - quite often they go silent with shock.

Sometimes the caller asks, "How do you live without one?"

I reply, "Quietly."