Sorry to say my "No Cold Callers" isn't working!

xbrenx

blabberwort wrote: »

I also have yet to hear a cold caller on the phone who isnt speaking from a script.

I recently read in a magazine - when you answer the phone to one of these callers, ask them to hang on a moment, put the phone down but don't hang up, walk away and do something else. Apparently they are not meant to hang up

Another fun game is to ask them questions, so when they ask your name, answer then ask their name. It throws them because they have to move away from their script and they get flustered hehe

Geoffo_M

jamespir wrote: »

legally they cant do that and even if you did call the police they wouldn't do anything either as its not illegall to sell door to door

I wonder if it's legal to wire up the bell-push to the mains as one of these misfits approaches. I believe that can be very effective. In olden days, a bucket of water thrown from the upstairs window was nearly as effective

jamespir

BargainGalore wrote: »

The companies have been warned many times before about what there salesmans do, I believe that at best they turn a blind eye at worst they encourage its sales man to lie. They have a vested interest to be at your door, they dont come on and say "I can find you the best supplier for your needs in terms of price?" no they may say they can find best deal but only with that one supplier it might not even be a better deal in fact quite often they ask people how much they are paying then tell they can pay less until a huge whooping bills comes 9 months later because your direct debt doesn't match your usage

unfortunatly the utilities companies (apart from a few dont employ there own staff they look to outside agencies who employ them and they just use the name of that utilities company) and they miss-sell or are poor behaved and it not only gives the utilities company a bad name i also gives sales people a bad name

jamespir

BillTrac wrote: »

Isn't it funny(not) that the door knockers who you don't want knocking your door think they have the goddam right to interrupt your life, expect you to answer your door and listen to their BS?

If a saleperson knocks my door they gets told once politely to go away...second time it isn't polite. As a previous poster said ..if I want something I am intelligent enough to go and look on my own. I do not need some dimwit knocking MY door, telling ME what I need

And Jamespir, I assume you are one of these pain in the !!!!"sales people". (I use the term sales very loosely becuase to be honest you are all a pain in the rectum)

Maybe it is about time that no cold-calling areas became enforceable. Then we could have a bit of peace and quiet.

As far as I am concerned you have NO right to my time. So F**K OFF!!

not at all im not pain in the !!! like you im there to make money and
although i know alot of people i have worked with will pull any trick in the book just to get a sale i wont i know my limits

yes i have sold to many houses who have had a sign up not because i blatantly ignore them but purely because if there not in the house (ie in the front garden washing the car ) and i dont need to knock on the door i havent broken any rules

yes i get rude smart alecs some times as is expected but i find if your honest and dont try to worm your way in people do buy

jamespir

Geoffo_M wrote: »

I wonder if it's legal to wire up the bell-push to the mains as one of these misfits approaches. I believe that can be very effective. In olden days, a bucket of water thrown from the upstairs window was nearly as effective

no of course it isnt

jamespir

xbrenx wrote: »

I recently read in a magazine - when you answer the phone to one of these callers, ask them to hang on a moment, put the phone down but don't hang up, walk away and do something else. Apparently they are not meant to hang up

Another fun game is to ask them questions, so when they ask your name, answer then ask their name. It throws them because they have to move away from their script and they get flustered hehe

yes funny i had that too when i worked for a mobile phone company waht the clowns on the other end didnt realise is they had made the call (customer service)
:rotfl:

but i have the gift of the gab so i dont get easy flustered and i didnt need to use the script

Premier_2

Zobo wrote: »

Can I ask, were Southern Electric part of the few 'major' utility firms who signed up to take heed of Martin's new sign!? ...

Hi Zobo,

I can confirm that Southern Electric being one of the 'big 6' providers have agreed to abide by the code of practice.

Here's the MSE article relevent to the issue.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/utilities/2010/05/crackdown-on-doorstep-energy-salesmen

Within it it also says:

If consumers still receive cold calls at their door from energy suppliers despite clearly displaying a sign requesting not to do so, they should complain directly to the energy firm in question and contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506

Good luck! Let us know how you get on please

Apologies to other posters within this thread; I only quicky scanned the 3 pages of posts and couldn't see where anyone had actually adressed this question posed by the OP ... but if anyone had and I missed it, sorry!

Zobo

:money:
Thanks for that, I will be telephoning the afore mentioned utility supplier tomorrow and see what they have to say about their 'salesman' ignoring my sign - when he wasn't supposed to!
I'll also anticipate their answer when I tell them his excuses when I asked him directly why he had ignored my sign!!!
It is much appreciated, as I can see from the views and replies, I'm not the only one 'narked' by cold callers and their inability to heed simple polite instructions!
Regards to all!

:j

collingbone614

LilacPixie wrote: »

I hate cold callers. We have the sign up but on from god knows where, i think scottish power judging by the fleeces they had on came around toniht and when my OH opened the door he asked if his mum or dad was home!!

Haha, I get that. I am a 24 year old guy living in my own house. I'm a bit short but I have a full beard and look somewhat younger, but you would have thought they'd just say - 'are you the homeowner?' when they come round - much more tactful. But instead they go 'is your dad in?' Once I cartoonishly lowered my voice and looked at the fella and said 'this is my residence, young man.' (He was about forty.) He looked well embarassed. Hasn't returned since.

I have a sticker now and actually mine seems to work.

Other times, when people phone, or other occassions when they used to knock, I go for the 'waste the minimum of my time option' - just close the door or put the phone down as soon as you know they're selling.

gropinginthedark

but, jamespir please feel free to ignore my "no cold callers" notice and try your luck. (James as you're clearly not very bright "ignore" means "take no notice of, pay no attention to, fail to notice, disregard").

The MME "no cold callers" notice is a bit of a fail. Just how many of them (james) will understand words like "incur" and "wrath"? If they were that literate they might stand a chance of getting a proper job.

How about a different version. Headline: "No cold callers £10 fee"
Body text: "We won't buy from you. We charge £10 for answering the door to doorstop sellers, advisors, surveyors etc".
Also I've added to mine: "No free newspapers, magazines, leaflets: A dustbin is provided at the side of the house for your convenience"

Untested! intention: write down the details off their ID card and raise a small claims court claim against their employer (it's cheaper for them to pay up than to respond to the court or in any other way).

My son was impressed with what I said when we got our monthly visit from npower. I adopted a "kindly uncle" tone and attitude and said: "Do you know that I get a different npower salesperson every month? So they're wasting your time sending you round. Especially as the last one lied to me, said she KNEW I was paying more than npower would charge. And TV and press coverage of npower doorstep sales has basically warned us not to sign anything. You look a smart young lad, my advice to you is to find a job with a respectable organisation."

By the way if npower DO know what I'm paying for power someone must have provided personal data to a third party without my authority which is illegal.