Top Tips for Handling Telemarketers

Skiduck

liz545 wrote:

There's no need to stoop to their level, though. Register with the mail & telephone preference service, call-screen, and throw away unsolicited mail unopened - it's easily identified by the gaudy envelopes.
My top tip is just to say "No, thank you" and hang up. Don't get drawn into debate, just be polite and move on. Works on chuggers and free newspaper people as well. It's good for your blood pressure too!

I'm registered with TPS but still get at least 2 phone calls per night - god knows how many during the day

stuzhunter

liz545 wrote:

Don't get drawn into debate, just be polite and move on.

I do appreciate your points Liz545 but it seems that you are a bit fortunate that you have not dealt with many agressive telesalespersons before..I used to get calls from 'Kitchen Directs' most days everyweek ..sometime the phone will ring when I've having my dinner or when I'm sleeping..and here it goes' hello, we would like to offer you a brand new kitchen for half price'..my reply would normally be ' no thank you I am not interested'..however sometime the saleperson would start argueing with me & said 'why do you not want a new kitchen at half price'..and it goes on & on ..I normally lose my patience & just hang up.

liz545

stuzhunter wrote:

I do appreciate your points Liz545 but it seems that you are a bit fortunate that you have not dealt with many agressive telesalespersons before..I used to get calls from 'Kitchen Directs' most days everyweek ..sometime the phone will ring when I've having my dinner or when I'm sleeping..and here it goes' hello, we would like to offer you a brand new kitchen for half price'..my reply would normally be ' no thank you I am not interested'..however sometime the saleperson would start argueing with me & said 'why do you not want a new kitchen at half price'..and it goes on & on ..I normally lose my patience & just hang up.

I am fortunate, but I also find that as soon as I tell the kitchen/glazing people that I rent my home, they can't get off the line quickly enough. And to be honest, I call screen a lot. I let the machine get it if I'm having dinner, and I turn the ringer down at night, so it won't wake me. It's unlikely that I'm going to get a true emergency call (I don't have kids, and I keep my mobile on through the night).
Ultimately, if you get up in the middle of your dinner, or out of your bath to answer the phone, you've allowed them to disturb you - a ringing phone doesn't have to be answered...

headintheclouds

Skiduck wrote:

I'm registered with TPS but still get at least 2 phone calls per night - god knows how many during the day

I'm registered with TPS and hardly get any calls. However, the odd one does sneak through. If you tell them you're registered, they get off the line pretty quickly, usually with an apology, and they are supposed to record that your number is registered. It might be that they are working with old lists.

However, if you have given your number to a company with which you have had previous dealings, I think they are still entitled to use it. In this case, I just tell them that I would like them to record that I don't want 'phone calls, and they should comply.

flashman_62

I too am registered with TPS and have had no problems over the last 5 years. I did get a letter from them that I planned to keep next to the phone which quoted some telecomms act but i could never remember to use it when the time came

Recently, took a call from a mobile phone company but when I asked how they got hold of my no when it was registered with TPS they made their apologies and hung-up. So it does work