Market research telephone calls

thriftymanc

Can anyone explain to me why we're allowed to block unwanted marketing calls but not unwanted survey/market research calls? I've had calls every single day from the same company for the past two weeks, despite telling them in no uncertain terms to remove my number from their list and stop calling me they carry on. My number is unlisted, I don't want them calling, why does the Telephone Preference Service not cover these calls? Can I do anything else to stop them?

gordikin

I can explain...unfortunately I'd have to...sorry soon you'll realise it's not important!

Outpost

thriftymanc wrote: »

Can I do anything else to stop them?

Stop answering your phone to them?

visidigi

thriftymanc wrote: »

Can anyone explain to me why we're allowed to block unwanted marketing calls but not unwanted survey/market research calls? I've had calls every single day from the same company for the past two weeks, despite telling them in no uncertain terms to remove my number from their list and stop calling me they carry on. My number is unlisted, I don't want them calling, why does the Telephone Preference Service not cover these calls? Can I do anything else to stop them?

Nope, but you can advise them next time they call that it is harrasment and you will escalate this with Ofcom and the appropriate bodies - if you advise them not to call you shouldn't need to do this more than twice before it becomes unreasonable.

They are allowed, apparently, due to this like electoral polls and because the gathering of market/personal statistics is a requirement for the country.

The cleverest attempt I've had on this was someone who first opened the call to say it was a survey, then said we would need to visit to assess - I asked what they were assessing and they said the thickness of the roof insulation...I said thats a pretty boring thing to do market reasearch on, they said oh if its not enough or too low we could offer you a top up at a government subsidised rate...my reply....'click'.

Outpost wrote: »

Stop answering your phone to them?

What a stupid post. How is that helpful? I mean its not even funny, even if you did smiley it up...

Mark7799

I have caller ID on my phone - if it's number witheld and I don't want to answer it I don't, I leave it go to answerphone. 'Market researchers' etc never leave messages. If the caller leaves a message and it's someone I want to speak to I can either call them back or I can interrupt the answerphone.

I believe the telephone is there for my convenience to use when I want to - I don't put myself at it's beck and call.

Outpost

visidigi wrote: »

What a stupid post. How is that helpful? I mean its not even funny, even if you did smiley it up...

Excuse me? Not answering your phone to the unknown or withheld number that is calling once a day? Not exactly rocket science is it?

What a stupid post you made. Hang on let me 'smiley this up'.

DVardysShadow

Outpost wrote: »

Excuse me? Not answering your phone to the unknown or withheld number that is calling once a day? Not exactly rocket science is it?

What a stupid post you made. Hang on let me 'smiley this up'.

The problem is that you have to ignore all calls from unknown or withheld numbers. You can't tell them apart.

fluffnutter

If you know the company name and number and they continue to call, ask your service provider to block calls from that number. I hate being cold-called whether you're a charity, doing market research or my own mother. Thankfully it happens rarely, but when it does, it incenses me.

deanos

I keep getting the calls as well, asked them not to call me and they still do

WhiteHorse

My landline is a reallocated number, and as the previous subscriber got onto a scammer list, I'm currently receiving calls. Unfortunately, because the calls originate from overseas, BT is unable to block these calls or to identify their origin. The problem is so bad that I'm thinking of changing the number.

Some of them are so nasty, that if you won't listen to their spiel, they put your number on autodial to make it ring and ring. It's time for BT to invest in a little more technology and deal with this problem.