Spill the beans... on Jedi mind tricks salesmen have played on you

Purse_String

For door salespeople selling household stuff I usually say 'Sorry, its not really worth it as we're thinking of selling the house ' All other sales people get the 'Sorry I'm not working at the momment' and for the religous people they get ' Sorry, You've called at a bad time, can we leave it for another day? and wave them off. Another time, I managed to reach for my coat in hall and pretended a fake appointment I had to dash to! These usually work for me but my alter ego would love to be wittier or give them a shock ( e.g. have a pet snake around your neck or be dressed like Lily Savage!)

Peartree

I'm desperate for a religious sales person to come to the door, which they never do, as I want to say to them 'No thank you, I'm happy with my current Deity'.

Seriously though, I've had some experience in telephone research. I've also worked with a lot of students who have to do any job they can get to make ends meet. I've seen people in tears because someone has been incredibly and unnecessarily rude to them. It is very annoying to get interrupted by someone at the door or on the phone but they are not doing this because it is their life's ambition. They are probably doing it because there are no other options open to them at the time. By all means be firm but try not to be rude or unpleasant. Whatever their job everyone deserves a bit of respect and dignity. There but for the grace of (insert your chosen deity) go all of us.

I actually think the title of this thread is wrong. It is not the 'salesman' (or indeed woman) who has 'tricks'. It is the company that is paying them (I'd say salary but it is more likely to be commission only) and giving them a very, very hard time about achieving sales.

Patti27

I had a 'salesman' at my door yesterday. The first thing he said when I opened the door was "I'm not trying to sell you anything"! He then went on to ask if I would be interested in a quote for new doors & windows. I politely told him that I couldn't afford it and luckily he left it at that & went on his way.

About 8ish years ago a mate had just come round & as we was getting ready to leave, mormons rang the doorbell. They didn't get very far with their speech when I told them that we were on our way out so they left. When we were leaving about 10 mins later, I noticed them sitting on the garden wall of the house opposite me. Probably thinking that I was lying & checking to see if we did actually leave! Luckily by the time my mum left 30mins later, they had gone.

lilsparrow

Nile wrote: »

I had a persistent salesman at my front door, trying to get me to switch energy supplier. After I'd politely said "No, thank you" a couple of times...........he told me that if I switched supplier I would save lots of money.

An energy salesman once came to our house and tried that trick. My father invited him in, sat him down, and spent 20 minutes showing him exactly why this was not true. They tend not to visit our house anymore...:rotfl:

juliamarsh

Peartree wrote: »

It is very annoying to get interrupted by someone at the door or on the phone but they are not doing this because it is their life's ambition. They are probably doing it because there are no other options open to them at the time. By all means be firm but try not to be rude or unpleasant. Whatever their job everyone deserves a bit of respect and dignity.

I do try to be firm but polite unless they are unusually persistent and refuse to take no for an answer, like one who just kept on phoning me back whenever I put the phone down! However I do find that some of them can be quite rude and disrespectful towards me, cutting me dead mid sentence once they realise that they are not going to get anywhere. Since it is they who have phoned me and not the other way around, and I have answered them politely they could at least be courteous enough to say goodbye before cutting me off!

Uplink

I enjoy talking to salespeople and charity muggers. I even put off a Mormon "recruiter" once.

* Story 1:

I was in Milton Keynes, in their huge shopping centre, and was approached by a paint ball sales woman. Never played paint ball, so I walked over to their counter and had a little chat. The idea was that a single ticket costed 19.99, but they had a deal for something stupid, like 100 tickets for 60 pounds. I don't remember exact figures. I was like... OK... but not saying much. I let her talk herself into a hole. While she was talking, I took note of the company's website, and because I have mobile Internet, I went straight there on my phone, while she was talking, without letting her know what I was doing. For starters, the tickets on their website were 9.99, so the base of their sale was inflated to appear like better value. I was there with a friend who falls over very easily when she hears the words "sale" or "<two digit> percent off", so she was a target when I wouldn't budge, but since I was the VISA bearer, she couldn't make any decision. Back to the sales pitch: as I said, I was mostly listening, nodding, not saying very much, while the sales person was blabbing at me, trying to set me against my friend, whatever. I never imagined that would happen if I just sat and listened and hinted indecision. Before the end, I even got thrown an EXTRA 100 tickets for free if I took the deal there and then. Then I just said "Oh, wow, that's a lot to take in. I'll text my friend Ian and ask if he'd like some tickets too, and I'll get back to you". I didn't go back.

* Story 2:

This one isn't as impressive. I was in London somewhere (South Kensington or something) and I was approached by a charity person. True to myself, I stopped to listen. She told me all about her charity, she had a happy attitude, but again, I mostly kept quiet and listened. She talked, and talked, and talked... I nodded, said the occasional "oh", "aha", and "interesting...". When she got to the part of "can you fill this form if your credit or debit card details", I just asked for their website, so I can learn more about them, and if I can make a donation online. A reluctant "yes" came out of her mouth for the second question, and insisted that I fill in the form she had - which gave me an idea for if I ever turn to a life of crime and I want to steal people's credit card numbers and security codes (jump a charity worker and steal their forms - much easier than pretending to be one).

* Story 3

I was called by my car insurer to sell me some breakdown cover. They wanted to sell me the cheapest they had (probably because I said in my feedback form that I saved 500 pounds by switching to them). He tried and tried to sell me that product. I was thinking about getting breakdown cover, but wasn't convinced I needed one. I spent like 20 minutes with him on the phone (he called my mobile, it cost me nothing, so whatever). My policy renews in at the end of November, so when he called in December it was all snowy, icy and cold, so he tried to convince me that I need cover because of the specifics of the season. I lost this round because he threw at me a 25% discount. I didn't want the cover he was flogging, so, sensing he was ready to cut prices, I said "well, since you put it that way, instead of giving me this 25% discount for this product I don't want, can you give it to me for this more expensive product that I actually was thinking of getting?". I even said that if he gave me the 25% on the more expensive product, I'd take it there and then. But he managed to swindle me into taking both, with 25% discount on the original one, and 15% one the one I wanted. Looking at what I paid, that's the equivalent of getting my wanted product full price, but my unwanted product free. Silly me not realizing my bank account was providing my desired product anyway.

* Story 4

Upgraded my bank account (to the one mentioned in story 3), and got offered a meeting to discuss life insurance and pension plans. I took it out of curiosity. Went to see the guy, he described me what it's all about, did some calculations, told me that the more I wait the more I'd have to pay in to get the same income when I retire. This guy was in an office upstairs, so he asked if I wanted anything to drink... tea... coffee... so I made him get me a glass of water - which turned out to be a good thing, because I was starting to get a dry mouth later on. Because I kept to my broken record of "I'll think about it, read the Ts&Cs and call you back with an answer", he even tried to pull the "I'm your friend" scheme, showing interest in my heritage and whatnot. It didn't look like I was keeping him from anything important - unless Solitaire is important of course. I didn't budge even when he threw at me a line about the government going to change retirement law or something really soon now.

* Story 5

This one is really short. I was going to the Science Museum and was approached by a Mormon (there's a church of theirs right across the street). I got rid of him quickly because I really wanted to go to the Science Museum and didn't feel like doing my usual routine. I got lucky, because he asked me a stupid question: "Have you ever been in a church?", to which I answered "yes", and this confused him for some reason - clearly visible on his face, and his follow up was just "This church?" pointing at his church, to which I responded "No, other ones". Gave me a business card and I was on my way.

* Story 6

This one isn't mine. A friend got some Jehova's Salesmen - I mean Witnesses, at his door at some point in the past, and "no" didn't suit them as an answer. Luckily, he had a joker kind of a friend over, and he pretended to be the gay lover, and got my friend by the waist. Story goes that you've never seen anybody turn around and leave so fast.

* Epilogue

It's worth to note that I've always been polite to salespeople when I was wasting their time - more time with me means time not spent with the gullible. Some people might find this rude in itself, but hey... I did say "no" twenty times (and got translated to "maybe"), so who is rude at that point? 'No' means 'no' - it's not just for sex.

But I wouldn't learn anything if I just sent salespeople away. This is a very educational experience for me :beer:

mr_mince

We went to visit the inlaws not that long ago where he proudly told us how he'd saved a fortune on his energy bill. The salesman had told him
Scottish Power were the only ones still allowed to do door to door sales because.........they fitted all meters which were fitted pre-privatization.
The deal that he was on was more expensive than the Scottish Power deal.
His new direct debit should be set approx £30 higher than he needed and that it would settle down after 18 months.

florere

For anybody who requires you to sign a contract for a period of time you can get rid of them quickly by telling them that you are moving abroad.

nonnatus

I tell the Jehovahs people (with a sad face) that I was a fellow witness from birth but that a life saving blood transfusion got me kicked out in 2003.

It flusters every single one of them for long enough to be able to shut the door.

Cabbagewhite

We don't suffer too badly from any cold callers because we have a few things which thin them out. First we are ex-directory and registered with TPS. I never give my phone number out, I have a made up phone number with the local code (checked that it doesn't exist - don't want someone else to be on the receiving end) to use when you have to give a number online. The phone shows the number calling - any withheld, start 08**, or not local/known are not answered. If it is important they will leave a message, funny how they very rarely do! I bought a cheap doorbell with an intercom from ebay deal of the day about 6 months ago - £20 well spent. Was disappointed when it arrived as very cheap and plasticy, but has been brilliant. I buy a lot via the internet so get loads of parcels, the house we live in was a repossession so we also get debt collectors looking for the previous occupants. If they won't tell me who they are I won't answer the door. The regular parcel deliverers know the score and are brilliant. Also good as I work nights, so I know whether worth getting up for. Haven't had to use the alarm yet (only by accident!). It also makes my daughter feel safer (or me feel safer about her) when I am asleep, if she needs to answer the door. Can't recommend it enough.

Incidentally, if you tell your bank, BT, etc., that you work nights, they don't phone you - or they don't me anyway.

The only white goods I've bought in store they always pressure me for insurance/warranty, I say my sister/uncle/other relative works for a company that do that so I get it at cost - never fails.

I always stay polite, but keep it at the front of my mind that they are not that concerned about my circumstances/income/savings etc., so I'm not too worried about them.

Any religious callers get told that we are already members of the local methodist chapel - never fails. I have worked with a chap who was a Jehovah's Witness and I would have to say he was one of the nicest people I have ever known, several grades above me, always really helpful even when he did not need to be.