Bloddy door salesmen!

Fundamental_2

bargepole wrote: »

My experience over many years is that any company who thinks that door-to-door selling is a viable business model in the 21st century, is completely out of touch, and their product or service is likely to be overpriced rubbish anyway.

Except Window Cleaners of course!

Hadrian

Reading these replies I am reminded once again as to how low and rude people have become in their dealings with door step callers et al. Believe me, prior to about the 70's nobody would think to be as rude as the majority of the above. What's wrong with polite, it's your door, no-one can force you to keep it open. "If you can't think of anything to say just say "I'm very sorry you have caught me at a bad time, goodbye" or "Sorry I'm very busy, goodbye".

Tina20

I don't need a sign, I have a Rottweiler

giantmutantbroccoli

When I first left home I was always polite to cold callers. I'd apologise for the inconvenience of my not wanting to buy anything from them at this time, and I'd tell them (politely) that I wasn't interested or couldn't afford whatever they were selling. I learned very quickly that, while some cold callers are perfectly reasonable and don't want to make a nuisance of themselves, there are a lot more of them who don't give a monkeys.

I had one guy stick his foot in my door after I told him "Sorry I'm not interested and I have to go". He didn't seem to be aware that he'd done anything wrong! Or there was the other guy who attempted to push past me into my home when I had given him absolutely no reason to think he was welcome. The guy who felt the need to quiz me about my personal life because I answered the door in my pyjamas (and a coat) at 11am on a Sunday. The guy who hammered on my door when I didn't answer it immediately, then made some rude and sleazy comments because I answered in my bathrobe. It's not just rude, it's downright unpleasant and comes across as an attempt to be intimidating.

Then there's the numerous harmless-but-rude ones who, if you don't want to switch to their amazing service supplier, will tell you that you're stupid to miss out on such great deals, or tell you that you just don't understand how their pricing system works and let them just explain it to you, no please, really, you'll save so much money, just listen! None of these ever responded to anything short of the door closing and me saying "Sorry, bye!", and while I personally think it is quite rude to close a door on someone, if they won't leave what other options do you have? Most of the ones who were reasonable were just local people advertising their own businesses - gardeners, window cleaners, massage therapists and the like. I don't mind those people. It's the salespeople who won't take no for an answer that I can't stand.

Hadrian - I'd be interested to know how sales pitches have changed in the last 40+ years. Is it that, back in the olden days of yore when everyone was polite and lovely to each other, it was not considered okay for a door-to-door salesman to behave like that? Or were the people who answered the doors (according to tv that would be mostly housewives ) just expected to put up with it?

vikingaero

Hadrian wrote: »

Reading these replies I am reminded once again as to how low and rude people have become in their dealings with door step callers et al. Believe me, prior to about the 70's nobody would think to be as rude as the majority of the above. What's wrong with polite, it's your door, no-one can force you to keep it open. "If you can't think of anything to say just say "I'm very sorry you have caught me at a bad time, goodbye" or "Sorry I'm very busy, goodbye".

Why should we be nice to salespeople who ignore signs? Those that ignore no calling signs are rude, arrogant and ignorant. The sooner they are put in their place the better so maybe they will heed these signs in future.

My friend works for an agency helping the long term unemployed. They hate advertising these "non-jobs" because they are often commission based, offer no real long term job prospects, are demoralising and more often than not will damage or hinder someones job prospects and benefit claims.

booter

giantmutantbroccoli wrote: »

Then there's the numerous harmless-but-rude ones who, if you don't want to switch to their amazing service supplier, will tell you that you're stupid to miss out on such great deals, or tell you that you just don't understand how their pricing system works and let them just explain it to you, no please, really, you'll save so much money, just listen!

Don't forget patronising! It reminds me of a particular utilities salesperson I had at the door a good few years ago, before the days of price comparison sites (the "good old days"?!). I'd spent a good few hours doing my own comparisons, based on a years usage. My calculator had gone into meltdown and my brain was fried - but I'd got there in the end. About an hour after finishing, this salesman knocked the door - and proceeded to explain to me how their price was the best. I knew it wasn't and told him so, but he was adamant it was. I explained that I'd just spent the last few hours making detailed calculations. He told me I must have made a mistake (because obviously it's such a complicated thing, to do some sums). So I showed him my handwritten "spreadsheet" and my 2 x A4 sheets of calculations. He glanced at them, said "Oh. Looks like you know what you're talking about - looks like you're right. But would you like to switch to us anyway?" :huh:
The door got shut in his face.

Antispam

Its equally rude to ignore home owners wishes when they put a sign up telling cold callers not to call

Whats wrong with abiding by peoples wishes?

Maybe they work nights, work at home and busy or just plain dont want to be disturbed. Many of us work long hours and have little time at home, maybe they want to have what little time they have at home without some pushy sales person

Oh and I would love to be rude back to idiots who ignore sign I put up but I usually arent that doesn't mean to say they get my attention they still get a no sale from me

Hadrian wrote: »

Reading these replies I am reminded once again as to how low and rude people have become in their dealings with door step callers et al. Believe me, prior to about the 70's nobody would think to be as rude as the majority of the above. What's wrong with polite, it's your door, no-one can force you to keep it open. "If you can't think of anything to say just say "I'm very sorry you have caught me at a bad time, goodbye" or "Sorry I'm very busy, goodbye".

bosseyed

bargepole wrote: »

The reason "No cold callers" signs are ignored, is that in these selling organisations, there is always some Sales Director/Trainer who will tell new recruits that people put these signs up because they know they are susceptible to sales techniques, so if you can engage them in conversation, you are more likely to sign them up.

:rotfl: Thats hilarious! I'm about as unsusceptible to sales techniques as its possible to be, they'd have to be some manner of miracle worker to get me or the wife to buy anything/sign up just by knocking on my door and hitting me with the spiel (as oppose to a brick and using my unconscious hand to sign something).

No, the reason I have a 'no cold callers' sign is because I will not buy from cold callers hence I do not want them banging on my door.

And to be fair, since I put the sign up we haven't had any cold calling so at least round my way they seem to be taking notice. Mind you, even when they did call, I was never rude to them - why be rude, they're just doing a job. It surprises me how many people think it acceptable to be horrible to these people, same with charity muggers.

oliveoil99

My mother-in-law used to say it takes me that long to get to the door whoever was there has given up the will to live and gone home. Arrr bless her. lol

timbstoke

Bodymass wrote: »

No it's not a weird logic. I don't claim to know anything about psychology, but from my own personal experience I find that those who have signs on their doors are basically opening themselves up to surprises.

If during the course of a pitch there is the slightest bit of interest from the customer (which by the way does not necessarily have to come from the product - it can be from merely observing the salesman) then they have already been taken out of their comfort zone. Basically because they have already entered the situation with the notion that nothing is going to convince them, if something does take their interest then they are automatically taken out of that comfort zone - something they were not expecting.

Anyway this was in retaliation to the poster (Dave) who was obviously foolish enough to believe some sort of stereotype that salesmen and women are not in the least bit educated.

In my original response I offered a rational explanation as to how to deal with some of them respectfully, but this fool decided to talk to me in such a rude manner. If this' Dave' hasn't the foresight to learn from those who have actually "been there and done that" then I've got no time for such people.

I would love for you to turn up at my door and try to 'take me out of my comfort zone' in my own home.

The last person who tried it claimed that they "weren't selling anything, simply offering a free service to ensure that I'm on the lowest price utility service" so the sign didn't apply. I invited him in, let him do his pitch. I asked lots of questions, went through all kinds of calculations into how much money he could save me.

He'd probably been there for about 2 hours when he decided to try and close the deal. He took some paperwork out of his bag and began asking for details.

It was at that point that I reminded him that I had pointed out the sign on the door before I invited him in, and that I had made it very clear that I don't buy at the door.

He was not a happy bunny.