Cold calling ideas needed

ValHaller

cazziebo wrote: »

And I'd say if someone sits around on their backside claiming benefits rather than take a job that's available doesn't deserve respect.

There is a special respect I reserve for someone who takes benefits rather than a cold-calling 'job'. And a contempt I reserve for cold callers which puts them below anyone claiming benefits when there are jobs open to them.

sassyblue

MrsAtobe wrote: »

No, I really do have a problem with cold callers, hence the TruCall unit. When you work from home, you really get to know the full extent of the problem. When I am in the office, it is a large open plan office which also has a call centre in it for a telecoms provider, and there have been a few conversations that I haven't been able to help overhearing that have horrified me by the response of the call handlers. It cuts both ways, I'm afraid. Oh, and BTW, I've worked on 2nd line IT help desks, so I do know what I'm talking about, and I never had an abusive call.

What happens when you 'zap' a cold caller? I've read the reviews and am sorely tempted to get this piece of kit.

PrincessPlaty

Clearly I am the only person that can deal with the concept of 'No thanks' and being able to end the call without resorting to having to 'deal' with them by abuse of any means.

lostinrates

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

Clearly I am the only person that can deal with the concept of 'No thanks' and being able to end the call without resorting to having to 'deal' with them by abuse of any means.

Wouldn't that post just have been a failure of that constant politeness?

We ask to be taken of the list each time we are cold called, but the same companies call back...I ask the names each time. Plus we are TPS. When the same companies call back it IS frustrating. I am NEVER abusive, but I am firm.

With fraudulent callers, like the windows women, I was not rude or abusive either, she was ruder to me than I was to her, but I think it is wrong to leave fraud unchallenged. In the same way I wouldn't be a vigilante, but I wouldn't politely ignore a mugger or someone committing an other sort of crime.

building_with_lego

sassyblue wrote: »

What happens when you 'zap' a cold caller? I've read the reviews and am sorely tempted to get this piece of kit.

My parents have one of these and the first time I rang I was asked to press 5, or another number, if I was an expected call. Then they were able to verify me and my number so that I can ring straight through next time. Obviously an automated call wouldn't be able to press the additional number so there's a recorded message about unwanted sales calls before the unit disconnects.

They love it.

MrsAtobe

sassyblue wrote: »

What happens when you 'zap' a cold caller? I've read the reviews and am sorely tempted to get this piece of kit.

There's a polite prerecorded message that is played to the caller, telling them that you won't accept the call, and I think asking them not to call again. I can't remember the exact wording now though. It does give you the option to record your own message if you want to.

It's a brilliant piece of kit, it takes a little while to put all your star numbers in, but I wouldn't be without it now.

sassyblue

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

Clearly I am the only person that can deal with the concept of 'No thanks' and being able to end the call without resorting to having to 'deal' with them by abuse of any means.

What abuse? The vast majority of us here are always polite even though we are thoroughly annoyed by these callers.

Thanks for the trucall advice, i'm off to place an order.

Craftyscholar

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

I work in a call centre albeit not a cold caller. I am a customer care advisor for a very large retailer.

I think it is the whole talking to someone on the other end of the phone thing that the general public have issues with, rather than just the fact that they are being interrupted by a cold caller.

No, it is the fact that I am being interrupted by a cold caller.

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

I am registered with TPS and the calls i have had since being registered which have been very few and far between. I have always asked where they are calling from, how they got my number and advise that i am registered with TPS and would appreciate it if they removed my number from the system. This has always been done.

But that still entails stopping what you are doing to deal with them - doesn't matter how short a time it takes, it is still an intrusion.

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

The ones that wind me up are the witheld numbers that ring up and they are automated PPI numbers wish there was a way to block them :mad:

I am also registered with TPS.
TPS does not stop overseas calls or recorded messages, which is probably why both are becoming more popular.

PrincessPlaty

I'm not defending cold callers in the slightest don't get that confused.

I just let more important things frustrate me I guess.... honestly if you get that annoyed over cold callers I hate to think how annoyed you would get over something serious...

lostinrates

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

I'm not defending cold callers in the slightest don't get that confused.

I just let more important things frustrate me I guess.... honestly if you get that annoyed over cold callers I hate to think how annoyed you would get over something serious...

Things are differently antagonising to different people.

I sufferer from trigeminal neuralgia as a secondary symptom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_neuralgia


It's not 'serious' but it is painful. The kind of pain that gets it the nickname ' the suicide disease'. The phone is a major trigger.

It's a necessary evil when talking to clients and family (though most clients email me for all but very quick and urgent things (urgent being different things to different people:D)). Not to mention the days other symptoms make walking to the phone, or picking it up painful because of other problems with my back, legs or hands.

I NEED to answer the phone for keeping things running smoothly and I do so with a 'smile' but it feels like a being stabbed through the side of the head repeatedly.

When its to talk to my husband who I don't see four nights a week I do it 'gladly'. When its to be told my non existent PC has a windows error that's going to cost me a fortune or to be sold something when I have taken reasonable steps to minimise or eradicate those calls and get them repeatedly often from the same companies over and over ....yes. I do find that aggravating. It causes me physical pain to handle them. While you never deserve abuse from the people you deal with on the end of the phone, you just do not know the situation they are in.

I still don't think it gives me the right to be 'abusive'. But i do forgive myself being somewhat annoyed by it.