How to handle a telemarketer

Date 01-18-2009 16:13 Edited 01-18-2009 16:16

That was sweet. I have heard some of his other bits. There is a radio station here in Kansas City that used to play some of his stuff. I think one dealt with a funeral home calling him as he pretended to be in the middle of commiting suicide. It was great!

Edit: I found a link of in on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9nJ0rpAcqk&feature=PlayList&p=FB6763632329F2F9&playnext=1&index=14

By PlasmaHead2 (***)

Date 01-18-2009 16:15

LMAO!!!
Thats a good one, and im sure that guy would want to quit his job after that.

I had a friend who worked as one of those poor people for a while, good money for not doing much other than going insane while you drive others crazy...
She told me the secrete was to keep the marketers on the line as long as possible without buying anything, it drives down their numbers and can get them fired. Basically, if they spent 5 minutes on the phone with a dud sale, then that's how ever many more people that they could have called if you just hung up. They LIKE it when you just hang up on them.

Another tactic I was told was that it's illegal for any telemarketer to discuss politics or religion. If you bring up either subject they have about 30 seconds to direct you back to whatever they are trying to sell or THEY have to hang up.
Again, a friend of a friend worked as a marketer and almost got fired for something ridiculous like saying "god bless you too" to a person on the phone at the end of a call. Big federal fines if the company gets busted, even for the marketer.
The trick being, you get called by Mr. So-and-so of Whoever's company and he tells you about this product or service and you ask if his company supports the current president, or if they follow this or that religion. All you have to do is keep bringing it up and the marketer will have to hang up and take you off their list. ;) :)

Anyone else know any tactics for driving telemarketers into the ground??? :)

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 01-18-2009 17:21

Oh that is FUNNY!
Next time CitiBank calls, no more hanging up on them

By 803056

Date 01-19-2009 02:44

I keep them on the line as long as possible. Usually I go along with their sales pitch as long as possible without any commitment by simply asking them more and more questions. After I run out of things to ask I simply say I don't do business over the phone and hang up.

The other tactic I use is to say that I'm the wrong person to discuss the subject with, but if they would please hold on, I'll direct their call to the correct extension. Then I gently lay the phone down and resume my work.

I had one fellow get so irritated he called back to give me a piece of his mind. I told him to hang on while I redirected his call to the complaint department. He didn't call back.

Best regards - Al

By ctacker (****)

Date 01-19-2009 03:31

I've also used the one that puts them on hold, then I lay the phone down and forget about it. have not had any calls back yet.

By raftergwelding (*****)

Date 01-19-2009 18:25

they call i answer the phone they ask for me i tell them i'm sorry but he died they give me a heart felt sorrow and hang up never hear from them again

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 01-19-2009 18:30

I have tied up a many "Your Auto Warranty is about to expire" reps. I have gotten up to 30 minutes out of one. T hen expplained that I owned a 1985,87,88, and 99 vehicle all with over 200K

By raftergwelding (*****)

Date 01-20-2009 16:50

and i bet they still tried to sell you an extended warranty lol

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 01-21-2009 11:30

No most of them have a 200k limit. Another thing to tie them up is asking for the exact details of the warranty. Which I actually did with sincere interest and they were not able to provide a written version of it in the internet.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 01-22-2009 14:27

That's funny stuff Al, never thought about that. I usually just sit there while they chat away and give a "hmm" now and again and watch tv or let my mind drift off to think about some projects and then when they get to the "how does that sound to you" part I can say no, not interested or what was that again, you know the part from the beginning? But with caller id now, just don't answer the phone.