posted on June 21, 2002 04:15:50 PM
The other day, while I was busy in my home office, I received what amounted to a telemarketing call from eBay. As a "valued Powerseller" I was being offered the option to have my eBay fees withdrawn directly from my bank account. Of course, I told her thanks but only my wife and myself will ever have access to our account! (Gee, what a deal. Give eBay direct access to my private funds for what? So they can save 3% on credit card fees!)
Then she asked if I would be attending the convention in Aneheim. I asked if they would offer to pay my expenses. She chuckled and said no.
Anybody else being bothered at home by Big Sister Meg?
posted on June 21, 2002 04:22:39 PM
They called me too. Isn't that great? Bad enough every long distance phone company and credit card company in the USA call me now eBay is doing it too.
posted on June 21, 2002 05:00:49 PM
I let telemarketers talk for 15 minutes (lead them on so they can't bother others) then ask if they take food stamps. The conversation usually ends at that point.
posted on June 21, 2002 05:52:55 PM
THREE LITTLE WORDS..
I suppose some degree of commerce would grind to a haltif telephone solicitors weren't able to call people at home during the dinner hour. But that doesn't make it any more pleasant.
Now Steve Rubenstein, a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has proposed "Three Little Words" based on his brief experience in a telemarketing operation -- that would stop the nuisance for all time.
The three little words are "Hold on, please."
Saying this while putting down your phone and walking off instead of hanging up immediately -- would make each telemarketing call so time-consuming that boiler rooms
would grind to a halt.
When you eventually hear the phone company's
beep-beep-beep tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task.
This might be one of those articles you'll want to e-mail to your friends. Three little words that eliminate telephone soliciting.
posted on June 21, 2002 06:58:25 PM
glassgrl- I am laughing out loud- like, "LOL" don't do it justice!
I can't wait to try it!
"And All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well, and All Manner of Things Shall be Well"
posted on June 21, 2002 07:44:49 PM
Has anyone ever heard of Tom Mabe's tape "Revenge of the Telemarketers"? It's hilarious. I wish I could think fast enough to do some of the things that he does. I think you can go to his website and listen to some clips. Try it, you might like it.
posted on June 21, 2002 09:14:04 PM
Re: Telemarketers.
Shame on all of you. These poor souls are working hard. You should be polite to them. I am always very courteous.
A typical conversation goes like this:
"Hello?"
"Hello?"
Finally, someone is there.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon, is this Mr. Dude?"
"Uhhh, yes."
"Mr Dude, I am calling on behalf of . . ."
"Excuse me one moment, please. You caught in the middle of masturbating. I need to switch the phone to the other hand. . . O.K. Now, what were you saying"
"Mr, Dude, I am calling on behalf . . "
"Mo-o-o-an."
"of the Acme Widget Company . . "
"Mo-o-o-oan."
"and our records indicate that . ."
"Mo-o-o-an."
"You are a prodigious user of Widgets."
"Excuse me, what color panties are you wearing? (Or, are you wearing boxers or briefs."
Then, they say something like:
"I don't have to answer that. Good-bye!"
or
"I can see you are busy. I'll call back at a better time."
Then they stop calling. I don't understand why. I am always very polite.
posted on June 22, 2002 04:46:01 AM
two thoughts here.
firstly, I got an email a few months back from ebay asking me if I wanted to participate in a FOCUS GROUP. I live in New York City and have attended many of these sessions. They always offer a cash incentive of anywhere (for me, anyway) between $75 and $200. I wrote back and asked what the cash incentive (known in the business as an "honorarium" would be. They said it there was none, that it was strictly voluntary. Needless to say, I didn't reply back.
as for telemarketers, I got tired of them too but decided to have some fun. I created a CD with funny and sometimes annoying moments from classic TV sitcoms. WHen a telemarketer calls me now, i say, "Oh yes, you're not going to believe this, but I was just about to start looking for a paint job on my brick house" or whatever they're trying to sell me. THen, I say "let me get a pencil" and i put the phone down right next to my speakers. Then, I turn on the CD:
"Hello, I"m Mr. ED!". Then we have Mae West trying to seduce Mr. Ed, Edith BUnker playing the wedding march with bum notes, Mr. Ed responding to wilbur's request to say something (he says HOW NOW BROWN COW!), Lucy Ricard selling us VITA MEATA VEGA MIN! Sooner or later I hear the fast buzzing dial tone.
posted on June 22, 2002 12:31:16 PM
When I lived in an apartment, I used to get calls all of the time from siding companies. I would tell them to come right out. I would love to have them do the siding on the place. Then they would ask for my address, and I would say you have it. You called me remember.
posted on June 22, 2002 03:33:44 PM
The "please hold on" technique is good, but they will just call you back again at a later time. If you really want to frustrate telemarketers, do this:
1. (Be polite) Tell the telemarketer that you wish to speak to the manager. (Ask for the telemarketer's company name and ask for her full name first so she doesn't hang up on you).
2. Tell the manager that you received a call from his company 2 weeks ago and that you had asked to be put on their 'Do Not Call' list. Ask why they are calling you again.
3. Ask the manager if the company has a 'Do Not Call' policy. (He'll say yes). Then insist that a copy of the 'Do Not Call' policy to be mailed to you. (The Telecomunications Act requires them to comply. If they don't, you can supposedly sue them for $500). And be sure to ask for the manager's name so he will take the request seriously.
It can be a little time consuming, but it ties up their employees and adds to their phone bill (long distance) and to their postage costs. And you can be sure they will never call you again!
This method is very effective. I used to get 5 telemarketing calls per day and now I get only about 3 per week!
If everyone did this, we wouldn't have any more rude, annoying, and inconsiderate telemarketers!
posted on June 23, 2002 05:34:10 PM
I received a call about 6 mths ago but it was about listing a Fendi Purse and they ended my auction and I wrote them back telling them that my mom sells on ebay and told me it was ok. They thought I was a teenager and my mom was me. It was so funny. They told me I should change my password. I am 43 and my mom is 63 but they took my email totally out of context.
posted on June 23, 2002 06:09:38 PM
As a former telemarketer (a whopping 2 weeks before I couldn't take it anymore), please realize that these people are just doing their job, and trying to earn a living. None of them are personally out to harass you. Be nice, say you aren't interested, and just hang up. Then the problem goes away.
posted on June 23, 2002 06:16:09 PM
I'm always nice to telemarketers. I tell them I'm busy at the moment and ask them for their home phone number so that I can call them back later.
[ edited by pointy on Jun 23, 2002 06:24 PM ]
posted on June 24, 2002 12:02:38 AM
...revvassago said: "Be nice, say you aren't interested, and just hang up. Then the problem goes away."
Wrong! Your telephone number stays on their list and they will call you again every month or two. And meanwhile, they will sell your telephone number to numerous other companies. Telemarketers are evil!!
posted on June 24, 2002 04:49:21 AMWrong! Your telephone number stays on their list and they will call you again every month or two.
Actually, most telemarketing firms are pulling names right out of the phone book. Sure, some have actual lists that they purchase, but the majority are just using a phone book. So your name is on the "list" of every one who has a phone book.
