Grrrrr! Call centres!

[Alexa]

I hate it when someone calls to sell you their stupid whatever and just won't take no for an answer!

I'm with a certain (rubbish) phone company and am paying to much for them and their sistercompanies broadband, and I do want to change. I would have gone with their joint offer IF they hadn't pressured me so much. It's always do it now, and they speak to fast and then their's some hidden charge and you try and back up and they've practically done it already!

I went for a job in a call centre, incoming, once and it turned out the ad was a lie and it was actually outgoing calls only, so I said I wasn't interested and left. They had the cheek to send me a rejection letter ! Anyway, on the tour of the building we saw 'the rules' and basically they have to rebuff 2 customer refusals before they put the phone down - which sometimes amounts to ridicule imo.

Urgh, sorry to rant but the whole things bugs me. However, I am not rude, it not these's people's fault - they need the money.

[Richt]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

Even though I work for a call centre that makes out going calls (but I work business to business, which is slightly different), I tend to just hang up when I get a cold call at home! Alexa, you may want to try the following next time you get a cold call from someone selling something. Its something that I had always wanted to do, and a couple of years ago I finally plucked up the courage, it went like this -

Sales Person (in future will be shortened to SP).

SP - Hello is that Mr xxxxxxxxx ?
Me - Its one them
SP - I am calling from xxxxxx kitchen company, can I interest you in "something or other".
Me - I tell you what, I am a little busy at the moment, could you give me your home number and I will call you back later when I am free
SP - Sorry sir I do not take calls at home
Me - Neither do I - and then I just put the phone down.

It brought me a lot of satisfaction lol. And my heart was racing throughout the call as it was something I had always wanted to say to attempt to get people to stop making sales calls.

Do you think it was a bit harsh?

[*Emma*]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

theres only 3 people with my home phone number, they get advised to text me before they call as its more than likely that i wont answer and if i do answer i swear profusely thinking its some call centre.

I used to work in a callcentre but it was mainly incoming calls I did the occasional outgoing call when i saw a customer who could benefit from a service, usually an elderly person who was still renting a phone from BT a service offered about 20 years ago???? therefore I would refund them 5 years hire and send them a brand new phone, which of course was at no cost, for the inconvenience, I had the best sales record at the company, but if only they knew how much I refunded to get it!! haha

[Alexa]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

Richt, I don't think that is too bad. I've got caller preference service for this reason - also because at my old house it went crazy, I got about 4 calls a day at one time.

I usually pretend I have no clue what they are talking about and say 'my husband deals with the bills' which is rubbish. I don't like to be rude as I said.

This wasn't a cold call, just a service provider trying to get me to change tariff. They suck anyway, I need to look for a whole new phone/internet thingmajig. It all seems to be about weekend/evenings free - which doesn't suit me at all!

Emma - I would have the worst sales record. I couldn't sell a bucket of water to someone on fire, I swear

[Hayden]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

I frequently advised these "kitchens direct" callers, that "I was really very sorry, but I was busy at the moment", "however, if the caller gave me his mobile or home phone number then I'd happily call them back, personally, when it was a more convenient time for me to talk".

You could hear the gears working in their heads for a split second, then we both said goodbye.

[Richt]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

Emma - I would have the worst sales record. I couldn't sell a bucket of water to someone on fire, I swear

I think I could sell ice to an eskimo!

[Hayden]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

I think I could sell ice to an eskimo!

I've seen some people, that clearly work/live/breath in Sales, say similar expressions like that, loudly to themselves. Just before they start work each day.

"Motivational, innit?"

Sell, Sell, 'king Sell!!

Sorry Rich. As an Engineer, and you in Sales, we are like oil and water.
I've torn many a young sales pup, with a cheap polyester suit, a new one.

However, I met you. I'd still buy you a beer !!

[Richt]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

The reason I "think" I am so good, Hayden is because I am respectful to the other person when selling. Its not all me me me. If you know what I mean.

Also note my use of the word "think", as opposed to "know" which a lot of sales people would say ;-)

[sadie147]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

They've recently come out with a law here that if you ask to be taken off of their list, they have to legally remove you. I probably get 4 or 5 a day, and I have 2 phones lines so multiply that by 2! mostly credit card companies etc.

I discovered last week, after a 1-866 kept calling over and over, i called it back, and got a recording telling me if i wanted off of their list press 1 etc. So i did. and it seems to have worked! I notice that's a feature they don't advertise!

When i was a teen I worked for a call centre that did gallup poles and surveys, It's very thankless work, people would be extremely irate just at the fact you called, so when i get the calls i'm not rude to the caller, i know they're just doing a job...then it can be the total opposite, you can get people who love to chat.


I also found that people are in rural areas' tend to be much nicer than people in the big cities.

[matawguro]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

Sales Person (in future will be shortened to SP).

SP - Hello is that Mr xxxxxxxxx ?
Me - Its one them
SP - I am calling from xxxxxx kitchen company, can I interest you in "something or other".
Me - I tell you what, I am a little busy at the moment, could you give me your home number and I will call you back later when I am free
SP - Sorry sir I do not take calls at home
Me - Neither do I - and then I just put the phone down.

Do you think it was a bit harsh?

That is absolutely brilliant,... and downright evil.

[Atkid]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

I just received this link yesterday in an email. I have enrolled both my home and cell number.

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

Looks like everyone here is outside the US so I doubt that it would work but I will post in case it can help anyone here in the United States.

[Alexa]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

I have a thing like that in the Uk that works - most of the time!

[sadie147]

Re: Grrrrr! Call centres!

I just received this link yesterday in an email. I have enrolled both my home and cell number.

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

Looks like everyone here is outside the US so I doubt that it would work but I will post in case it can help anyone here in the United States.

Since it's run by the FTC, which is American, and it says it's 'national' i would think it would ONLY work for Americans, the FTC cannot control what happens in other countries.