Unsolicited Calls

[Piscoe]

I hate the fact that my mobile number is sold to all and sundry without my knowledge. I am always getting unsolicited calls from rival mobile operators informing me that they can do me a great deal. Normally I politely inform them that I do not respond to unsolicited callers therefore please remove me from their list but last week responded differently.

Vodafone. I am calling in connection with your mobile phone account and to let you know we are doing some great deals that I am sure will attract you.

Me. How do you know I am in the market for a new mobile account?

Vodafone. We are calling you to let you know we have some great new deals that you may not be aware of.

Me. How do you know whether or not I am in the market for a new phone contract?

Vodafone. I don't exactly know that sir. When is you phone contract up for re-newal?

Me. I have recently taken out a new contract

Vodafone. Can you tell me exactly sir?

Me. No

Vodafone. Can you tell me about the package you receive i.e minutes, texts. internet.

Me. No

Vodafone. Then how can I demonstrate our great deals?

Me. Hey look you made the unsolicited sales call not me. If you want to tell me all about your great deals then fine go ahead.

Vodafone. In order to do that sir I need to know how many minutes you use etc.

Me. Why don't you know?

Vodafone. How can I sir.

Me. Well I am a Vodafone customer after all.

Vodafone. Not according to our records sir.

Me. I am clearly not important enough as a customer so I'll take O2's kind offer instead. Thanks for your call, goodbye.

[marina]

Well done Piscoe. I've had a few of these calls on my mobile recently and had to get quite stroppy with them in order for them to get the message that I'm not interested.  Or I just end the call!  [!]

[Scunner]

That's the spirit!

I don't get many at all, I put that down to the fact we were out of the country for 5 years and fell off current lists. The worst ones ever are people trying to sell business things to you - when I was doing the exhibitions it seemed like every day someone from another exhibition company would be on the phone (totally unsolicited) and if you are stupid enough to advertise in a magazine there are hundreds and hundreds of magazines after you.

These guys are unbelievable - you try to be nice and when you do that, they know you are doing that and you can't get a word in. Literally can't stop them going on about average salary bands of readerships, number of copies compared with every other similar magazine. I had plenty of excuses and reasons not to take them up on their offer and they're very good, they have a solution (although normally cocky and ultimately useless) for each and every one of them!!! In the end I had to say as soon as I realised it was a salesman "Sorry, we have spent our advertising budget for this year" and hang up - I even felt bad doing that.

Ultimately I realised that wasn't the solution. The solution was to NEVER advertise in magazines.

[cinders]

My hubby received a call from India call centre asking "Hello sir what is your first name"
Hubby replied you may call me "goodbye"
"Goodbye ? says the caller"
"Goodbye" says hubby and hung up  hence no further calls (up to now)
 ;)C

[marina]

now I'll have to remember that one!

[Scunner]

Ah, Indian call centres

I had to call one (I didn't know it was in India till I phoned) as I had signed up for something online and although it might sound irrelevant, I didn't note the account number given when I signed up. I thought I'd just wait and it would be in the confirmation email. What confirmation email, there wasn't one! If I'd noted down the account number there would have been a confirmation email.

Call centre: Can I take your account number please?
Me: Ah, that's the one thing I can't give you.
CC: Sorry?
Me: I forgot to write down my account number, I thought I'd get an email.
CC: You got an email?
Me: No!
CC: Ok. Can I take your account number please?
Me: I don't have my account number?
CC: Sorry, what number don't you have?
Me: My account number
CC: I don't know the word you are saying before number.
Me: Account
CC: Sorry?
Me: Acc-ount
CC Once again please

*click*

[KKOB]

When they call, before they manage to get into the spiel, ask them to confirm their full name, date of birth, address telephone number and favourite pet's name. For some reason or other they don't seem too keen to do it.

[Piscoe]

My brother has a great one. When he receives a call the first thing he does is say "I am so glad you called because I represent a marketing company that handles a whole range of products that you want to buy. Before you tell me all about the product or service you are calling about I would just like to take down your details so our tele-marketers know the best ways in which to contact you". He tells me he has great fun listening to them squirm. Afterall how can they comfortably say I don't wish to offer up my details.

Go on give it a try !!

[Piscoe]

Sorry KKOB, just realised it is pretty much what you said

[stoop]

My mate just says he hasn't ordered a takeaway. Works every time with the ones from Mumbai:D