Telephone Madness

[Darth Mandarb]

Sara gets so mad at me 'cause I just ignore the house phone when it rings.  I know anybody that wants to talk to me is going to call my cellphone, not the housephone.  So I just ignore it.  She still has the 'reflex' to answer it just 'cause it's ringing.

Like RickJ said, if it's important, they'll call back.  If the phone rings, and then stops, and then rings again I'll check the caller ID at that point.

As far as being rude to telemarketers ... here's my take.  If you DO answer a telemarket call and it's a person right way (not a recording) you should say, "I'm not interested, thanks" and hang up.  Quick and polite.  However, if a telemarketing company has the NERVE to make you wait through a recording to talk to somebody??  Forget about it, they get what they deserve after that.  Not only do you have to be bothered with the call, now they want you to wait on them?? No frickin' way.

As far as I'm concerened; telemarketers and SPAMMERS are the same thing.  It should be made illegal.  Nobody wants it yet we ALL have to put up with it?  Rediculous.

[MillsJROSS]

I screen the calls when I'm at my parents. If I don't recognize the caller id, then if it's someone important they can leave a message or call sometime when my parents are home. I never have understood telemarketers calling at 11 in the morning on weekdays. Perhaps they assume there to be one working parent or some such. In any such event, I either hang up if I hear that little pause, or I politely tell them that I'm not the person to talk to.

I don't hate Telemarketers. I just don't like getting phone calls interupting my day.  The people I'm mad at, are the people who keep Telemarketing going. Namely, those who actually by the product that the Telemarketer is selling. Because, obviously, there must be enough people buying from Telemarketers to support it.

-MillsJROSS

[Ginny]

Heh, I remember a telemarketer called us recently, and my mom wasn't home, so I said so, and she asked when she'll be home, except she was gone for 3 days, so I said I didnt know and that they can call us back in a few days. Thankfully, they never did . Otherwise, we usually get a lot of surveys calling. Sometimes we answer, if its some important topic, but it's usually about our choice of dairy product or some such thing.
That last telemarketer was terribly annoying:

Me: Hello
Her: Hello, can I ask you just 2 simple questions?
Me: Umm.. ok..?
Her: Do you like resting?
Me: Uh, yeah?
Her: Do you like making money?
Me: That's a bit irrelevant to me.. I guess.
Her: Even if you just like one of those things, you'll like this new supermarket program we have for you. -bla bla bla bla bla bla-
Me: Well, I'm not interested. Goodbye.

I sat and stared at the phone for a few moments after, thinking "wtf? Do you like resting? Do you like making money? Do you like resting AND making money at the same time?" Jeez, what a terrible sales pitch.
The worst part was she was speaking in such a perky voice, sounding as if she really likes this job and is very excited about calling ME and about this wonderful super market program.

That car insurance example is hilarious. I think that happened to us once too, only we didn't endure a long pitch.

[Kinoko]

I don't hate Telemarketers. I just don't like getting phone calls interupting my day.  The people I'm mad at, are the people who keep Telemarketing going. Namely, those who actually by the product that the Telemarketer is selling. Because, obviously, there must be enough people buying from Telemarketers to support it.

It's true, who the hell ARE these people? Not buying from charities, but just buying a holiday voucher over the phone, or some product... WHY?