What do you do when cold callers call...?

[Mike Hudson]

I always enjoy taking the piss and bringing up very random subjects with them just to confuse and waste their time

[DCM]

it depends on my mood, it can go from being a total tease, getting them thinking they got a sale/appointment, or complete opposite and very VERY rude.

[niggs98]

with the good old jehova witnesses its hilarious to go down on ya knees and shout alleluya, please come in and save our souls !!!!! watch them run like fap

[tymill]

Back in high school a million years ago I had a summer job making cold calls for a "market research" company. We'd actually show up to work in the morning, rip the next page out of a big telephone directory - and get dialling in our cubicles.

It was crumby work, but at the end of the day you get pretty hardened up to rejection. To be honest, you're not going to hurt anyone's feelings by just hanging up.

Being actively rude isn't cool though - the person's just doing his or her (low-paid) job.

[mark christopher]

i allways tell em they have won a free phone or try to sell em a kitchen

[bodgit]

I just say I might be interested but can you just hold for a bit while I turn the gas ring off. They do and I just sit down and carry on watching tv.
So far the longest they held on for is about 4 mins before they suss and hang up.

[Chequered Flag Racing]

if it's the phone, tell them your the burglar and you'll leave the occupants a note to say they'd called

[Garry]

Say ''OK, I'll listen to you, if you listen to the good news of our Lord?''

If they take he bait, proceed to read the Bible to them, from page one, until they politely make excuses and leave. My record is page 4 before they couldn't keep a straight face and left.

[DCM]

Originally Posted by tymill

Back in high school a million years ago I had a summer job making cold calls for a "market research" company. We'd actually show up to work in the morning, rip the next page out of a big telephone directory - and get dialling in our cubicles.

It was crumby work, but at the end of the day you get pretty hardened up to rejection. To be honest, you're not going to hurt anyone's feelings by just hanging up.

Being actively rude isn't cool though - the person's just doing his or her (low-paid) job.

Been there, done that when I were in school, sat at a desk with a page from the directory and off we went. I get rude with them, as I am registered with the TPS, and some are using such old databases, they shouldn't be calling, and don't even have the right name, or worse... are you the householder.... yes, fook off.

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by Mike Hudson

I always enjoy taking the piss and bringing up very random subjects with them just to confuse and waste their time

Feed them false info or hang up. I've done some evil things with false data.

Or if they really piss me off like that bloody safe style uk did. Arrange an appointment for when I know I'm at work.

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by bodgit

I just say I might be interested but can you just hold for a bit while I turn the gas ring off. They do and I just sit down and carry on watching tv.
So far the longest they held on for is about 4 mins before they suss and hang up.

Friends of mine have done that too and I must do that next time

[losixxx]

Originally Posted by Garry

Say ''OK, I'll listen to you, if you listen to the good news of our Lord?''

If they take he bait, proceed to read the Bible to them, from page one, until they politely make excuses and leave. My record is page 4 before they couldn't keep a straight face and left.

so carry a bible round with you all the time just incase of cold callers...top tip m8

[Colinevan]

tut tut tut lol. I used to work at vodafone cold calling peeps. For my sins lol. My advice is just be polite and say your not really interested, and request to have your number surpressed. You must use the work surpress. If you be cheeky back, the operator can just reschedule to call you back (computerized). Again again and again. Mini revenge lol. Hope this helps. Col.

[MikePimlott]

tell them the person theyre after died a couple of days ago. they dont need to phone back then.

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by Colinevan

tut tut tut lol. I used to work at vodafone cold calling peeps. For my sins lol. My advice is just be polite and say your not really interested, and request to have your number surpressed. You must use the work surpress. If you be cheeky back, the operator can just reschedule to call you back (computerized). Again again and again. Mini revenge lol. Hope this helps. Col.

Thing is it works both ways and the number of times I've had we are not interested.

Worst one was last year a door salesman came to my door and then end result was I said no. She then said peoples jobs were at risk, and in the end I said still said no. She got quite short and in the end I said if you run a crap business model how it my problem, perhaps you should start with training the sales team better. She left fairly quickly.

[cjm_2008]

I normally just hang up. especially if it's an auto dialler and there's that typical annoying pause.

[purpletimbo]

If you get an autodialler, hit the # key 5 times, it reckons you are a fax and never rings again
My personal favourite is they ring for missus name, and when I say she is out they say can we speak to mr X and I say very clearly there is no Mr X they always ring off.
Although one today peed me off enough to get hung up on. Was a cold call from a separate company offering "benefits" as I am a valued cardholder for an unconnected company, I told her I wasn't interested and was at that moment balancing a TV, which indeed I was and she carried on twice so got the end button

[ashleyb4]

Last time some jehova witnesses came to my door they called at like half 8 in the morning, i was still in bed so they woke me up and they where two old ladies I knew who they where as they had called before so i answered the door in my boxer shorts, they have never come back

A

[Darren Boyle]

I got swore at by one just today, since he thought I was rude by saying no thanks before he had even told me what he was fully offering. All I heard was "we have a slot on the front page of Google..........." BYE!!!!!

We are actually signed up to a service at home that barrs them from using your number, seriuosly thinking about it for the shop too, we must get 15+ cold calls per day at present.............. as if we dont have enough to do.