Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Telemarketing Call: Strange Request

Someone must have screwed up the marketing script or it was done on purpose to initiate the conversation. This call happened today in the middle of my dinner cooking. A phone rang. I screen calls occasionally, and if I don't recognize it, I don't answer it. This time I did, sometimes I just like to talk to strangers I guess.

'Hello.' - I said.
'Hi, can I speak to Mrs. ______.' - sweet young lady replied on the other side of the phone.
'Speaking.' - I answered.
'Mrs. so and so, don't worry we are not trying to sell anything.' - she said.
'Yes ...' - I said, and thinking did I sound paranoid that she is warning me ahead.
'We are calling from so and so Security company. We are currently in your town in your area, and we would like to place our sign on your lawn.' - she recited.
'I don't want any signs on my lawn.' - I said.
'How about small sticker on the window.' - she said.
'No I don't want any stickers on my window.' - I said firmly.
'Have a good evening Mrs. so and so.' - she said and hang up.

Okay what did just happen here. Did I miss anything? I didn't want to ask any questions because you know what happens. Soon as you show interest or curiosity (and believe me I am very curious person), they get you. Well I didn't ask any questions because I was late with my dinner and last thing I needed to waste my time on the phone.

Sign on my lawn. I know where she was going with it, but I think I said the right thing to get myself out of the conversation. They would put the sign on my lawn then come and knock on my door try to give me free security system, which on the end would cost me a monthly fee. Nothing is free, I learned, you end up paying one way or the other.

Now, I always think about those calls afterwards. So I thought when she asked me about placing the sign on my lawn, I for fun would say something like that:

'Yes dear by all means. Can you give me your company name so I can issue an invoice for the rental of my property for $50 a day.'

One day I will say that, just to satisfy my curiosity what the telemarketer will answer. Just to torture them  a bit too. Yes I do have this little mean side in me.

10 comments:

  1. Dear Anna, how boring are the telemarketers!!! I know they do their job phoning us but I can't understand why they are able to call us a lot of times, in the same day!!!
    Anyway, thanks for your visit on my blog....I'm always so happy to read of you:O)
    Kisses and hugs from Rome....

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  2. That has to be one of the zaniest, wierdest cold-calls I've ever heard of - darn it girl, you could have at least found out WHY before she ran off.. I'm really curious now!

    Loved your come back line/thought (grin).

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  3. Hi Anna, the idea is to keep them talking as long as possible without committing yourself to anything. Sound interested and string them along. You will find eventually with most of them (when you remain non committal) they end the call as they only have a set time to talk (usually about 3 minutes). It makes for a great indoor sport. I usually tell them at the end when they want to end, "You keep wasting my time I thought I would waste yours." {:)

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  4. Great post, Anna. :D I have a lady down the street who has tons of signs on her lawn. I wonder if she has received several of these phone calls. :D

    Hugs, JJ

    Thanks for the BEAUTIFUL BOOK REVIEWS!!!

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  5. Now that sounds like a great comeback, if they should ever call again. I also screen my calls, but every once in a while, I'm not sure if it's one of our kids calling from their cell phone, so I pick it up. And if it's a salesperson and they start their spiel, I say, I'm not interested before they get too far, and if that doesn't stop them, I just hang up. It may be rude, but then them calling me when i didn't ask for what they are selling is also rude. Have a great up coming week .

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  6. Love the rental of your lawn, what a super funny fabulous idea !
    I must remember that.

    cheers, parsnip

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  7. Hello Anna:) I hate telemarketers .. i still can't believe they can get our phone number somehow!

    How's little mathew doing? It's been a while i haven't seen any post about little Mathew! Give my love to him:)

    LOve
    Sunshine

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  8. Hai Anna..
    As You said This Telemarketing calls really disturbing..
    Have a Nice week end..

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  9. I too have a mean side that sometimes comes out when telemarketers call. I think it's because there's this deceit involved, just like you explained, that they are giving you something with no strings attached, asking "How are you?" with such phony inflection. Some say it is a "courtesy call." They're really preying on the naive and I have a BIG problem with that. I also think the whole practice of calling someone or knocking on their door to try to get money from them is wrong. I tend to be nice to people from charities, though. I still think it's wrong for them to contact you at home, but I treat them better because they generally aren't deceptive like other telemarketers tend to be. Also, they get straight to the point and don't ramble on phonily and waste your time like other telemarketers tend to.

    Here in Toronto, Canada, we have a Do Not Call list that has exemptions like newspapers, charities and research companies, but still we get telemarketers from those not exempted from the list. That's how unethical it is! Whenever I tell them we're on the list and ask them how they got our number, they hang up, or apologize and then hang up, without even answering my question!

    I like what you thought about saying to them about the sign! It just highlights the ridiculousness of their request. Here's a conversation I had with a telemarketer:

    TM: Hi! I'm So-and-So from So-and-So Doors and Windows --

    Me: No thanks. We already have doors and windows.

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  10. Hey Anna, I just wanted to say thank you for leaving such wonderful comments on my site (hugs). I've been away, and it was such a thrill to come home to them! Sadly, blogger has been playing tricks with me, the most recent post you wrote in didn't publish (and most frustratingly, I didn't get the chance to read it, other than note to you had been in, either. How frustrating!) I just wanted you to know I didn't delete it, not on purpose, I would hate to think you thought that. (Hugs)

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And now lets hear your blobbing, lol!