"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one. "
~John Lennon


Friday, May 25, 2012

Phone Solicitations

My phone rings so often and the caller takes me by surprise with a rambling fast talking spiel that they are reading or have memorized after making many calls. I have to ask them to slow down and repeat a certain part and then I can understand they want money.


Where do all these organizations get my name and address and phone number? I wouldn't be surprised if they know my blood type.


It is my own fault for answering the phone to a number that is not familiar to me.


Life will never be without hiccups or nuisance events. How I handle them is what matters.


The next time I inadvertently answer a telemarketer call, I am going to interrupt their opening two minute blurb to advise that the call is being recorded. And then keep saying "This is a recording. This is a recording. This is a recording." And then disconnect.


My friend told me to ask the caller what they are wearing.  I think I will try that one too.

Photo found on Google.

17 comments:

Ms. A said...

Are you on the Do Not Call Registry? (donotcall.gov) You should be. The ones that are killing me right now, are political and FOP. I don't answer if I don't know the number, but it's annoying as heck to have to hear a ringing phone!

CiCi said...

Hi Ms A. I did put my phone number on the do not call registry after this last annoying call. I do so hope it helps.

Rock Chef said...

My wife gets a lot of thise in the daytime. She tends to deny having what they are talking about:

Miss-sold payment protection? "I don't have any loans or credit cards."
Your TV dish.. "I don't have a TV."

Your PC is infected/we can offer you cheaper broadband. "I don't have a computer." That one really gets them!


I intend to pretend to be a window salesman next time and start to sell back at them.

DJan said...

Wouldn't you just hate having a job as a telemarketer? Everyone is wishing you would go away... I like the idea of asking them what they are wearing? THAT made me smile... :-)

Jeanie said...

I try not to answer these calls and I seem to get a lot of them, even though I am on the DNC list. I especially don't like the recorded robo-calls. If it is person I try to be nice since I think telemarketing must me a pretty tough job to have to do.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I normally don't answer a number I don't know. It's such a hassel!
Have a wonderful weekend.

Manju Modiyani said...

I can relate to this.... :p I used to get scolded by the ppl for calling them up regarding holiday package deals...

Joanna Jenkins said...

Hi CiCi, It's good to catch up with you. I've been away and just read several of your posts. I hope you are feeling better and better each day. You're smart to listen to your body and slow down when you need to. I'm a big fan of "veg" days myself :-)

As for telemarketers. I'm not nearly as nice as you. I just tell them to stop calling me and hang up... They only ever seem to call me right when I'm in the middle of something like cooking, dinner or washing dishes. Grrr.

Hope you have an easy and fun long weekend. xoxo jj

Brian Miller said...

haha i like playing with telemarketers and keep them tied up for a bit...i figure i am saving the next guy...

CiCi said...

Rock Chef, your wife has a good way to deal with the unwanted calls. I also like your window salesman theme. Maybe I will be a bra saleswoman next time. Ha.

DJan, I always try to keep in mind that the person calling does not have a personal vendetta, he or she just needed a job.

Jeanie, The recorded calls have increased on my phone since my ex moved away. I have the same phone number we had. I feel sorry for the people calling because I know they get rejected most of the time but it is annoying to me to have to deal with the call.

Debby, this town is a fun place to be on holidays. Lots of things going on all weekend.

Manju, I know it must be a difficult job calling people you don't know and trying to get them to buy something. I wouldn't be any good at that.

Joanna, yes, I am better and better. Life is peaceful most of the time. Telemarketers have different personalities, and maybe they just are having a bad day, so I try not to be mean but I know how to be strong.

Abby said...

I also liked to play with them, similar to RC's wife.

"Nobody here has allergies, we have only hardwood floors, we install all of our own windows..."

Then I just called the do-not-call number. Things are much quieter. Although I do like the "what are you wearing?" game!

CiCi said...

Brian, Better to enjoy the experience than have it control your life and make you angry. I know they are just doing a job and they must get really frustrated with people turning them down and more so with the ones who yell at them.

Abby, I hope the calls become much less now that my number is on DNC. And I will keep my glasses by the phone and put them on before answering the phone.

Bill Lisleman said...

I once talked for awhile and nicely suggested to the young lady that she should try to get another job. Wasting their time just like they are wasting yours can be a little fun but most of the time I just don't answer. So often it is just a machine robocaller. I've even disconnected the phone for a few hours. Recently I reported a scam one to the FCC and FTC - here's a post about that one.
http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2012/04/ftc-fcc-friday-fragments.html

Mrs4444 said...

If you continue to get calls (and you might, for a while), just politely ask them to remove your name and number from their calling list. By law, they must honor your wishes.

Hilary said...

I tell them that I have a brother in that business (it works for most calls) and that I get the service for free. Those are the ones that don't call back. The ones to which I simply say "no" always call back.

lotta joy said...

When you first answer the phone, do you have to say "hello" twice? Hang up if your first "hello" isn't answered. The first call is computer generated and, to make sure it isn't an answering machine, your call is not transferred to a marketer until you say "hello" the second time.

Of course you then have to put up with the same number redialing you the next day, but it will be around the same time.

Or, just be rude and say "no thanks" and hang up. They hear it all the time.

terri said...

I either ignore the call altogether or just hang up once I realize it's a solicitor. Some of them are relentless though. One company wanting to sell us windows called daily for MONTHS! You'd think they'd give up when no one ever answers!