# Discouraging cold sales telephone calls **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204 "2005-10-14T11:21:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/21 "2005-10-15T10:03:51Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > Why not just not answer these type of calls? That’s what I do. In fact I tend not to answer any number that I don’t know. I’ve tried not answering these calls, but that doesn’t discourage them. I have noticed a pattern where I get targeted by a particular autodialler, and it will phone me several times a day for weeks until I eventually answer, and then it’ll go relatively quiet for a bit until the next persistent autodialler comes along. The thing is, I have nothing personal against the sorryarsed bastard whose job it is to speak to me, so I can’t be abusive to them. They’re just ordinary people doing a desperate job. But I reckon their bosses are cnuts all, to the extent that they monitor the phones (and keystrokes, and toilet breaks etc), so maybe I could leave an abusive message just for the boss. Great suggestions all, BTW. I’m sure I’ll have the opportunity to try each and every one of them. Keep them coming… ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/22 "2005-10-15T10:52:21Z")
> [@Fridgemagnet](#): > > The thing is, I have nothing personal against the sorryarsed bastard whose job it is to speak to me, so I can’t be abusive to them. They’re just ordinary people doing a desperate job. I used to feel this way. There is a legendary Pit rant by Cervaise in response to a poster incoherently praising the joys of telemarketing. Telemarketing is such a rampant disease here in America at this point that my sympathies have evaporated. These people feel no shame at all in stealing the one thing that can not be returned to me: my time. The fact that they have accepted a job where this theft is a requirement only indicates to me that they are soulless, not pitiable. Various abuse/revenge fantasies are not effective however, because they require that you spend more time on the phone with them, which is exactly what they want, giving their expertly-written :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: casual sales pitch a chance to go to work on your subconscious. Strategy 1: Pick up the phone. People who want to talk to you will respond right away. The instant after I say “hello”, the person has exactly 3/4 of a second to respond. Autodiallers have to signal the drone that they must swing into action, so if I hear nothing in that time, _click_. On the rare occasion where it might actually have been a friend (the difference between an autodial delay and that caused by a friend with a momentary glitch in reception is easy to detect after very little experience), they can call back. Strategy 2: If a human-sounding organism does respond quickly (they’ve been getting better at this as more people cotton onto Strategy 1; cf. Soulless, above), do not listen to the sales pitch for even a moment. Successful sales by cold calling are what keep the disease alive. Therefore, it does not matter in the least what the product or service is, you are not interested in buying at as the result of a cold call. Interrupt them with the words “Please take me off your call list” and hang up. They have no regard for your time, so you have no regard for their alleged feelings. If they actually managed to squeeze the name of the company or product before you took your time back, and you are in fact interested, you can contact the company through a marketing channel you don’t mind interacting with. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/23 "2005-10-15T17:30:48Z")
Before we had the do-not-call list, I used a [TeleZapper.](http://www.telezapper.com/) If any automated call comes in, the gadget somehow “knows,” and sends back a “this line has been disconnected” signal. So you don’t get a repeat call from that company, and they probably won’t sell your number to someone else, either. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/24 "2005-10-15T21:16:54Z")
Don’t know if it’s universal, but the real tipoff to a sales call, is right after they ask for me by name, and I say, “Speaking,” they respond with “How are 'ya?” Too time pressed to do it, but my inclination is to start, “Gee, thanks for asking. Not too well. The radiation is not too bad, but the chemo really makes me feel awful. It was bad enough when my wife died and the house burnt down, but now the bankruptcy is really making me feel bad…” I wonder who long I could continue before **they** hung up? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/25 "2005-10-15T21:18:56Z")
“I wonder **how** long…” of course. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/26 "2005-10-15T21:34:18Z")
> [@Fridgemagnet](#): > > Is there anything I can do to make the caller take me off their list? To actually answer the question (although the ancedotes are amusing), you need to register with the [Telephone Preference Service](http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/) which is the UK equivalent of the “Do Not Call List”. > [@](#): > > Under Government legislation introduced on 1st May 1999 and replaced on 11th December 2003 by the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, it is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive such calls. > > You can either do this by contacting companies directly and asking them not to call you or you can register with a central register - the TPS. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204/27 "2005-10-16T01:45:01Z")
1. Get name of telemarketer. 2. Get name of firm. 3. Get adress, phone # of firm. 4. Ask for a copy of their “Do Not Call List” procedures. They’re required by law to provide it. 5. They typically kill the sales pitch at this point. If they don’t, request to be added to their do not call list. 6. Document entire call. 7. If no DNCL document in 30 days, sue under 1991 Telecommunications Privacy Act. Worth $100 in local small claims court. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discouraging-cold-sales-telephone-calls/326204.md?page=1)