Telemarketers and Junk Mail

[KyleMaoin]

Also you can just say "Oh shit, my baby is drowning."

I obviously have one sick sence of hummor for finding that amusing. that's it i'm going to hell....

Sometimes I use that as an excuse for basically any kind of "be right back" situation. Leaving MSN, going to the bathroom, etc.

[poorandweird]

^^ ahh, that made me giggle!

[amyisacreep]

Haha I am paid to deliver junk mail once a week. I don't deliver to every single house I am meant to..for example, if they have already got loads of stuff in their mail box or have a NO JUNK MAIL THANKYOU sign etc.
I've had people complain when I don't deliver to them though! My mum says some people use catalogues like a shopping list. Sometimes I don't deliver to every house, you see..
But yes, I've also had people say DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT! I THROW THAT SHIT OUT STRAIGHT AWAY!
I personally like flicking through junk mail. If you don't want it put a (cute metal plate) junk mail sign up (not the gross huge tacky stickers) and you won't get any


ANYWAY, telemarketers.. I've had someone call me up trying to sell me deals with telstra, and after I politely told him I wasn't interetsed he said "Uh..can I ask..WHY?" and I explained I was with Vodafone and he sounded pretty ~butthurt.
If someone calls I just say "Sorry, I'm not interested.".

[grrl72]

I've got some other ways of teasing them into giving up and forgetting my number, like if they're trying to sell me a women's magazine, I'll ask why did they call a guy? Or if it is a "good deal" where I get to watch some special tv-channels for a minimum cost, I just tell them I don't have a tv. They always get SO confused and just hang up on me.

This reminds me of my dad. Someone from the newspaper company called asking if we wanted to get the newspaper and my dad told them he was illiterate.

[Mistrust]

The junk mail idea is brilliant. The telemarketer one is lame. I used to be a telemarketer...and all you have to do is ask to be taken off the call list. They will do it, and will appreciate you being nice about it.

[bunny1818]

aww you guys shouldn't be too hard on the poor telemarketers though. It's seriously the worst job you can ever imagine, and sitting all day in a small dark room listening to how much people "hate people like you" is quite depressing At my former job, people threathened to sue me for calling them :/

I know it is so annoying to be disturbed in the middle of dinner by some idiot wanting to ask you questions, or sell you stuff, but i always try to just say "no thankyou" in the nicest possible way...

+1, I did this for a week; it was Market Research- not selling anything, but because it takes a couple seconds to explain that I got a lot of abuse in those few seconds!

Also, because we weren't selling anything, we were allowed to use a random digit dialler to find numbers [the numbers were generated at complete random by a computer, we never even saw the numbers or had any idea who we were calling so's the results wouldn't be biased at all] so we would often call people who had got their number taken off whatever mystical lists, and they gave me merry hell about receiving the phone call.

So, I'll always do a survey if I have some free time. But I understand about sales calls being annoying.

In a slightly different topic, how about street pitchers? [the people with clipboards asking for your bank details...as if you'd give it to somebody on the street!!!!] I did this myself as well, so here are some handy hints.

1. You don't have a bank account/ a valid bank account for that country [I like to expand on this with how I'm just visiting from somewhere glamorous!]
2. You're under 18...[even if you OBVIOUSLY aren't, most'll not be rude enough to point it out]
3. Look behind them with an expression of shock and horror....maybe point, maybe scream a little... then walk off whilst they look away.
4. [if its for charity] I already donate to you every month ... make up a ridiculous, but specific, amount ie £1232.27... then walk off whilst they are gobsmacked.

[HorrorDoll]

Thanks Heidi The junk mail thing is great advice

[rockgirl5455]

I'm bringing this thread back.

I got a scam caller telling me I won a trip on some cruise ship. So, I started letting her have my information, acted all interested. She had told me that it was a very nice boat, and I had to act now or else I'd miss the opportunity etc. She asked for my credit card number, so at that point, all bets were off. After 20 mintues or so, I turned around and asked her "What if I'm afraid of boats and water?" She wasn't impressed.

If you're also by the computer, call up YouTube and play The Hamster Dance. See how long it takes them to hang up. Or, put the phone by the TV.

Another thing you could try is start singing... Anything. See how long it takes the telemarketer to get sick of your rendition of Taylor Swift's "Our Song," or "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. Just start singing, even if you don't know all the words to the song. Especially if you're a bad singer.

[rowanalabaster]

I use to do telemarketing. It sucked hairy goat balls but there were some memorable calls for sure. This one guy had the entire rapper's delight track on his answering machine. It was nice to take a legit break from calling people and just rocking out to it. I actually called him several times just for the hell of it.

Another call this guy did nothing but answer with types of fruit.

- "Hi how are you today?"
- "Apple"
- "umm... okay. I'm from Blah Blah calling to see if you would be interested in XYZ'"
- "Guava".
etc etc.


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Totally love the junk mail idea... especially with the shredding of the flyers!

[rainaraven]

i did telemarketing once. i must say it was awkward when i interrupted a funeral (i kinda knew the one person and checked & yep it was legit). or the guy telling me he had no one (i sold picture packages for a traveling photography company). i think in the 4 weeks they needed it done i sold maybe 3. but the worst job ever? i might have to think about that, i think i can come up with at least one or 2 more that are worse than that.
i do like the junk mail. i think ill try the confetti bit while im at it.