Reply to: Talk Talk - just had to complain to telephone preference service

[sweetandsour]

I don't like getting sales calls and I registered with the TPS which cut most of them out except for British Telecom who are always "just calling you about your account" before they try and persuade me to go back to them for call charges.

That aside, everyone should remember that the person calling you is just someone trying to earn a living.

They have not singled you out personally because they think it will be "a laugh" so don't deserve to be treated so badly.

[MPwannadecentincome]

So padding them out and doing less work in more time is better for you, then. Didn't quite work that one out, did you?

The workload is too high to pad out and you can't pad out conference calls and the production of status reports, risk assessments and issue lists when there is only a monthly delivery cycle.

thanks anyway ;-)

[TheFaQQer]

hee hee wish I had time to do that, but I have work to do I get paid by the hour....

So padding them out and doing less work in more time is better for you, then. Didn't quite work that one out, did you?

[MPwannadecentincome]

Time is precious for cold callers; so the best way to dissuade them is to keep them on the phone.

Keep asking them to repeat themselves.
Tell them you have to write everything down.
Go and fetch a notepad and pen.
Tell them the pen is not working and you need to go and get another one.
As them to spell their company,
Ask them for their address.
Ask them to hold because some is at the front door. (Make your self some tea and come back)

They will keep away from you.

hee hee wish I had time to do that, but I have work to do I get paid by the hour....

[Paddy]

Time is precious for cold callers; so the best way to dissuade them is to keep them on the phone.

Keep asking them to repeat themselves.
Tell them you have to write everything down.
Go and fetch a notepad and pen.
Tell them the pen is not working and you need to go and get another one.
As them to spell their company,
Ask them for their address.
Ask them to hold because some is at the front door. (Make your self some tea and come back)

They will keep away from you.

[Paddy]

Time is precious for cold callers; so the best way to dissuade them is to keep them on the phone.

Keep asking them to repeat themselves.
Tell them you have to write everything down.
Go and fetch a notepad and pen.
Tell them the pen is not working and you need to go and get another one.
As them to spell their company,
Ask them for the address.
Ask them to hold because some is at the front door. (Make your self-tea and come back)

They will keep away from you.

[BolshieBastard]

The best one is to say that whoever they are calling is not there and you'll just go and get them. Then see how long you can keep them on the line. Oh he's just comming hang on. I've wasted literally minutes per call doing this.

That just ties up your line until they decide to hang up!

Best to just say 'no thanks' and put the phone down.

Im on the TPS but some of these cold callers say it isnt a sales call (yeah, right!) to try and engage you on a call.

Just say no!

[Sysman]

The most annoying calls were from “Sam” offering to sell me a mobile deal. Last year I was getting 7 or 8 of these a month at one point…..until I worked out this strategy: When they ask you do you want to save money on your mobile bills, just say no. They will initially not understand your answer and will repeat the question. Say very clearly “No, I don’t want to save money…”. There will be silence for a few seconds while they flick through their script book to find suitable response. Upon failing to find one, they will thank you and hand up……over time, you will never receive a call offering you a mobile deal….

That's an excellent tip. My parents were suckers for special offers, often ending up with inferior goods as a result, so I seek quality as well as price.

That said, as Yorkshireman I do seek value for money. Cold calls offering a saving "on a plate" take the fun out of searching out my own deals.

[swamp]

I solved this problem years ago by not having a land line.

Now I've got a new cable package where it's actually cheaper to have a land line. Haven't plugged the phone in though and don't plan to.

[sal626]

The most annoying calls were from “Sam” offering to sell me a mobile deal. Last year I was getting 7 or 8 of these a month at one point…..until I worked out this strategy: When they ask you do you want to save money on your mobile bills, just say no. They will initially not understand your answer and will repeat the question. Say very clearly “No, I don’t want to save money…”. There will be silence for a few seconds while they flick through their script book to find suitable response. Upon failing to find one, they will thank you and hand up……over time, you will never receive a call offering you a mobile deal….

[BoredBloke]

I fired it long ago also!

[RichardCranium]

I've missed 120% of that Apprentice nonsense.

Pah! I've given Apprentice-missing a full 1000%.

[BoredBloke]

The best one is to say that whoever they are calling is not there and you'll just go and get them. Then see how long you can keep them on the line. Oh he's just comming hang on. I've wasted literally minutes per call doing this.

[Spacecadet]

I'm pleased to say I've missed 100% of them.

Slacker, I've missed 110% of them!

[MPwannadecentincome]

Was just this series.. some guys invented a box you plug into the phone socket..

If the number is in your safe callers list it just lets your home phone ring..

If the number is withheld or unknown to the box it answers the call, asks them to say their name etc.. then calls your phone.. you then hear who it is calling and can choose to accept the call, or for it to play them a message saying you don't wish to take the call etc...

I think the cost price was quoted at £55 or so.. bit steep I think, would be prepared to splash £20-30 on something like this just for the novelty factor of having a pre-recorded message screaming "F**K OFF!!!!!"...

Sounds interesting, but definitely too expensive.

Normally CLI gives us a clue if we want to answer the phone or not and sometimes we just let the answerphone kick in. My wife must have been bored at the time as she answered straight away and then handed the phone to me when the guy wanted to speak to the bill payer.