How to put a Telemarketer off his game.

If a telemarketer opens with that annoying and insincere introductory
question, "How are you today?" I immediately go into a long list of my
ailments, real and imagined. If I do this rapidly enough, he or she
can't interrupt. At the end I conclude with, "And, how are YOU today?"
They usually say "Fine" and quickly launch into their offer, which I
then politely refuse. I guess if this accomplishes anything, it's
perhaps to make them think twice about using that hackneyed phrase
again!

The political telemarketers annoy me worse than the ones selling something.
Yesterday, one called and wanted to give me a website. I said Just a minute,
let me get a pencil. I admit I dawdled a bit, but when I got back, she said,
"What did you have to do, go find a crayon?"
Sheesh.
Sherry

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells"). We have
had, for the past 2 months, LONG DISTANCE calls that we didn't make. One
was almost an hour to a cell phone (I don't know who they are), and several
calls to a Dr's office in Indianapolis (we don't have a Dr in Indy). They
kept telling us that we were messed up. We demanded that they come out &
check the lines, especially when DH called me on my cell phone while I was
at home, asked me if I was on the phone as he got a busy signal. I picked
up the house phone & I heard people talking! I interrupted their
conversation, and one of them hung up rather abruptly. DH called SBC for
the 5th time that day, and after still getting nowhere, we decided to leave
our house phones off the hook, unless we were making a call. We notified
all relatives & friends to call us on our cell phones. After 2 days of this
DH called the house phone, (he himself forgot to call my cell phone) and
someone picked it up after about 10 rings, identified himself as a worker
from SBC and that they were repairing the line. Next day our phone was
dead. we'd call our house phone from a cell phone & it would ring
continuously, but the phones in the house wouldn't be ringing. Then DH
remembered that a while back, before we got cable modem, we were on dialup
internet, so we got 2 phone lines. He went out to the junction box and
looked, the other line was still there, but not connected. He switched the
lines and viola! Our phone is back and now in fine working order. Since
the problem was in the phone co.'s lines, we had better not be billed for
the repair - and even if we are, we will be happy in knowing that the
suckers had to work out in the rainiest day of the fall.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"Bob M" wrote in message
...
---MIKE--- wrote:

I'm not supposed to have calls from telemarketers. I am registered on
the do not call list and I pay $5.00 a month to prevent unidentified
callers from getting through. I have still gotten calls from Verizon
trying to "improve" my service. I also have gotten calls from the Bush
people (but these get through because they are identified). These are
usually recorded messages so all I can do is hang up.

---MIKE---

Verizon is the worst!!!! I have DSL service through Verizon and I've
had it for almost 5 years. I still get calls about 4 times per week from
them wanting me to get DSL. I have told them over and over very nicely
and now VERY rudely that I already have their DSL. I have talked to
supervisors and the idiots still call me. Well 2 weeks ago I did get a
few more calling features on my line. One of them is a phone number
blocking service. Well guess who made it to be #1 on my list? Yup, you
win, Verizon. I haven't had a call from the idiots in 2 weeks. Thanks
for letting me vent. I get so bent out of shape anytime I have to deal
with the idiots at Verizon. And now I have to call them to correct my
phone bill. I have had their 5 cent long distance plan for months. But
this month they charged me 25 cents a minute for long distance calls.
This company is really amazing at how they find new ways to screw up.

Bob

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells"). We have
had, for the past 2 months, LONG DISTANCE calls that we didn't make. One
was almost an hour to a cell phone (I don't know who they are), and several
calls to a Dr's office in Indianapolis (we don't have a Dr in Indy). They
kept telling us that we were messed up. We demanded that they come out &
check the lines, especially when DH called me on my cell phone while I was
at home, asked me if I was on the phone as he got a busy signal. I picked
up the house phone & I heard people talking! I interrupted their
conversation, and one of them hung up rather abruptly. DH called SBC for
the 5th time that day, and after still getting nowhere, we decided to leave
our house phones off the hook, unless we were making a call. We notified
all relatives & friends to call us on our cell phones. After 2 days of this
DH called the house phone, (he himself forgot to call my cell phone) and
someone picked it up after about 10 rings, identified himself as a worker
from SBC and that they were repairing the line. Next day our phone was
dead. we'd call our house phone from a cell phone & it would ring
continuously, but the phones in the house wouldn't be ringing. Then DH
remembered that a while back, before we got cable modem, we were on dialup
internet, so we got 2 phone lines. He went out to the junction box and
looked, the other line was still there, but not connected. He switched the
lines and viola! Our phone is back and now in fine working order. Since
the problem was in the phone co.'s lines, we had better not be billed for
the repair - and even if we are, we will be happy in knowing that the
suckers had to work out in the rainiest day of the fall.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"Bob M" wrote in message
...
---MIKE--- wrote:

I'm not supposed to have calls from telemarketers. I am registered on
the do not call list and I pay $5.00 a month to prevent unidentified
callers from getting through. I have still gotten calls from Verizon
trying to "improve" my service. I also have gotten calls from the Bush
people (but these get through because they are identified). These are
usually recorded messages so all I can do is hang up.

---MIKE---

Verizon is the worst!!!! I have DSL service through Verizon and I've
had it for almost 5 years. I still get calls about 4 times per week from
them wanting me to get DSL. I have told them over and over very nicely
and now VERY rudely that I already have their DSL. I have talked to
supervisors and the idiots still call me. Well 2 weeks ago I did get a
few more calling features on my line. One of them is a phone number
blocking service. Well guess who made it to be #1 on my list? Yup, you
win, Verizon. I haven't had a call from the idiots in 2 weeks. Thanks
for letting me vent. I get so bent out of shape anytime I have to deal
with the idiots at Verizon. And now I have to call them to correct my
phone bill. I have had their 5 cent long distance plan for months. But
this month they charged me 25 cents a minute for long distance calls.
This company is really amazing at how they find new ways to screw up.

Bob

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells"). We have
had, for the past 2 months, LONG DISTANCE calls that we didn't make. One
was almost an hour to a cell phone (I don't know who they are), and several
calls to a Dr's office in Indianapolis (we don't have a Dr in Indy). They
kept telling us that we were messed up. We demanded that they come out &
check the lines, especially when DH called me on my cell phone while I was
at home, asked me if I was on the phone as he got a busy signal. I picked
up the house phone & I heard people talking! I interrupted their
conversation, and one of them hung up rather abruptly. DH called SBC for
the 5th time that day, and after still getting nowhere, we decided to leave
our house phones off the hook, unless we were making a call. We notified
all relatives & friends to call us on our cell phones. After 2 days of this
DH called the house phone, (he himself forgot to call my cell phone) and
someone picked it up after about 10 rings, identified himself as a worker
from SBC and that they were repairing the line. Next day our phone was
dead. we'd call our house phone from a cell phone & it would ring
continuously, but the phones in the house wouldn't be ringing. Then DH
remembered that a while back, before we got cable modem, we were on dialup
internet, so we got 2 phone lines. He went out to the junction box and
looked, the other line was still there, but not connected. He switched the
lines and viola! Our phone is back and now in fine working order. Since
the problem was in the phone co.'s lines, we had better not be billed for
the repair - and even if we are, we will be happy in knowing that the
suckers had to work out in the rainiest day of the fall.

--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"Bob M" wrote in message
...
---MIKE--- wrote:

I'm not supposed to have calls from telemarketers. I am registered on
the do not call list and I pay $5.00 a month to prevent unidentified
callers from getting through. I have still gotten calls from Verizon
trying to "improve" my service. I also have gotten calls from the Bush
people (but these get through because they are identified). These are
usually recorded messages so all I can do is hang up.

---MIKE---

Verizon is the worst!!!! I have DSL service through Verizon and I've
had it for almost 5 years. I still get calls about 4 times per week from
them wanting me to get DSL. I have told them over and over very nicely
and now VERY rudely that I already have their DSL. I have talked to
supervisors and the idiots still call me. Well 2 weeks ago I did get a
few more calling features on my line. One of them is a phone number
blocking service. Well guess who made it to be #1 on my list? Yup, you
win, Verizon. I haven't had a call from the idiots in 2 weeks. Thanks
for letting me vent. I get so bent out of shape anytime I have to deal
with the idiots at Verizon. And now I have to call them to correct my
phone bill. I have had their 5 cent long distance plan for months. But
this month they charged me 25 cents a minute for long distance calls.
This company is really amazing at how they find new ways to screw up.

Bob

Bill Stock wrote:

I had just finished making my lunch (Grilled Bacon & Cheese) and I was on
the way to the PC to catch up on the group, when the phone rang. So I
stopped to answer the phone, neglecting to check the Caller ID first. Damn
cable company sales type, wanting to increase my already insanely high cable
bill. So I'm listening to his pitch and Smokey came along following the
CHEESE. Smokey starts purring up a storm in the vicinity of the phone, so I
let her continue to see if I got a reaction from the TM. The TM never did
let on that he heard someone purring at him, but he did seem a little off
his game. He'll be telling all the other TMs how friendly the customers were
today.



Not a telemarketer, but I got rid of a pan handler the other day. I was
sitting in the van, reading, listening to the radio, and waiting for Jim
to get off of work; when a pan handler came up to the van and went into
his spiel. He (and his mother) were up here for the hospital and were
trying to get back to South Carolina, but they didn't have the gas
money, and could I help? He was really good, I almost reached for my
purse. Then I thought, wait a minute, I don't have enough money to buy
the stuff we need, so what am I doing here?

So I apologized to him and told him our sob story. He said that he and
his mom would pray for us to have an easier time of it and that he was
sorry to have bothered me. He then walked over to the next occupied
vehicle and hit them up for money.

Pam S. am I good or what?

Bill Stock wrote:

I had just finished making my lunch (Grilled Bacon & Cheese) and I was on
the way to the PC to catch up on the group, when the phone rang. So I
stopped to answer the phone, neglecting to check the Caller ID first. Damn
cable company sales type, wanting to increase my already insanely high cable
bill. So I'm listening to his pitch and Smokey came along following the
CHEESE. Smokey starts purring up a storm in the vicinity of the phone, so I
let her continue to see if I got a reaction from the TM. The TM never did
let on that he heard someone purring at him, but he did seem a little off
his game. He'll be telling all the other TMs how friendly the customers were
today.



Not a telemarketer, but I got rid of a pan handler the other day. I was
sitting in the van, reading, listening to the radio, and waiting for Jim
to get off of work; when a pan handler came up to the van and went into
his spiel. He (and his mother) were up here for the hospital and were
trying to get back to South Carolina, but they didn't have the gas
money, and could I help? He was really good, I almost reached for my
purse. Then I thought, wait a minute, I don't have enough money to buy
the stuff we need, so what am I doing here?

So I apologized to him and told him our sob story. He said that he and
his mom would pray for us to have an easier time of it and that he was
sorry to have bothered me. He then walked over to the next occupied
vehicle and hit them up for money.

Pam S. am I good or what?

Bill Stock wrote:

I had just finished making my lunch (Grilled Bacon & Cheese) and I was on
the way to the PC to catch up on the group, when the phone rang. So I
stopped to answer the phone, neglecting to check the Caller ID first. Damn
cable company sales type, wanting to increase my already insanely high cable
bill. So I'm listening to his pitch and Smokey came along following the
CHEESE. Smokey starts purring up a storm in the vicinity of the phone, so I
let her continue to see if I got a reaction from the TM. The TM never did
let on that he heard someone purring at him, but he did seem a little off
his game. He'll be telling all the other TMs how friendly the customers were
today.



Not a telemarketer, but I got rid of a pan handler the other day. I was
sitting in the van, reading, listening to the radio, and waiting for Jim
to get off of work; when a pan handler came up to the van and went into
his spiel. He (and his mother) were up here for the hospital and were
trying to get back to South Carolina, but they didn't have the gas
money, and could I help? He was really good, I almost reached for my
purse. Then I thought, wait a minute, I don't have enough money to buy
the stuff we need, so what am I doing here?

So I apologized to him and told him our sob story. He said that he and
his mom would pray for us to have an easier time of it and that he was
sorry to have bothered me. He then walked over to the next occupied
vehicle and hit them up for money.

Pam S. am I good or what?

Magic Mood Jeep© wrote:

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells").


Sprint. It really sucks and doesn't sprint. Sprint was charging us
money to be hooked to AT&T, and AT&T was charging us money to be hooked
up to them and not only were we unable to use our long distance, but
each company blamed the other for the problem and no one wanted to fix
it. So we shut off the long distance, and use our Alltel account for
all long distance.

SPRINT SUCKS

Pam S.

Magic Mood Jeep© wrote:

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells").


Sprint. It really sucks and doesn't sprint. Sprint was charging us
money to be hooked to AT&T, and AT&T was charging us money to be hooked
up to them and not only were we unable to use our long distance, but
each company blamed the other for the problem and no one wanted to fix
it. So we shut off the long distance, and use our Alltel account for
all long distance.

SPRINT SUCKS

Pam S.

Magic Mood Jeep© wrote:

Try deals with SBC (formerly Ameritech, one of the "Baby Bells").


Sprint. It really sucks and doesn't sprint. Sprint was charging us
money to be hooked to AT&T, and AT&T was charging us money to be hooked
up to them and not only were we unable to use our long distance, but
each company blamed the other for the problem and no one wanted to fix
it. So we shut off the long distance, and use our Alltel account for
all long distance.

SPRINT SUCKS

Pam S.