Cold calling energy sales

[Spirits High]

Oh I so wish I could record my phonecalls! That's my best one yet.

Just had a "foreign" sounding lady on the phone asking to speak to whoever pays the energy bills. I told her it was the dog, "oh" she replied and said she couldn't speak to the dog so I offered to let her speak to the Cat as the dog & cat were married. She said No but are you sure the Dog pays your energy bills!! I said Yes and the Goldfish go's for the morning paper.

I then told her I could translate from Dog to English for her and should I call the dog? She said that would be great!!! So I sat with the phone in my hand Whistling for "rover" for a good 30 seconds or so and then said to her Sorry I think he's gone walkies would you like to call back.....She hung up!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

HAHA, very creative!

[hammy]

That is hilarious

:Laugh:

[Charlie Brown]

I'm sure the lady trying to earn a living found it hilarious!

What you said is funny Paul but what's wrong with saying 'sorry, I'm not interested?'

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I'm sure the lady trying to earn a living found it hilarious!

What you said is funny Paul but what's wrong with saying 'sorry, I'm not interested?'

Are you for real Charlie???

You do say some really odd things at times.

[WWDJ]

what's wrong with saying 'sorry, I'm not interested?'

Because we need to educate the people that make these calls, that hard selling annoys people. Any good way of wasting their time gets the thumbs up from me.

[Spirits High]

I'm sure the lady trying to earn a living found it hilarious!

What you said is funny Paul but what's wrong with saying 'sorry, I'm not interested?'

I don't know if she did or didn't but I enjoyed myself so that's fine by me.

Can't do the "Sorry, not interested bit" Why should I say sorry to her , she called me ;)

[Corabar Entertainment]

.... what's wrong with saying 'sorry, I'm not interested?'Because usually their 'script' accounts for that reply and they have their next bit of spiel ready in response - ie "...and why would you not be interested in saving money, Sir?"

With most of them, you've got to get them 'off-script' to get them off the phone! (Either that, or hang up)

We're registered with CTPS, so shouldn't be getting cold calls at all, but we still receive a few a week. Usually a threat to report them works to get rid of them, but you still get those that decide to push their luck!!!

[Charlie Brown]

Sorry, I know that sounded daft but she is clearly trying to earn a living - just like a of us. I know it's a pain but she isn't doing it for fun.

If I had her job (money's money at the end of the day) Id feel really low with people rejecting me and being silly. I'd rather them not waste my time so I could call the next person.

PS - I'm not having a go Paul. I know loads of people who do it - my family included. I had a disagrement with Dad not too long ago.

[Corabar Entertainment]

If I had her job (money's money at the end of the day) Id feel really low with people rejecting me... Yeah.... knowing you, you'd fall for the spiel and buy whatever they're selling :p :p :p

[Mark Wild]

In May 1998 I became one of the first ever door to door sales people selling cheaper domestic mains 'Gas' for Calortex. (Calor Gas & Texaco) I made a mint !

12 months later electricity market was deregulated also, so I sold that too and made another mint ! 12 months later it became a saturated market so I stopped, now, 13 years on, it's a bloody circus lol.

Riveting story eh?!? :D

[deltic]

Because usually their 'script' accounts for that reply and they have their next bit of spiel ready in response - ie "...and why would you not be interested in saving money, Sir?"

With most of them, you've got to get them 'off-script' to get them off the phone! (Either that, or hang up)

We're registered with CTPS, so shouldn't be getting cold calls at all, but we still receive a few a week. Usually a threat to report them works to get rid of them, but you still get those that decide to push their luck!!!

if only i could register,but because we are on a 5 digit exchange the system does not allow it,can't do the fax preference for the same reason,had to unplug it years ago.

[Gareth]

That's really weird - I have literally just opened the front door and there was a young lady foreign lady there informing me of the telephone exchange upgrade and that I can receive free 24mb broadband! Shibby - I think I'm going to pass on this occasion though...

[Kernow]

In May 1998 I became one of the first ever door to door sales people selling cheaper domestic mains 'Gas' for Calortex. (Calor Gas & Texaco) I made a mint !

12 months later electricity market was deregulated also, so I sold that too and made another mint ! 12 months later it became a saturated market so I stopped, now, 13 years on, it's a bloody circus lol.

Riveting story eh?!? :D

Was that in Cornwall Mark ?......... if so, I made good money re-converting them to Eastern ;) :D

[Mark Wild]

Was that in Cornwall Mark ?......... if so, I made good money re-converting them to Eastern ;) :D

It was indeed mate and yes you lot popped up after we'd cleaned up lol, no claw backs for them changing AGAIN ! Like I said 'a circus' :p

[Kernow]

It was indeed mate and yes you lot popped up after we'd cleaned up lol, no claw backs for them changing AGAIN ! Like I said 'a circus' :p
Not yet ? ;)

HOT NEWS from yesterday
http://www.moneyfour.com/2011/07/energy-companies-who-mis-sell-must-compensate-consumers/

:eek: :D :D

[Jonny Boy]

Sorry, I know that sounded daft but she is clearly trying to earn a living - just like a of us. I know it's a pain but she isn't doing it for fun.

If I had her job (money's money at the end of the day) Id feel really low with people rejecting me and being silly. I'd rather them not waste my time so I could call the next person.

PS - I'm not having a go Paul. I know loads of people who do it - my family included. I had a disagrement with Dad not too long ago.

Yup - gotta go against the grain and agree with Charlie. :eek:
I've worked in call centres in the past (incoming and outgoing) and these jobs suck big time: i remember how i used to feel some days <shudder>. You never know Paul: you may just have been the final straw that girl needed to go and throw herself under a tuk-tuk. ;-)

Although I'll admit they way & how long you had the poor woman going for did make me LOL - quite original.
Sadly many call centre staff are not empowered enough to say "well i can see you're not interested, sir, I'm sorry to have bothered you." - they have to play along with silly games like this to keep their jobs.

[Spirits High]

Yup - gotta go against the grain and agree with Charlie. :eek:
I've worked in call centres in the past (incoming and outgoing) and these jobs suck big time: i remember how i used to feel some days <shudder>. You never know Paul: you may just have been the final straw that girl needed to go and throw herself under a tuk-tuk. ;-)

Oh Please, you are having a laugh aren't you telling her the Dog pays the energy bills hardly makes me Denis Neilson :D

There is a distinct lack of sense of humour from some members.



Although I'll admit they way & how long you had the poor woman going for did make me LOL - quite original.
Sadly many call centre staff are not empowered enough to say "well i can see you're not interested, sir, I'm sorry to have bothered you." - they have to play along with silly games like this to keep their jobs.

"Silly games" :confused: She could have hung up at any point earlier than the 3mins 35seconds that she did. Remember she called me I didn't call her.

[funkymook]

"Silly games" :confused: She could have hung up at any point earlier than the 3mins 35seconds that she did. Remember she called me I didn't call her.

Probably not - usually you are not allowed to end the call yourself in these type of jobs (and you are monitored by very sophisticated call centre statistical analysis software, you can't get away with anything!).

You'll probably find opinion is divided between people who have done this sort of job before and those who haven't.

I have (and have also analysed and reported on call centre stats), so understand the pressures on call times, conversion rates, being pulled up for not meeting targets etc. So I tend to have sympathies with the people doing the job. A polite 'No thank you' and putting the phone down myself is my preferred method, it's hardly a level playing field for a battle of wit and repartee.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Sorry but people have a choice in what job they do, no sympathy from me.

[Charlie Brown]

Sorry but people have a choice in what job they do, no sympathy from me.

Some people don't have a choice, especially in these difficult times.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Some people don't have a choice, especially in these difficult times.

Although I do understand that sometimes it's not the fult of the poor salesperson on the end of the phone, can I ask you Charlie, how often have you been on the end of a sales call that just will not take 'no' for an answer no matter how you say it, or how often?

[funkymook]

Sorry but people have a choice in what job they do, no sympathy from me.

You really believe that do you? You honestly think it's that easy to get a job that everyone has a totally free choice on what they have to do to provide for their family?

What a lovely privileged world that must be - shame most people aren't on the same planet as you!

[funkymook]

Although I do understand that sometimes it's not the fult of the poor salesperson on the end of the phone, can I ask you Charlie, how often have you been on the end of a sales call that just will not take 'no' for an answer no matter how you say it, or how often?

And what stops you saying 'No thank you - I'm ending this call now' and putting the phone down?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

You really believe that do you? You honestly think it's that easy to get a job that everyone has a totally free choice on what they have to do to provide for their family?

What a lovely privileged world that must be - shame most people aren't on the same planet as you!

So I should be polite to these people ringing up saying rubbish like "Do you want to be on the first page on google" etc.. just because they may have a family?
We shouldn't waste their time like Paul did because cold callers have rang us during busy periods and wasted our time?

Sorry but I don't believe anyone going into a cold calling job don't know that they're going to get people shouting, swearing and screaming at them.

[Corabar Entertainment]

And what stops you saying 'No thank you - I'm ending this call now' and putting the phone down?
Maybe because I'm too polite to put the phone down on people: it goes completely against the grain. (The only person I ever hang up on is Steve :p )

Also, Martin, bear in mind that I shouldn't be getting any of these calls in the first place seeing as we're registered not to receive them, and frequently I have been sworn and shouted at, but I am never rude in return (although I probably sound pretty impatient.) Regardless of company policy, or how frustrated they may be, there's no excuse for that sort of behaviour.

[funkymook]

So I should be polite to these people ringing up saying rubbish like "Do you want to be on the first page on google" etc.. just because they may have a family?
We shouldn't waste their time like Paul did because cold callers have rang us during busy periods and wasted our time?

Sorry but I don't believe anyone going into a cold calling job don't know that they're going to get people shouting, swearing and screaming at them.

Are you actually saying shouting, swearing and screaming at someone is acceptable just because you haven't the common sense to put the phone down?

There are much better ways of venting this pent-up anger than at some poor sod in a call centre!

[Charlie Brown]

Although I do understand that sometimes it's not the fult of the poor salesperson on the end of the phone, can I ask you Charlie, how often have you been on the end of a sales call that just will not take 'no' for an answer no matter how you say it, or how often?

I'd just put the phone down so they can move onto the next person OR as I've done the past (Keyworld Media is a good example) I'll sign up. :sj:

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Are you actually saying shouting, swearing and screaming at someone is acceptable just because you haven't the common sense to put the phone down?

There are much better ways of venting this pent-up anger than at some poor sod in a call centre!

Indeed, like Paul did yet some people aren't happy with that response!

I haven't shouted or anything like that but clearly other people have done (not from this thread I have to add).

Putting the phone down doesn't always work either, Angela has already said she shouldn't be receiving any calls like this too. Why don't these companies put their time and effort into more acceptable marketing methods?

[BossmanKaraokeDisco]

I'd just put the phone down so they can move onto the next person OR as I've done the past (Keyworld Media is a good example) I'll sign up. :sj:

I'm with you Charlie, I put the phone down after telling them I will just fetch the person and that is where the phone stays, eventually you hear the tone saying they have hung up.
Had one actually hold for 23 minutes once...:D

[funkymook]

I can't get my head around 'my time is so precious how dare they call me - so I'll keep the call as long as possible by being stupid to teach them a lesson!'

They really don't collapse in tears and vow to never make another call again you know, they move on to the next one and you're forgotten in seconds.

And remember they're getting paid for their time, you're not!

[Charlie Brown]

Had one actually hold for 23 minutes once...:D

Hilarious.

[Kernow]

And what stops you saying 'No thank you - I'm ending this call now' and putting the phone down?

Probably the fact that they will ring me again, and again, and again.........ad infinitum. :mad:
It's unrealistic to believe that making a nuisance of oneself will persuade them not to call again. ;)
It would be nice though, if they could record that one is not interested and refrain from calling again 2 days later !!. That borders on harrassment !:mad: Regrettably the reality is that they are mostly overseas, given a random selection of phone numbers, a script, and targets. Maybe if they were a little more considerate they might receive reciprocation ? :)

[BeerFunk]

I tend not to answer the landline, it's only really there for the broadband. If I do answer it and it's a cold caller, I am polite and respectful enough about it, yet still abrupt enough to avoid wasting their time as well as mine.

I don't agree with playing games with them either, if you're not happy about the situation, take your complaint to a higher level. It's always the customer-facing staff working for peanuts who take the abuse.

When I used to work in Asda a few years back, a woman told me I had ruined her Christmas because we didn't have something in stock. I'm disgusted with myself now, but I actually apologised to her about it :o

Anyway, what about sales people knocking on your door? I'm guessing they get a little more respect, but why?

[Spirits High]

Anyway, what about sales people knocking on your door? I'm guessing they get a little more respect, but why?

Not from me they don't!

If they're daft enough to ask if I want new windows ,doors, soffits ,fascias etc. I sarcastically get them to take a step back and actually look at the front of my house for their answer.

Not had a cold caller for energy sales or similar but they would be told that I produce my own electricity via the Donkey tied to the Donkey wheel in the back garden. When they ask about Gas I just ask them if they've seen (& heard) the effect beans have on my Mrs, plenty of Gas there :D

Think they'd get the message ;)

[Mark Wild]

Think they'd get the message ;)

They certainly would ;)

[Corabar Steve]

I just tell them to bugger off :sj:

[BossmanKaraokeDisco]

Anyway, what about sales people knocking on your door? I'm guessing they get a little more respect, but why?

They get the rather large German Shepherd pointed in their direction, they tend not to wait for an answer

[Jonny Boy]

Sorry but people have a choice in what job they do, no sympathy from me.

You're absolutely right: I never thought of it that way.

After all, Mumbai has plenty of rubbish tips that can be searched through for recycleable items.
No entrepreneurial spirit, that's their problem, by jingo!

:zip: :p ;)

[Jonny Boy]

Oh Please, you are having a laugh aren't you

Yeah, Dude: I was being somewhat hyperbolic, yes.


telling her the Dog pays the energy bills hardly makes me Denis Neilson :D


No, no. It certainly doesn't, sir.
Nor Stephen Fry, either. LOL :p ;)

It's just projected guilt, man. I laughed out at your tale and then felt instantly guilty! :eek:

[DJ Paulie]

Jack Dee sums it up !

&#x202a;Cold calling - Jack Dee Live at the Apollo - BBC stand up comedy&#x202c;&rlm; - YouTube