No to cold caller

[M-theory]

I have been hung up on by telemarketers whose services I have refused!
...
and if they do call again I will automatically switch to a competitor.

Well, whatever works.

I'll be very interested to see if they call you again - in the States and Canada, highspeed Internet tends to be dominated by one or 2 companies in the local market, so it's hard to make good on that threat, however much I'd like to.

[JoW]

You're all lucky that telemarketers in your country accept "No thanks, I'm not interested" as a response.
In Israel, it gives them a reason to ask "Why?" and they act as if you owe them something.

Beat them to the punch.  Hang up on them.  Tell them you are not interested, say goodbye, and put the phone back on the hook.  Don't yell.  Don't slam the phone in their ear.  Just say "goodbye" and hang up.  Thats what I did before the US got the DoNotCall list.  It usually worked reasonably well. 

[Pinky830]

DH got a cold call from some guy once when he was in just the wrong mood. The guy started asking him what stocks he owned and DH said, "None of your business."

That stopped the guy cold. "What?"

"Seriously. None of your business."

Guy evidently was in just the wrong mood as well and said, "Well, what makes you say that?"

"OK, then you share with me. How often do you play Scrabble with your wife?"

"I'm not married."

"OK, fine. How often do you play Scrabble with your hand?"

"Every day."

"Well, heck don't let me keep you. Sounds like you've got stuff to do. Bye."

That wasn't all! The guy called him AGAIN late that evening, evidently with a few beers under his belt, and said, "Hey, Mr. Pinky! Guess what I'm doing?"

DH couldn't think of anything to do but laugh.

[Shoo]

You're all lucky that telemarketers in your country accept "No thanks, I'm not interested" as a response.
In Israel, it gives them a reason to ask "Why?" and they act as if you owe them something.

Beat them to the punch.  Hang up on them.  Tell them you are not interested, say goodbye, and put the phone back on the hook.  Don't yell.  Don't slam the phone in their ear.  Just say "goodbye" and hang up.  Thats what I did before the US got the DoNotCall list.  It usually worked reasonably well. 

This is what I usually do, too.  I'm pleasant enough.  I just say, Thanks, but I'm not interested.  Bye.  Then I hang up.

But sometimes, just before I actually push the button to hang up, I can hear the person on the other end of the line saying, "Wait!  Wait!" and then something else, but I click the button.

Is it rude to hang up on someone who is still talking to you?

[Suze]

You're all lucky that telemarketers in your country accept "No thanks, I'm not interested" as a response.
In Israel, it gives them a reason to ask "Why?" and they act as if you owe them something.

Beat them to the punch.  Hang up on them.  Tell them you are not interested, say goodbye, and put the phone back on the hook.  Don't yell.  Don't slam the phone in their ear.  Just say "goodbye" and hang up.  Thats what I did before the US got the DoNotCall list.  It usually worked reasonably well. 

This is what I usually do, too.  I'm pleasant enough.  I just say, Thanks, but I'm not interested.  Bye.  Then I hang up.

But sometimes, just before I actually push the button to hang up, I can hear the person on the other end of the line saying, "Wait!  Wait!" and then something else, but I click the button.

Is it rude to hang up on someone who is still talking to you?

Not for a sales call....

do you stay by those kisoks at the mall just becase they are still talking?

a polite goodbye and just hang up is what I do as well.

[rhirhi]

Not for a sales call....

do you stay by those kisoks at the mall just becase they are still talking?

a polite goodbye and just hang up is what I do as well.

I've found a way to keep the dead sea people from bothering me. I bite my fingernails. Every time I walk past (which is fairly often- they are in front of the local tobacco store.

[Shopaholic]

You're all lucky that telemarketers in your country accept "No thanks, I'm not interested" as a response.
In Israel, it gives them a reason to ask "Why?" and they act as if you owe them something.

Beat them to the punch.  Hang up on them.  Tell them you are not interested, say goodbye, and put the phone back on the hook.  Don't yell.  Don't slam the phone in their ear.  Just say "goodbye" and hang up.  Thats what I did before the US got the DoNotCall list.  It usually worked reasonably well. 

Practiced that today:
Telemarketer: Because you've purchased from StupidAnnoyingCompany, you've won the free opportunity to participate in weekly lottery draws...
Me: No thanks, not interested.
T: But wait...
M: No thanks, not interested, bye!
T: Thanks, have a nice day

Now THAT is evolution.

[Giggity]

It's one thing to discuss the rude behaviors of a general group of people but when the topic seques to stories of either how someone was one-on-one rude with a telemarketer, customer service rep, client, neighbor, etc in RL or encouraging people to be rude, that's an entirely different issue which cannot be condoned on this forum. 

Please, people, enough. Messing with telemarketers just because you can is rude, and boasting about one's rudeness is absolutely unacceptable on this forum. It's neither cute nor funny.

Is it rude to tell one you've been declared incompetent? (If it's a matter of the lying, I have friends who'll be happy to certify me.)

[Suze]

It's one thing to discuss the rude behaviors of a general group of people but when the topic seques to stories of either how someone was one-on-one rude with a telemarketer, customer service rep, client, neighbor, etc in RL or encouraging people to be rude, that's an entirely different issue which cannot be condoned on this forum. 

Please, people, enough. Messing with telemarketers just because you can is rude, and boasting about one's rudeness is absolutely unacceptable on this forum. It's neither cute nor funny.

Is it rude to tell one you've been declared incompetent? (If it's a matter of the lying, I have friends who'll be happy to certify me.)

>giggle<

Yes it is

and you know stories of doing stuff like this will get the thread locked

pronto

[cass2591]

Here's a rhetorical question for you--why not just say "no thank you" rather than mess with someone? It probably takes less time.

I'm thinking you're just joking, but seriously, this topic has been one that we've battled so much I have no sense of humor about it.

And so, as was predicted, we're done.