Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on December 10, 2012, 04:33:38 PMQuote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on December 10, 2012, 04:32:21 PM
I like how you don't piss off the ones who are just trying to get through the day, but instead give them something to talk about at the next party they go to. "Oh, my GOD... There was this one call I made last week--"
That's the whole idea. EVERYONE is a jerk to telemarketers, arguably one of the worst jobs in America. I'd rather give them something weird to laugh about.
Unless they're hard-sell assholes. Then I unload a bit.
I heartily support this!
There was a phase a few years ago when our phone was getting carpet bombed from India with calls about refinancing. I realized that these people were doing a crappy job, for crappy money and getting shit tons of abuse from people. You can have fun with them without being an asshole.
One day, we had our 3000th call from India about the mortgage. I replied "I'm sorry, but I don't speak English" to which they apologized (in English of course) and hung up.
For some reason, I had a particularly lazy Jehovah's Witness call. Ordinarily, they do the door to door thing, but I guess they wanted to try something new and edgy. So, I answered absolutely every question with only a yes or no answer and offered no other response. For added yuks, I did so in a silly voice so that I said "Yelz" rather than yes. (It's a stupid in-joke I have with Mrs Mang and the kids...sounds a bit like Mr Burns from the Simpsons.)
So the JW says "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
Me: Yelz.
JW: Did you just say Yes?
Me: Yelz.
JW: Yes? You said yes? I thought you said yes.
Me: Yelz.
This went on for a good 5 mins and I got to hear her run through her script. I don't know how I managed to get through that without laughing because the longer it went on, the more absurd it was. "Do you ever wonder why there's evil in the world?" Yelz. Do you have any thoughts on it? No. etc
When it's hard-sell, I get entrenched in No and point out that I am only saying No simply because of their attitude. One pushy sales girl who wanted to sell me replacement windows actually laughed when she realized her Glengarry Glenross sales bubble got popped. "You mean to tell me that you are refusing our offer to build you a conservatory simply because I called you?" Yup, that's right sweetie, I would have considered your offer if only you hadn't phoned.