OT calls from foriegn countries

Put em on "hold" and go to lunch.

I'd like to politely play with their heads. My competition is a cousin who talked one into quitting, and my mother who, in refining the definition of the phrase "absolutely free" got the woman on the other end to shout a very rude word before hanging up. The best I can do is not lose my cool when I hang up.

I mistook a potential customer for a telemarketer and almost hung up on him, too -- now I actually have to listen to the spiel to make sure.

AFAIUI, Hindi is a language rich in profanities.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

I love to play with these people.

I take up as much time as I can with them.

Once they have gone through their entire schpeil, I say, "Could you please repeat that?"

If they do, I ask, "what color underwear do you have on?"

If they change the subject, I ask, "Does your dog ever talk to you?"

Some are more hardheaded than others, and the longer it takes me, the more outrageous my questions become.

I love it when they finally get it. There is a "ding" sound from the other end.

Time is money to these people, and when you cost them time, you hit them in their cojones.

Steve

meanwhile, you're wasting yours. I just hang up.

I just hand the phone to my 6 yr old girl and say "it'd for you". She loves to talk on the phone!

I once had a collection agency caller explain that she was no longer permitted to call my number because of the excessive harassment to which she was subjected when she made twenty calls between 7:00 and

Spehro sez:

"AFAIUI, Hindi is a language rich in profanities."

Why, Yes! The major interpretation means: "The excrement of female barn fowl".

Bob (not a linguist) Swinney

Oh yeah- I've got a gun and I'm also married.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 16:45:30 -0800, Eric R Snow vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I ended up not being polite. If I piss enough of those guys off (well, if we all do) they will get harder and harder and more expensive to hire, and we may have less of them.

I'm also married, and my wife shoots (but not aw well as I yet) ;)

I used to get pissed at them but decided why not just have some fun. There are all sorts of ways to waste their time and have a chuckle.

"You're not from the finance company? Thank God! Do you all have a payment plan?

Act hard of hearing. "Speak up please. Can you spell that? Wait a minute. Let me turn up my hearing aid. You don't have to yell."

The printer toner scam. "Hello. We are the company that supplies your printer supplies. We are updating our records. What is your printer model number?" "I'm glad you called. We are about out but you will have to call over to purchasing. Here is the number (of the local police department)."

After wading through several menus of press one or press two, I finally got customer service. I asked the girl, "Is there a direct line to you?" Yes. Here is my e-mail and home phone number. Duh.

My all time favorite. Girl calls on line one, tells me her name and asks for the "owner or manager". Speaking. We're not interested. We are NOT interested. Hang up. Two minutes later, line two; same gal. "Is the owner or manager in." "Yolanda, is that you? (before she tells me her name) "Wha, wha yeah" "I'm certainly glad you returned my call. You know that past due car payment. If it is not in our office by close of business today, we will have to send out Big Jack to pick up your car. Friday? I don't know. I'll have to talk to my manager. Can you call back after lunch?" I would have loved to hear that conversation.