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Jenn ([info]wankaholic) wrote in [info]otf_wank,
@ 2007-01-19 16:10:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Does wank + telemarketing = phone sex?
Oh, customers_suck, you bastion of wank.

[info]shadowsync posts a potentially wanky list of things to do when a telemarketer calls (how to get them to stop calling you the polite way, but phrased badly).

Of course, it's customers_suck. Are they going to let them live it down?

Not if they can help it!

Be sure to look out for [info]tigerwolf's comment about his newly-purchased airhorn (second page), and [info]susano_otter's comment about how telemarketing is equivalent to selling yourself (second linked thread, last comment).

And, of course, there's a condensed version of the stupid on stupid_free.

Telemarketing: only the strong survive.

ETA: Fixed to include link to original post.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]whimsy_chan
2007-01-19 11:27 pm UTC (link)
Man, people are so weird about their phones. It's like it's some kind of Pavlovian response--the phone is ringing... MUST ANSWER IT. I just don't get that.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]hallidae
2007-01-19 11:30 pm UTC (link)
See, this is why I'm so happy I don't have a landline. If my cell rings, I know it's either someone I know, or something important (unless it's a drunken wrong number at 4AM, then I'm pissed), so there's no reason for me to not answer.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]whimsy_chan
2007-01-19 11:46 pm UTC (link)
I'm glad I have caller ID and an answering machine. If I don't recognize the number, I don't pick up. If I'm in the middle of something and someone calls, I let them leave a message and call them back as soon as I can. The last thing I'm going to bitch about is the phone interrupting my life.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


iwanttobeasleep
2007-01-20 12:30 am UTC (link)
By my understanding, that might soon end. Apparently, since so many people are ditching landlines for cell phones, the telemarketing companies are lobbying to be allowed to call cell phones. Which is just all kinds of evil, if you ask me.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2007-01-20 12:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]antigone, 2007-01-20 01:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]gloria_mundi, 2007-01-20 02:19 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]antigone, 2007-01-20 02:22 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mydruthers, 2007-01-20 02:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]thesilentsenshi, 2007-01-20 02:36 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lady_red, 2007-01-20 04:11 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]loonylupinlover, 2007-01-20 05:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bubosquared, 2007-01-20 11:50 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-01-20 04:14 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2007-01-21 08:34 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]rosalita, 2007-01-20 01:01 am UTC
telemarkers are not going to get your cell phone number - [info]mrbimble, 2007-01-21 02:08 am UTC
Re: telemarkers are not going to get your cell phone number - iwanttobeasleep, 2007-01-21 02:10 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-01-22 04:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bigbigtruck, 2007-01-22 06:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bigbigtruck, 2007-01-22 06:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]miraba, 2007-01-22 07:16 pm UTC

[info]demonbean
2007-01-20 12:31 am UTC (link)
Actually, I've started getting spam telemarketing calls (I don't know what to call them other than spam) on my cell phone ... in Spanish.

So who knows.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]dandywolves, 2007-01-20 02:15 am UTC

[info]tez
2007-01-20 12:41 am UTC (link)
Oi. I've been getting telemarketers on my cell phone -- though largely they're from places like Sprint and Comcast and people I've done business with -- and caller ID doesn't help me at all. Why? The school my mother works at (and my daughter attends) shows up as unlisted. So I have to answer all of those calls.

When they hear the words "cell phone" they tend to bugger off right fast though.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]thesilentsenshi, 2007-01-20 02:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]harrylovesron, 2007-01-20 04:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]your_face, 2007-01-20 06:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]harrylovesron, 2007-01-20 07:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]your_face, 2007-01-21 06:56 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]harrylovesron, 2007-01-21 09:27 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]lexin, 2007-01-22 01:12 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]harrylovesron, 2007-01-23 10:05 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]lexin, 2007-01-23 11:08 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]v_digitalwytch, 2007-01-22 08:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]your_face, 2007-01-23 05:45 am UTC

[info]harrylovesron
2007-01-20 04:30 am UTC (link)
I don't bother to keep a landline at school for that reason; I used to get drunken calls all the damn time (but we're a dry campus lol) with the occasional wrong number or telemarketer (thanks for whoring your students' numbers out, NKU). The only time my cell wakes me at odd hours is when my brother (who goes to work at 4 AM) feels like being an ass. *g* I was so glad to get a cell phone because I can control who gets the number for the most part...

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]also_not_a_pipe
2007-01-20 07:12 am UTC (link)
Somehow skimming this thread I managed to misread your comment and icon as in part, "If my cell phone rings at 4AM, it's either someone I know, or zombies."

I am highly disappointed that you didn't really say that.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]stella_polaris
2007-01-20 02:06 pm UTC (link)
They're allowed to call mobile phones here. (Here is Finland.) They're allowed to pick random numbers from phone books, if they want. I worked as a telemarketeer last summer. It was the most confusing job ever. I worked with the coolest people ever and my boss was just too nice (I guess you have to be an optimist to work in that profession long term), but the job itself sucked balls.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]airborne_rodent
2007-01-19 11:36 pm UTC (link)
Me either. I haven't talked to a telemarketer in years because I have this thing hooked up to my phone called an answering machine. It's amazing! If I want to talk to someone I do, if I don't I don't and if I miss a call I can call people back! What will they think of next?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]whimsy_chan
2007-01-19 11:44 pm UTC (link)
I know! It's crazy! Truly, the Future is now.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]dark_puck
2007-01-20 12:49 am UTC (link)
Unfortunately, I have a phone in my bedroom (at the mother's insistence). My brother is a heavy sleeper, so if I don't answer the phone, it is not going to stop ringing.

Currently, I just want to beat on the Chase Credit Card people. If you want to talk to my father, then don't fucking call during business hours!

...Sorry. I'll clean up.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]thesilentsenshi
2007-01-20 02:57 am UTC (link)
Oh same here. I'm fielding telemarketers calling for my mom all day. I love the ones calling for my dad. "He no longer lives here, sorry." *hang up*

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]dark_puck, 2007-01-20 04:18 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jat_sapphire, 2007-01-20 05:32 am UTC

(Anonymous)
2007-01-20 05:41 am UTC (link)
Gah, I know! Retired guys always call for my dad while he's at work. It's like they've forgotten when normal business hours are. Or they think everyone else is retired, too.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]your_face
2007-01-20 06:56 am UTC (link)
You, too? Chase has been calling my house advertising the same thing a million times now, even though my dad's already told them to STFU. He's about ready to terminate his account over this, that's how often they call.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]dark_puck, 2007-01-20 07:03 am UTC

[info]rosalita
2007-01-20 01:00 am UTC (link)
My ex was like that. He could not let the thing ring to save his life.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]luthe
2007-01-20 01:06 am UTC (link)
It's my form of TWS. Also, I get really annoyed when the phone rings, so...

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]thesilentsenshi
2007-01-20 01:58 am UTC (link)
I have to. Work only calls my house number, even though I've given them my cell and asked they call THAT NUMBER. Not to mention it's annoying to listen to the phone keep ringing.

I don't want to miss an extra shift at work because I'm trying to ignore telemarketers.

And now telemarketers have taken to leaving messages. >_>;

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]whimsy_chan
2007-01-20 05:10 am UTC (link)
See, but that's the beauty of an answering machine--you can screen your calls. :D

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]thesilentsenshi, 2007-01-20 07:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]eilan, 2007-01-20 10:39 am UTC

(Anonymous)
2007-01-20 03:41 am UTC (link)
Heh. I've always had a hard time grokking how people can let the phone go and NOT answer it. I have have sensory hypersensitivities and for me, the sound ranges from irritating to flat-out excruciating depending on the type and volume of the ringer.

The possibility of dealing with telemarketers is far less stressful in comparison.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]whimsy_chan
2007-01-20 05:09 am UTC (link)
My phone only rings twice before the machine picks up, so it never has a chance to become annoying.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

There's another way to know the phone is ringing without the ring:
[info]shaysdays
2007-01-22 06:55 am UTC (link)
You may want to look into phones that light up while/instead of ringing. It's kind of expensive, but I just found this one on Yahoo:
http://www.electronicexpress.com/product?prod_id=9835

Check with companies that specialize in the Deaf community, too- I also saw this for half the price:
http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1215_128&products_id=475

Hope you see this and it helps!

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]lady_red
2007-01-20 04:15 am UTC (link)
Because there's no possibility it might be about something important &/or somebody you want to talk to...?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]whimsy_chan, 2007-01-20 05:08 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-01-20 05:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]whimsy_chan, 2007-01-20 05:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]rimrunner, 2007-01-20 04:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]whimsy_chan, 2007-01-20 04:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-01-21 12:28 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]whimsy_chan, 2007-01-21 02:00 am UTC
(no subject) - iwanttobeasleep, 2007-01-21 02:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]whimsy_chan, 2007-01-21 05:29 am UTC
(no subject) - iwanttobeasleep, 2007-01-21 05:32 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-01-21 07:16 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2007-01-21 08:41 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2007-01-21 07:07 pm UTC (link)
I'm not weird about my phone. I'm weird about my time and my money, both of which telemarketers suck away from me (money if they call me on the cell). Most times you can't just not pick up the phone - you may be applying for a job. Your parents/grandparents/other loved ones may be in poor health. A million other reasons exist as to why you may want to answer those "unlisted" calls at any given time.

I don't have caller ID on my land line. Why? Because caller ID costs me money. When the telemarketers start paying for my caller ID, I'll be a little more willing to say I can avoid their intrusions if I want to.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]v_digitalwytch
2007-01-22 07:01 pm UTC (link)
It was over a decade or so ago on Miss Manners column where someone asked her what was the proper etiquette for answering when the phone and the doorbell were ringing at the same time. She replied that even though phones were pretty much a staple at this point in homes, they still are essentially a luxury item so the door had priority and that one wasn't obligated to answer the phone all the time.

At that point I gave up near breaking a leg trying to answer the phone (we had two large dogs that'd sprawl down the hallway where the phone was so to hurry ended up doing something like the football exercise with the tires between dog legs to get to there).

As far as the telemarketer thing goes, we're on the Do Not Call list which really ended up being nice since it's cut down dramatically the calls we'd get. However I'm still partial to the trick I'd use before it was created.

When I was working at Blockbuster Video, one of daily grind crap was to call those who had movies 3+ days late with a reminder that the movies were late and fees were accruing. Quite a few numbers would naturally end up disconnected since no one really thinks to update thier video membership when they change numbers or whatnot so one day I taped that initial tone before the recording kicks on that the number's not in service. I put it on my answer machine and followed it with my usual message. Since most telemarketers and the automated machine dialers will hang up at that tone, it worked rather nicely.

Did give my Dad a good shock the one time he called since at first he thought I'd fallen behind on my bills.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

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