Why do telemarketers think I won't hang up on a recorded message?

[jane_pippin]

Do they think they're tricking me? I especially love when I get calls and the first thing I hear is muzak.
Oooh, how nice! Someone has taken it upon themselves to send me a jaunty tune! Hooray, it's Nickleback in muzak form! I feel so alive!"

Why?

[atomic-fly]

1. You hang up on muzak? How rude of you.

I think my account should be credited 50-cent for every unsolicited call I get. I'm not paying for them to use my phone.

[SOteric]

2. I'm pretty sure they expect you to hang up on the recorded message

In fact, I'm sure they expect most people to hang up on the recorded message. But for the one or two lonely, impressionable, hopelessly silly sods who might have actually lingered on the line until the marketer picked up, they have managed to hone their marketing time and target with efficiency.

[jane_pippin]

3. Well, if one is that lonely/bored/stupid/etc., to sit through all that

then they not only deserve to get the sales pitch, but they must also buy something from the telemarketer.

[KG]

4. or , that i will 'stay on the line for this important recorded message!'

[chaska]

5. Despite years of coaching, my parents won't hang up on anyone or anything.

'S hopeless.

[jane_pippin]

6. Yeah, my gramma was like that too. Too polite to hang up...

but a recording? They don't have feelings. Maybe that could be a way to save your parents some trouble.

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. This is why Dog invented Caller ID

I don't recognize the number, I ain't answerin'. :boring:

[IntravenousDemilo]

20. I got rid of my caller ID

Because I will answer the phone willy-nilly. If I don't want to talk to the caller, I say so. And if he or she persists, I just say "ehh, fuck off".

Sometimes I even look forward to it, when I feel my "ehh, fuck off" skills are getting rusty and I need the practice.

[edbermac]

8. "Please hold for an impor"....CLICK

:grr:

[Democrats_win]

16. Whoever came up with that was a marketing school dropout.

[henslee]

9. How about a credit card company that starts the conversation with

a recorded message that says, please stay on the line, a representative will be right with you.

[jane_pippin]

10. No kidding! Yeah. As if I'm going to stay on the line so somebody can yell

at me for not paying my bill. I know I didn't pay it. I'll get to it when I have the money. Stop calling me.

[Left Is Write]

11. Good question.

I always hang up on recorded messages that say, "Please stay on the line! We have an important message for you blah blah blah..."

Hey, YOU called ME and expect me to WAIT for you? Uh...no.

[jane_pippin]

13. That's the worst one. It makes me swear. A lot. n/t

[Mutley]

12. I'm MORE likely to hang up on the recording than an actual person.

I hate that crap.

[Tafiti]

14. "I feel so alive!"

:rofl:

Nickelback.

Ah, the joys of having a cell, and no landline service. :thumbsup:

[newyawker99]

15. I hate those phone calls.

:grr:

[obxhead]

17. I always wait.

Once I get a real human on the phone I tell them to hold. I love to see how long it will take for them to get the point. My record is 22 minutes of them listening to my music before they hang up.

[davsand]

18. I think you get that when the auto-dialer goes too fast.

I remember seeing someplace that you get that automated message when the computer dials too fast for the telemarketers to keep up. I always screen calls with the answering machine anyhow--so I could give a crap if it is a "please hold for a very important call" message.

Has anyone ever used one of those "Call Zapper" things that emits a tone like your phone is disconnected? I REALLY want to try one because they supposedly cut your automated calls out completely. I will spend the cash for one if anyone can tell me they have tried them and they work.


Laura

[sniffa]

19. ooh, the zapper

i Like my approach better...

once you get a human on the Line, spray a boat horn into the receiver.

if you're Lucky, bLood wiLL fLow from his/her ear.

[IntravenousDemilo]

21. The worst thing is to pick up and there's no one on the other end.

Hello? Hello? Who is this? Hello?

Nothing. And this happens at varying times of the afternoon or evening. The computer is acting as a scout in advance of the raiding party. It's establishing your availability patterns, recording what time you're home, so the TMs will know when to call.

Needless to say, I immediately *69 the call and ring them up at a different time of the day. Usually I get someone in management, not just an innocent TM trying to do his job, at which point I proceed to verbally take him apart, joint by joint, and threaten legal action, since I'm on the Canadian "do not call" list.