How to win friends and stop the damn phone from ringing

[Judy Thompson]

The phone rings at 7:30 pm;  "hi, my name is Dave mumble mumble and I just want to ask you a few quick political survey questions about..." 

 

"--Dave, I really don't have time for this,  and I would soooo appreciate it if you could take us off your call list, hon, could you do that for us?"

 

"Well, sure, I'll do that right away--sorry you couldn't answer the survey--?"

 

"I've already answered it twice, that does seem like pushing, to me..."

 

"You know, you're absolutely right,   I'll get your name off the list right now:  and have a nice night now, okay?"

 

And the cry of the ringing phone is heard no more (it really does work)...

[Judy Thompson]

new wrinkle now;  going after the female vote:  tonight, a lovely southern older lady wanted me to know there was to be an e-lec-tion in November, for Pres-i-dent, and if you  would so kindly answer a few questions ...

I surely hated to interrupt her, but my potatoes were beginning to boil, and so was I.  I asked her nicely if she could please add me to the 'do not call list" and she said she would,  immediately, and apologized for interrupting me.

The scent of gardenia still wafts through  the room, now and then.

 

I love those surveys  too, but sometimes they are so slanted you need pitons and a climbing rope to stay upright...

[Mike Handley]

I love political surveys. Love the psychology behind the wording of the questions. It's the only time I talk politics with strangers.

[Jamie Hogan]

I've gotten to know that suspicious silence after I say hello, the one that signals a computer has heard my voice and is dropping the call to a rep. I generally no longer have the phone in my hand by the time they are saying "Hi Mr. Hogan..."

[Robert Crisman]

They always ask me my name. i ask them theirs. As soon as they say who they're with I tell them not interested, don't call again, and hang up. Works every time.

[Judy Thompson]

Im not kidding, this really works.  If you get a live one, they are usually college kids, and are totally clueless about the do not call laws.  I tell them im not me, and please take me off the list, and by the time they've figured that out,  the phonecall is loooong over...so far this week we've had exactly one call.  Considering  the nightmare before the last election,  this ain't bad.

[Judy Thompson]

i figured out that i was a real grownup when I was brave enough to actually ask them to stop calling please. Some of them hang up on YOU. lol

 

[Cita]

I have a friend who says that she knew she was a real grown up when she could answer the phone, hear that it was a telemarketer and hang up immediately without having said a word.