Against a backdrop of tens of thousands of complaints against cold calling, the UK Government is considering a new clampdown on companies behind cold calling. No doubt some vulnerable consumers will feel uncomfortable at receiving a telemarketing call.
It is also important to remember that a legitimate telemarketing industry can sometimes bring benefits to consumers. But for those people when it isn't beneficial, it can be pointless in opting into certain general telemarketing lists, such as the Telephone Preference Service. They don't always stop the calls.
Personally, incoming calls from businesses do not bother me. I have found that all one needs to do is talk a load of nonsense to the caller, and that one can indeed have some fun at the same time.
Many years ago, I myself worked in Outbound Telemarketing for one of the UK's leading companies. One day, the automatic dialling system got me through to a gentleman who explained that he could not talk at that moment due to just having got his sick wife out of the bed, and leaving her sitting on the commode!
Now I suspect in this instance that gentleman was being truthful. He did after all request that I should call back in half an hour. That said, using that sick wife story is something I have not ruled out myself for when I get phoned up, even though I have never had the need to date.
Repelling cold callers can be fun, and here is my own three step guide to handling those cold calls:
1. When you answer a call from someone in a very businesslike voice, don't initially commit to saying you are the person they are ringing. But do ask who they are, just in case it is some non-sales business call that you do need to take.
2. On establishing that you are speaking to a seller, take control by building yourself up. You can become anything from a pop star to aristocracy. Or by having not committed to being the person they have called, you can be their personal assistant instead, having built up the person being called into some celebrity.
3. Put the caller on the back foot by asking them questions in relation to your own "status." As an author myself I have taken great pleasure as "the assistant" in asking, "Did you know Mr Watson is an author?" That once drew a nervous response from the caller. I was able to hammer home the message that Mr Andrew Watson would not be taking the call, and the caller rang off. On another occasion, I asked the caller for her opinion on dangerous dogs, and continuously pressed her when she kept trying to bring up her own agenda. I believe the poor woman was very relieved to get off the phone!
It is also important to remember that a legitimate telemarketing industry can sometimes bring benefits to consumers. But for those people when it isn't beneficial, it can be pointless in opting into certain general telemarketing lists, such as the Telephone Preference Service. They don't always stop the calls.
Personally, incoming calls from businesses do not bother me. I have found that all one needs to do is talk a load of nonsense to the caller, and that one can indeed have some fun at the same time.
Many years ago, I myself worked in Outbound Telemarketing for one of the UK's leading companies. One day, the automatic dialling system got me through to a gentleman who explained that he could not talk at that moment due to just having got his sick wife out of the bed, and leaving her sitting on the commode!
Now I suspect in this instance that gentleman was being truthful. He did after all request that I should call back in half an hour. That said, using that sick wife story is something I have not ruled out myself for when I get phoned up, even though I have never had the need to date.
Repelling cold callers can be fun, and here is my own three step guide to handling those cold calls:
1. When you answer a call from someone in a very businesslike voice, don't initially commit to saying you are the person they are ringing. But do ask who they are, just in case it is some non-sales business call that you do need to take.
2. On establishing that you are speaking to a seller, take control by building yourself up. You can become anything from a pop star to aristocracy. Or by having not committed to being the person they have called, you can be their personal assistant instead, having built up the person being called into some celebrity.
3. Put the caller on the back foot by asking them questions in relation to your own "status." As an author myself I have taken great pleasure as "the assistant" in asking, "Did you know Mr Watson is an author?" That once drew a nervous response from the caller. I was able to hammer home the message that Mr Andrew Watson would not be taking the call, and the caller rang off. On another occasion, I asked the caller for her opinion on dangerous dogs, and continuously pressed her when she kept trying to bring up her own agenda. I believe the poor woman was very relieved to get off the phone!
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