Three Little Words
 

I suppose some degree of commerce would grind to a halt if telephone
solicitors weren't able to call people at home during dinner hour. But
that doesn't make it any more pleasant.

Now Steve Rubenstein, a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has
proposed "Three Little Words" based on his brief experience in a
telemarketing operation that would stop the nuisance for all time. The
three little words are "Hold On, Please."
Saying this while putting down your phone and walking off instead of
hanging up immediately would make each telemarketing call so
time-consuming that boiler rooms would grind to a halt. When you
eventually hear the phone company's beep-beep-beep tone, you know it's
time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently
completed its task. This might be one of those articles you'll want to
e-mail to your friends. Three little words that eliminate telephone
soliciting.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

The empire strikes back!:1orglaugh

:Graucho

Good idea.

Great idea!

Once they start talking, I just lay the phone down without saying anything. They'll read their whole script before realizing no one is listening.

I have this wonderful invention called "caller id". If I dont recognize the number, I dont answer the phone.

The other thing I've done for fun is listen to everything they say, sound very interested, ask a lot of questions and tell them that I do want to purchase that product/service.

When they start talking about "preferred method of payment" etc.., is when I let them know that I appreciate them explaining everything to me but that I do not purchase anything from phone solicitors and will look through my phone book to make my purchase.

that's pretty funny. i usually fuck with them but that is pretty good by itself.

I try to ask them as many questions as i can and keep them on the phone for a real long time. time is money for these guys so every minute they spend on the phone with you they are missing possible sales on other phone numbers. the best thing to do is act totally interested and keep them talking right up to the point where they ask for payment. then you can tell them you have no money. they'll be plenty pissed. you just kept them on the phone for a half hour and they didn't make a sale.

I only answer the phone when I know who it is. Occasionally a telemarketer will come up as an actual number and if I answer it and its a telemarket, I just hang up. No need for elaborate stories.

good idea sit on the phone for a half-hour.

Well, here in small towns like Los Angeles we don't have caller ID yet.

I've been doing the "hang on" trick for years. And now it's a new thing? Just think of how famous I'd be right now if I had posted that years ago.

I tell them that they've called my cell phone and they quickly apologize and hang up.

I just say no and hangup, I don't care if they are still talking, it's all spam to me..... I will contact them if I want their service or product and that is the end of the story.......:warning

One of the greatest things ever. I have had it since 97 when it was first offered I believe.

I've been getting calls from "CHURCH OF JESUS" every few days and there is no fucking way I will ever answer. :1orglaugh

They never leave a message either. Very disturbing.

And if I ever do happen to answer the phone, and its a sales person, the first thing I tell them is "Sorry, but I am moving to France tomorrow." They leave you alone after that.

When I have ppl calling my house and I don't want to speak with them I let the kids answer :1orglaugh
That'll make sure they don't call back :thumbsup
Or when I do happen to pick it up I pretned to be someone else (byt trying to speak a diffrent language),pick up and say "oh yes just a second............................................ ... " And then I just leave the phone sitting there for about 5 minutes or until they hang up :)

What to say to a telemarketer:
"Give me your home phone number and I'll call you back"....
"Oh you don't like ppl calling your home....NEITHER DO I " !!!

:1orglaugh

i don't know.. if jesus is trying to talk to you, maybe you should listen. i'm going to go pray for you now.

:1orglaugh

I just had call intercepter installed from the phone company. It will not allow private numbers to call in unless they say their name first. Also will not allow recordings to call. It's very effective and has reduced my call volume by 50% at least.

if you're a guy and get a male telemarketer, fuck with his homophobia..

Sound interested, but flirt...

"oh that sounds good sweetcheeks, tell me more. Mmm that's it babycakes.."

I try to have phone sex with 'em.

"Yeah, I love the Daily News. It's perfect to slap your ass with while I cum in your throat bitch. I'd like to subscribe to your pounding your pussy like Rambo. I'd like too..."

*Click*

See y'all, porn can be such a problem solver...

... sweet !

:1orglaugh I gotta try that one :thumbsup

We don't have that problem - we got rid of our house phone(s) several years ago and use our cell phones exclusively now.

Companies are not allowed to solicit cell phones. They go with you everywhere, and I have nationwide long distance and notionwide coverage, so it works perfectly!

Fuck you phone spammers!

twinkley