Many phone calls are now made by computers that dial the numbers. If there
is an answer, it flashes the name and number on computer screens in the
"boiler room." If one of the telemarketers doesn't pick up in 2-3 seconds,
it disconnects. It also records the time and day when the phone is answered,
so that it can call again at a time that a person answers the call. (I don't
know how it handles answering machines.)
When I answer a call and there is a short break between when I say, "Hello,"
and when the other party comes on the phone (together with background
noise) I just stay on the phone and say nothing until they hang up. I would
hope that that would cause the person to input "bad number" into the computer.
Another tact that I have and still use is to interrupt the caller and tell
the caller that I do not do business with firms that resort to telephone
solicitations and hang up immediately. If I have a phone with a "hold"
button, I don't interrupt them, but press that and hang up. You'd be amazed
at how long some can talk before they realize that they are talking to no one.
BTW, I rarely get more than 2 telephone solicitations a day now.
Roger Turk
Tucson, Arizona
Pete Randolph wrote:
>>On Wed, 9 Aug 2000 09:24:45 +0200 (MET DST), Bernie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
> Wouldn't it be easier to say you aren't interested and ask them to not call
> you again? Most (all?) calls here are from companys where you have already
> been a customer, and that affects my opinion of course.
Not here...Calls are made by people working from home, numbers come from
everywhere: random number generators...Even Vermont DMV sold lists...We
have a law in VT that upon request the "number for suppression" must be
supplied. It will filter my # from whatever source generated it.
When I first got a 'phone in '93, MCI called mercilessly! Finally I
called our US representative Jim Jeffords and complained. Was told they
had had several complaints, and about this number. About half an hour
later a very flustered manager woman from MCI called and apologized.
"There's no need to the *politicians*!" Never heard from them again.
That's service!
Come next election, Jim got my vote :-)<<
