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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Phonecall at 8am today...

68 replies

Carrotsandcelery · 28/12/2010 10:23

The phone went at 8am today - a national holiday I thought.

I was still dozing in my bed but was wide awake and feeling sick in seconds.

I received an early morning phonecall the day my dad had a heart attack during the night and I always have a lurch of the stomach etc when I get them now. Usually it will be a friend needing some help with childcare or similar but I always have that initial panic.
This one turned out to be a sales call! Yes a SALES CALL! At 8am on a national holiday. I asked if they realised the time and they said they did. I then said, "Ok I am going to hang up now" and did. I didn't do it in an angry voice or anything - I was still too baffled for that. I tried to get back to sleep but the sicky stomach wouldn't go away so I had to get up.
I normally try to be polite to sales callers but I felt this was beyond necessary.
Was I incredibly rude - I know people have to work?

OP posts:
SantosLHalper · 28/12/2010 10:24

Not rude at all. 8am is way too early for a sales call.

IAmReallyFabNow · 28/12/2010 10:25

It isn't a holiday here afaik.

ChasingSquirrels · 28/12/2010 10:25

"was I incredibly rude"? Well it doesn't appear that you shouted "f-off you f-ing f-er" then no, I don't think you were incredibly rude!

I just say "I'm not interested" and put the phone down, you sound more polite than I am.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 28/12/2010 10:25

Yanbu. Today is a bank holiday.

Join the tps- telephone preference service.

ISNT · 28/12/2010 10:27

Is today a bank holiday? I thought is was an ordinary day. Confused

onepieceoflollipop · 28/12/2010 10:27

It is a bank holiday in the UK. (as Christmas Day and Boxing Day were at the weekend we get the Monday and Tuesday in lieu)

IAmReallyFabNow · 28/12/2010 10:28

I never knew that.

xstitchsnowscene · 28/12/2010 10:29

I would say 8am is a ridiculous time for a sales call any day of the week.

Where are you fab that its not a holiday?

ISNT · 28/12/2010 10:36

I feel sorry for the poor bugger who has to be in and working at 8am on a bank hol, cold calling TBH.

Original poster
Carrotsandcelery · 28/12/2010 10:40

So do I isnt which is why I now feel guilty - it can't be the most rewarding job in the world.
I just couldn't believe that we could get a sales call at that time of day.
Laurie tell me more about tps please!

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 28/12/2010 10:46

www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=25504&s_cid=con_FURL_calls_privacy#tab3bt scroll down and chose "BT privacy at home" - includes signing up to tps and free caller display.

ISNT · 28/12/2010 10:46

Don't feel guilty, you weren't rude to her, feeling annoyed perfectly justifiable if it wasn't taken out on the person!

We are on TPS and mail preference as well and hardly get any junk calls or post. Just google Telephone preference service.

ISNT · 28/12/2010 10:48

in fact here you go!

TPS - telephone
MPS - mail
FPS - fax

and a new one on me - Baby MPS to stop getting piles of junk mail when you have a baby!

you just register with them, it's free.

Original poster
Carrotsandcelery · 28/12/2010 10:49

Thanks squirrels - will get dh to look into it! Tee hee Xmas Grin

OP posts:
IAmReallyFabNow · 28/12/2010 10:59

xstitch - it might be a holiday here, I just didn't know.

Guacamohohohole · 28/12/2010 11:08

I've just tried to register me and DH with MPS and it won't accept DH it keeps saying please enter a valid name. His name is Welsh, not double barrelled or anything like that, admittedly it's unusual but 'invalid'? How annoying!

Guacamohohohole · 28/12/2010 11:11

Wouldn't it be nice if there was an email preference service!

swanandduck · 28/12/2010 11:12

YANBU. I know people have to make a living but they should be aware that it scares the daylights out of people to get a call at unusually early or late hours.
I remember getting a call from a hospital at six am to change the time of an appointment. Can you imagine answering the phone at 6 in the morning and hear 'this is such and such a hospital.' Like the OP I was too stunned to give out.

girlsyearapart · 28/12/2010 11:14

Isnt- thanks I've just registered
Guacamole- have you filled in the bit with mr/ mrs / miss?
That makes it an invalid name if you leave it out

Guacamohohohole · 28/12/2010 11:19

I put Dr, I'll chain it to Mr and see what happens.

Bunbaker · 28/12/2010 11:19

"xstitch - it might be a holiday here, I just didn't know."

I thought everyone knew that if Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day were at the weekend then we would get bank holidays in lieu.

IAmReallyFabNow · 28/12/2010 11:27

Well, clearly you were wrong.

TrappedinSuburbia · 28/12/2010 11:33

I used to work in a call centre and hated the 8am starts, its an automatic dialler and you know you are going to get what for calling someone at that time in the morning. I used to sit there in dread! But you had no choice, you had to do it or lose your job!
YANBU, that would have been one of the best responses we could have hoped for especially at that time in the morning!

TrappedinSuburbia · 28/12/2010 11:35

Oh and calling between 8am to 9pm is allowed as it is considered a reasonable time by what ever regulator to call.
You can ask them to remove your phone number and they are legally obliged to do so.

Guacamohohohole · 28/12/2010 12:24

Yep that works! Ta!