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Original poster

EDF cold caller said I was impolite

109 replies

goingmadinthecountry · 20/01/2011 14:12

Just because I didn't want to talk to him. I'm appalled - he didn't know what my personal situation was. He called me up and I politely said I didn't want to talk to him. Him: "that's not very polite of you. Why not?"

Grrrr

OP posts:
Pixieonthemoor · 20/01/2011 14:15

A while ago I was suffering from a lot of cold callers and a girl from Lloyds called to ask "how can we improve our service?" to which I replied "well, you can stop cold calling me for a start!" and put the phone down. Now THAT was rude!!!

throckenholt · 20/01/2011 14:18

you could have said - it is perfectly polite. And if he wanted to argue about it you could have pointed out that ringing you unasked is not very polite either.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt - maybe it is his way of making a crappy job not quite so bad.

Still - whether he thinks you were polite or not is neither here nor there.

AgentZigzag · 20/01/2011 14:18

I let them say where they're from and politely say 'no thanks' before I everso politely put the phone down on them.

I'm sure the bloke was just having a bad day and fed up he has to work in such a frustrating job.

Anniegetyourgun · 20/01/2011 14:18

Funny, I had a call from an electricity supplier yesterday too. The woman put the phone down on me rather abruptly when I explained that as I was on the Telephone Preference Service I should not be receiving calls of this type. (Actually I've had a few lately, has the TPS been abolished or what?)

Am left wondering whether it really was a representative of that company or one of their rivals drumming up bad publicity for them. Maybe I've been reading too many detective stories, my mind has gone all twisty.

AnnieLobeseder · 20/01/2011 14:19

Oooooh, I'd get so mad at that that I'd ask to speak to a manager immediately and report the caller.

I usually just say "no thank you" and hang up as soon as I realise it's a sales call. One company kept bothering me, so I said to the caller that I had already told them I wasn't interested and hung up. The cheeky fucker actually called back! He said I hadn't told him personally that I wasn't interested and should listen to him. I have him the biggest mouthful ever and then got put through to his manager, who also got a mouthful. They haven't called since! Grin

They say things like that to guilt the ever-so-polite British public into talking to them. Doesn't work with me!!!

Abr1de · 20/01/2011 14:21

The people who are really annoying me at the moment are Direct Response, with their courtesy calls. Five in a week and I still don't want a burglar alarm, thank you. Sod off.

TheEvilDead2 · 20/01/2011 14:23

You wern't rude at all.

I do think some people can be proper cunts to telesales people though, treat them like they aren't human and think it's ok because they "shoudl get a real job" Hmm which winds me up no end... It is a real job and with the unemployment rate as high as it is good for them for finding a job at all when they could just be on benifits for all those jobs pay!

sorry rant over. Once again you were fine though

Original poster
goingmadinthecountry · 20/01/2011 14:23

I'm sure it's a crappy job. I'm having a crappy day - dd2 has concussion, dd3 has coughed constantly since 4am, dh abroad. And I'm working later so will put on my smiley face because that's what I'm paid for.

OP posts:
nickelbabysnatcher · 20/01/2011 14:27

you weren't rude.

they were rude for cold-calling.

you didn't swear at him, or anything like that, you just said you didn't want to talk to him.

I hate cold-calling.

junktrunk · 20/01/2011 14:28

I always give the phone to my 2yr old very funny

slhilly · 20/01/2011 14:31

This is what you need:

www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

giyadas · 20/01/2011 14:31

I had one cold caller get very huffy with me for not changing energy companies, but most are polite and chatty. Usually a 'sorry, I'm busy' is enough to get rid of them.
I remember one lad phoning and he was clearly new to the job. He asked how I was (obviously following the script), when I asked how he was there was a pause and a shuffle of papers. Eventually he piped up 'I don't know. No-ones asked me that before.' [bless]

IloveJudgeJudy · 20/01/2011 14:37

Funnily enough, Anniegetyour, we're on the Telephone Preference Service and we have started getting cold calls again.

OP, sorry for hijack. You were not rude at all. I tend not to let them get started as it's difficult to stop them then and you do feel rude which is what they want.

I would recommend the TPS or what slhilly said to stop cold calls.

FindingStuffToChuckOut · 20/01/2011 14:41

ROTFLMOA!! Yes really!!

Grin

slhilly · 20/01/2011 14:41

The link I gave is the TPS link.

PuppyMonkey · 20/01/2011 14:43

I tend to put all cold calls through to my 3 you DD, who engages them in a nice conversation about sweeties or nursery or some such randomness while I get on with my life.

For what it's worth, IMHO if people are going to ring random strangers up in their own home to try and sell stuff, they need to be fully prepared for a potential mouthful from the householder, who might think this in fact "impolite". If they're too delicate to accept this situation, they really are in the wrong job.

ilovemyhens · 20/01/2011 14:44

Just try saying "yes" to every one of their questions Grin

RhinestoneCowgirl · 20/01/2011 14:46

I don't think you were impolite. I do think that he was trying to keep you on the phone and engage you in conversation about the great deals they have that could save you money... Just a sales technique I think...

Karia · 20/01/2011 14:46

You were definitely not rude, he was rude for ringing your house phone and trying to sell you something you did not want, then accusing you of being impolite!

I cancelled my mobile phone contract with 3 a few days ago and it took ages, I told him why I wanted to cancel several times and he kept trying to convince me to stay, I was having none of it, however I was polite because I know he was just doing his job. However at the end of the call he said "I know you're lying to me, why do you want to cancel really?" Shock. He had already confirmed that my contract was cancelled at this point so I don't know why he said that to me, how bloody rude!!

Mymblesson · 20/01/2011 14:49

we're on the Telephone Preference Service and we have started getting cold calls again.

Us too, but there have been more coming through in the last few weeks. Hmmm...

milou2 · 20/01/2011 14:51

I just hang up as soon as I realise it is a spam call. No shame about it now. Often I don't pick up the phone at all, but listen to the answer phone afterwards. Only real callers leave a message.

AMumInScotland · 20/01/2011 14:52

I suspect it's a new way of guilting you into having more of a conversation with them, as most people don't even try any more, because it's just too irritating to talk to them as if you cared about their "survey".

I just say "Not interested" and then have the handset away from my ear and on it's way to the cradle before they start telling me anything else, so I've no idea if any of them have ever told me I'm not being polite to them. If they did they'd get an earful about the relative politeness of them cold-calling me while I'm cooking or eating dinner.

upahill · 20/01/2011 14:53

Yesterday someone rang up and asked if Dh was the mortgage holder.
I said why did he want to know.
He said so that he can make sure he is talking to the right person.

I said I'm sorry but I'm not prepared to talk with a cold caller about my /dh mortgage set up.

I got a bit of a snotty reply but let it go.

upahill · 20/01/2011 14:54

Hey that's a point! We are on the TPS but have been getting quite a few callers lately.
Time to renew I think!

ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo · 20/01/2011 14:57

when they call asking for me i just say "hold on and I'll just get her" then i set the handset on it's side and walk away.