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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:
TheEvilDead2 · 20/01/2011 21:17

Well one is usually a call centre which could be anywhere (and not necessarily even owned by the company but they hire their services), the poor fucker who shows up to do the windows can't really blamed for that?

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/01/2011 21:20

Not on the phone but walking near my old house (in a deprived inner city area) I politely rebuffed an NSPCC chugger only for him to shout after me: I see, you don't care about children then?

I was pushing a buggy and with my DSis and DNephew who has SN. Hmm Angry

TheEvilDead2 · 20/01/2011 21:28

I did have a guy try and sell me a gym membership last week in front of Tesco.

I am 41 weeks pregnnat Grin bastard.

xstitch · 20/01/2011 21:32

My friend received a call offering her medical insurance for her newborn baby in case it became ill. She said no thank you and the reply she received was "well when your child dies a horrible death it will be all your fault, you'll be apologising to me then"

I had a person from talktalk at the door. The conversation went like this:

caller: Would you like to change your telephone contract.
Me: No thank you
Caller: You must be an even bigger idiot than you look then/
Me: Obviously because I am talking to you and slammed the door.

OP I don't think you were rude at all.

TheEvilDead2 · 20/01/2011 21:36

The posters who have really rude/ sweary responses I imagine they wern't legit companies and it was just a dodgy scam. Because even the most shit places they get listened to and would be sacked for that sort of thing.

Riddo · 20/01/2011 21:45

I had an arguement with a man from India who was trying to convince me that we had a virus on the computer.

he hung up when I told him that DH is an I T consultant.

Now I just say hello?, hello?, hello? until they get fed up and go away.

Original poster
goingmadinthecountry · 20/01/2011 22:18

xstitch, that's shocking!

Those people in the town centre are a nightmare in our area - it's like running the gauntlet. I know people who won't walk in the High Street because they hate being hassled.

OP posts:
madamh · 20/01/2011 22:26

I've exploded at BT a few times, usually at some hapless nincompoop who, upon being told that I do not want them to call me at all, instead of apologising and hanging up, goes on to ask, "So, when would be a convenient time for me to call back?" Ooooh, not good. I've spoken with managers several times about it and they finally seem to have realised that they'll lose business if they ever call me again.

My favourite one is Mormons, though: I ask them if, upon signing up to their lunatical burbling, I'll get beautiful, leather-clad Mormon men pleasuring each other for my amusement. That, and the gleam in my eye when they're really pretty, tends to derail their train of thought quite effectively.

Karaishere · 20/01/2011 22:42

Hate cold callers and don't even get me started with those people on the high street Hmm had some bugger yesterday trying to sell me teeth whitening crap, I kept saying no thank you, no thank you and the twat just kept on following me Angry

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/01/2011 22:53

Why are those Mormon guys so hot MadamH? I've often wondered the same thing.

freshmint · 20/01/2011 22:56

If you put the phone down without even saying hello they get the message I find

And can't accuse you of being rude because you are already off the phone Grin

Blatherskite · 21/01/2011 07:33

Our house was previously owned by DH's Gran. British Gas phone a couple of times a year and ask to speak to her. Telling them that she is dead (has been for at least 6 years now) usually shuts them up - but they keep ringing back!! Shock

madamh · 21/01/2011 08:20

TondelayoSchwarzkopf: I think it's the contrast between them and most of the scruffy, trousers-round-their-knees chaps around at the moment. The Mormons just look so shiny and eager to please :o

newmum001 · 21/01/2011 08:29

You were more polite than i ever am. I usually just hang up straight away without saying a word. I understand that they are just doing their job but tbh if i was in that kind of job i'd expect that to happen a lot. People don't want to be bothered!

JarethTheGoblinKing · 21/01/2011 08:31

I just hand the phone to 3yo DS. Grin

newmum001 · 21/01/2011 08:32

Karaishere i once told one of the clipboard brigade to fuck off after 10 minutes of him following me and me politely saying "no thank you", "i'm on my lunch break", "i'm not interested" etc to be told that i was very rude and aggressive. I pointed out that following someone for 10 minutes harrassing them was also rude and quite aggressive!

tyler80 · 21/01/2011 08:36

With the chuggers I normally ask what charity they work for and then explain I'll add them to my blacklist as i don't support charities who harass people in the street.

whatdoiknowanyway · 21/01/2011 08:41

Almost 20 years ago I had a 2 week old baby and was catching up with some sleep mid afternoon whenthe doorbell went.
It was one of those guys selling door to door household items. Do you remember the 'I'm from(names random northern town), and am trying to make a living for myself' then offering a tray of crappy dusters etc for at least twice what they would cost in the shops?

Anyway I tried to say no but in a nice way.

He said 'why don't you just say you don't want to help me you lying bitch'

I was too dazed and sleep deprived to do anything much other than close the door on him.

Now I just tell anyone who calls without appointment that I don't buy, sell or discuss anything at the door.and close the door without further comment.

PigValentine · 21/01/2011 08:42

MadamH my god, I love the mormons. Last time they stopped and talked to me, I ended up giving them my mobile number, they were delighted and talking about coming round to talk to me more...until I advised them that I had a sexual fetish for Mormons, and they probably wouldn't be safe coming to my home. They laughed, but also looked a little scared, and I never did get a phone call from them.

I always give cold callers to one of the DS's.

Anniegetyourgun · 21/01/2011 08:58

I foolishly answered one of those telephone "surveys" recently. I was quite alert to identity theft possibilities, I hope, and didn't tell them anything they didn't already know about me. To every question that started "would you consider changing..." or "are you interested..." I said a firm "no". Then I got this call from the electricity co - pretty sure it was EON - and told them I was with the TPS, so she said "I'm calling because you answered a survey" and it was in the middle of my pointing out that I had said I was not going to change my supplier that she put the phone down. Note to self, stick to guns with all cold callers and do not attempt to be selective.

Did have one of those fake-virus calls once. DS2 answered it and wasn't nearly suspicious enough, so I took charge and ran rings round them for the next 20 minutes. (Anyone for example who claims to be working on behalf of "the Windows company" might reasonably be expected to know the Windows Company's real name, don't you think?) The same guy called a couple of days later and started on the same script, so I greeted him warmly and reminded him of our previous discussion. Never heard a phone go down so quickly.

Found out later that XH wasn't so bright and got scammed out of 50 quid by the same people. Amused me rather because he always used to say I'm too gullible (which is true, see first paragraph above) and never, never to tell anybody anything over the phone (even if it's my bank who I called first). But if it's got IT in it his eyes glaze over.

Oh, another favourite recently is the payment protection insurance one. They are working on behalf of the government (won't say which Department/Agency) to help people recover overpayment of mis-sold insurance. The one I had this week put the phone down when I asked "for what?" It's quite insulting when they don't even try to be convincing.

HippyHippopotamus · 21/01/2011 09:00

BT keep phoning (about once a week at the moment) to ask if I want to upgrade our broadband. We do and I tell them so. They then check and its not available in our area yet. Seriously! I've had the same conversation about 10 times now. I've asked the last one to put a note on the file that they are only to ring me once its available... watch this space!

oh and chuggers aren't actually allowed to follow you. so the best way to get rid of them, without being rude, is to invite them to walk with you and talk.

onceamai · 21/01/2011 09:00

I think they do a horrid job and must be desperate to have to do it. However, it's the "good evening ma'am and how are you today?" that really gets my goat. I always reply now: "I'm sorry, do I know you" and repeat it until they admit they are a cold caller. At which point I say thank you for calling me but I don't take calls from people I don't know and whose services I haven't solicited and then put the phone down.

beatrixkitto · 21/01/2011 09:09

I always sound interested, then say hang on a minute, let me just turn my bath water off.... then i leave the phone on the table lol that'll teach the buggers!!

Dancergirl · 21/01/2011 09:11

Yes I know it's a bit mean and I did feel a bit guilty.....but sometimes desparate measures are called for to tell these companies that cold calls achieve nothing!

Blatherskite · 21/01/2011 09:21

On a similar vein, did you know the Charlity Chuggers aren't allowed to shake their collecting tins - never mind follow you down the road! - as it's then considered soliciting or begging and is illegal.

Always a good one to use when you're harassed by one :)