Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to be rude to people on the phone?

57 replies

MrsTerryPratchett · 12/10/2012 23:31

I'm so sick of this. By nature, or possibly inclination, I am a polite person. However, because of all the bloody sales calls and surveys and people calling at annoying times, I have become rude. Someone called today from an unknown number to ask about a recent transaction I had made. It was probably the insurance company like the woman said but I hate being called and asked questions by strangers.

I ended up saying, "I don't like talking about this sort of thing over the phone, so I'm not going to" and hung up. I would never have hung up on someone before but the constant, "can I ask why" or "this is not a sales call, madam" responses have rendered me incapable.

So, AIBU to talk to people this way I think I am and should I just deal with the inevitable annoying follow up questions from people who don't get paid a lot. I used to work in a call centre so may be over-thinking this.

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/10/2012 02:46

That's what I always think younger. When I call them I have to give them my bra size and a DNA sample. They just breezily call and expect me to chat.

OP posts:

HoratiaWinwood · 13/10/2012 03:20

"I'm afraid you've caught me at a really bad moment: I'm just going out / the baby's nappy needs changing / it's about to rain on my washing. Goodbye."

Wait a split second to let them apologise or say goodbye, then hang up. Easy.

DeepPurple · 13/10/2012 03:27

I'm getting sick of these calls now too. 6-7 calls a day about loft insulation despite having loft insulation. 3-4 calls a day about ppi which I have never had.

The windows people don't ring anymore. They got upset after I strung them on for nearly an hour. I was very bored that day

I am tps registered. Makes no difference.

CouthyMowWearingOrange · 13/10/2012 03:36

I answer and then pass the phone to 20mo DS3. Keeps them both happy for a bit. They get someone to do their sales spiel to, DS3 gets someone to say "Hello. Hello. Mishka moushka. Hello. Poo. Fiiiiiingers. Phone. Hello." To.

All round, everyone's happy.

CouthyMowWearingOrange · 13/10/2012 03:44

The best response to the loft insulation ones is to confusedly say "but I don't have a loft. Can I insulate my wardrobe?"

The windows one I usually say "but I live in a windowless basement. Can you fit windows underground?"

The PPI one, I REALLY confuse them with. I have never had a bank loan, or a credit card, or anything that would have been sold with PPI. So I answer them, and after listening to their enthusiastic sales pitch, I ask them to tell me which product will gain me this massive £3k windfall. Then they get a bit flustered, fiddle with their script and start again. And at the sane point, I just say, so which product that I used will gain me this windfall from PPI.

The most times I got one to go round in circles before they deviated from their script was a massive 7 times.

They then start running through each product one by one. As I am saying nope, nope, nope, and they get to the end of their list and their tether, usually, I ask them again which product I have used that will gain me this windfall from PPI.

At which point you can physically feel their head explode over the phone line.

At which point, I politely point out that I am registered with the TPS, and can they please remove my phone number from their list.

They usually either hang up or start swearing at ME at that point...

MistressIggi · 13/10/2012 06:47

Even if I get them off the phone quickly they have always woken the baby already. Sick sick sick of these calls. Am naturally polite too but some poor sod is going to be the straw that breaks my back quite soon.

DespairSquid · 13/10/2012 07:01

I'm not 'rude' but if someone isn't actually on the line when I answer it (ie they're on a dialling system and you get that annoying 3 second silence before they say "good afternoon madam") then I say "sorry, too slow" and hang up.

Everlong · 13/10/2012 07:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FayeKinitt · 13/10/2012 07:27

Like DespairSquid, if no-one speaks within a couple of seconds then it's obvious it's a call centre so I just hang up. I don't think I'm being rude, I'm the one that's said Hello? and been treat with silence.

silverten · 13/10/2012 07:30

This sort of thing is exactly why we don't plug our phone in any more.

socharlotte · 13/10/2012 08:02

anybody with a conscience would refuse to work in cold calling.
somertimes i just lay down the phone and walk off, other times i try to sell them something.

WaitingForMe · 13/10/2012 08:22

To be honest I don't see it as any difference whether someone is invading my space because they're being paid to or because they're just rude. So someone that steps in front of me in the street will get sidestepped around and ignored and someone who turns up at my door or phones me uninvited will be told I'm not interested and have the door closed/phone put down.

I don't owe these people anything least of all my time.

KenLeeeeeee · 13/10/2012 08:23

Last time I politely told a cold caller I'm registered with TPS, he responded by screaming abuse down the phone at me, including telling me to "fuck off and die, you stupid bitch". I'm guessing he'd had a bad day... Anyway, I just hang up now as soon as I realise it's a cold call.

Rockchick1984 · 13/10/2012 08:24

Socharlotte plenty of people with a conscience would rather work in cold calling than sit at home claiming benefits. That's a fucking awful attitude you have there, if it's the only job someone has managed to get then at least they are trying.

Personally I'd never be rude, but I also do hang up if there's no one there when I say hello (on the rare occasions the house phone is plugged in).

MrsRobertDuvallHasRosacea · 13/10/2012 08:28

I am very abrupt...
why are you calling me?
Have I asked you to?
I'm sorry I don't understand a word you are saying.
Then I put the phone down.

Or if they ask if I am MRs RD I say no.

Startailoforangeandgold · 13/10/2012 08:31

UANBU
I'm afraid I've sworn at both my regulars this week.

I think both are connected to the computer scam.
The bloke was impossibly rude leaving huge silences when I'd give him ample time to hang up.

Yes I should have just put the phone down, but I'd sent DD to school feeling rough and had raced to the phone in case it was school. Getting that prat seriously pissed me off.

I don't care if they are only doing their job, it's always the same 2 they know I tell them to take a hike. They can ring someone else

Sparkletastic · 13/10/2012 08:33

You can usually spot a cold call by the pause before they pick the call up and start to speak. I hang up immediately at this point.

Acumens100 · 13/10/2012 08:34

I put the phone down immediately. I have to pay for all incoming calls (thanks BT!) so these people cost me about three hundred quid a year. They should be ashamed of themselves. Just put the phone down.

Teapot13 · 13/10/2012 08:35

I don't think it's unreasonable to be rude to cold callers. They are being rude to me by cold calling. I don't say nasty things, of course, but it is so hard to get them off the phone that I often have to just hang up.

getrealandgetalife · 13/10/2012 08:41

I always choose who to answer the phone to .... but once the phone has woken everyone up....then its too late!

I have hundreds of these calls..... at least 10 a day, every day, and it really annoys me.

the latest one was to my mobile, from my mobile provider...
can we sell you a new handset? no i'm happy,
can we sell one to any body you know? no they are all happy,
can i sell you a tablet? no i'm happy,
can you tell my why?, because we are all happy,
how can you possibly be happy? we are! goodnight!

i have an unusal name and it hacks me off that you can tell the first time they have said my name out loud is when they actually call me.

EauRouge · 13/10/2012 08:46

TPS only works for UK numbers and so many call from overseas now. I've noticed that I get fewer calls since I've been telling them all that they've got the wrong number.

Otherwise I just say 'sorry, I'm too busy, goodbye' and hang up. I am bloody busy and I'm not going to give up my precious time to listen to their spiel when I've got no intention of buying anything. There's nothing rude about saying 'no thank you' and then hanging up, it's firm but polite.

The only ones I string along are the Windows scam people, I like to get all my aggression out by telling them what I think of them

FredFredGeorge · 13/10/2012 08:46

No, YANBU to be rude on the phone - the act of phoning someone who hasn't asked for it is a rude act, a rude response is justified.

socharlotte · 13/10/2012 15:58

'Socharlotte plenty of people with a conscience would rather work in cold calling than sit at home claiming benefits. That's a fucking awful attitude you have there, if it's the only job someone has managed to get then at least they are trying.'

hmm I'm not so sure .Better to claim benefits than do something immoral imo.
In any case I doubt they couldn't find a job in say care work

ravenAK · 13/10/2012 16:16

I'm with Socharlotte.

I got burgled recently, but hey, at least the burglar was trying! Not just sitting at home etc.

Dh plays with them for hours; I quite often come home to find him happily concluding a call to a conservatory person with '...yes, great, hope the lift's not out of order again when you come...what? Oh, fourteenth floor...hello? Hello?'.

CBA myself - I just pass the phone to the nearest dc.

foslady · 13/10/2012 16:21

My parents recently got one of these

www.truecall.co.uk/

and it's been a Godsend! They used to get loads of calls despite being TPS registered - so many call centres are now non UK they can get away with it. Since they got it they haven't had one, much to my dad's dismay - he wants to zap someone!!!! And my ds and I no longer have to hear him ranting on about it!

Flip

1 2 3