Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Does cold callers asking how you are today wind you up?

62 replies

Arnie123 · 23/08/2013 14:05

Look I know I will get an absolute flaming for this but one of the aspects of running my business is business to business cold calling. Yes the pesky calls you love to hate. I spoke to a call centre manager last week who said I was not working hard enough to befriend the receptionist and I should be asking how they are today but to be honest when cold callers pull this stunt on me it sends my blood pressure up as it is totally disingenuous. Should I drop it from the script?

OP posts:
Pawprint · 23/08/2013 14:07

Loathe it too!

MrsTerryPratchett · 23/08/2013 14:07

"Fine" through gritted teeth is the only response I ever give. YANBU.

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 23/08/2013 14:09

I have started to tell the truth - No I am not ok. That usually puts them off the rest of their script though Grin.

ilovesooty · 23/08/2013 14:10

I tell them how I am. In great detail. That's if I'm not busy.

quesadilla · 23/08/2013 14:10

YANBU. I have yet to meet anyone (in this country anyway, the US is different), who appreciates having a complete stranger who obviously wants something from you pretend to be your friend.

Cold callers who are friendly but businesslike get much further with me than someone who pretends to give a tinker's fuck about me. And I suspect 99 per cent of the population feels the same.

On the other hand if that's what your boss wants from you you may have to suck it up.

angelos02 · 23/08/2013 14:11

I can always tell a cold call as they ask how I am. Personally I don't think cold calling should be legal but that's a whole different thread. I get cold calls at work and it winds me up that my time is constantly interrupted by them. Sorry OP but that is how I feel.

Quenelle · 23/08/2013 14:12

I don't like it.

The rep from our stationery suppliers likes to chat to me about recent events in Eastenders when he phones. I don't watch it and haven't a clue what he's on about. I just want to get to the bit in the conversation where I can say 'Yes, I want such and such...' or 'No, I don't want anything thanks' and then we can both hang up and get on with our lives.

cory · 23/08/2013 14:15

Afraid all it says to me is "here is somebody who couldn't give a shit about how much of my time he is wasting and who hasn't got enough faith in his product to get on with it". Oh and "somebody who knows very little about normal manners".

If you want to sell something you need to adhere to the cultural norms of the country you are selling in. And in the UK cultural norms do not prescribe that you should accost perfect strangers to ask how they are: you only accost perfect strangers if you have a direct reason for doing so and if so, you need to reveal that reason straightaway.

squoosh · 23/08/2013 14:15

I don't mind a 'how are you?' that's just polite, but don't go any further than that.

Quite happy to pass the time of day with couriers, postman, taxi drivers etc. but I hate rehearsed patter that I get from cold callers when I'm in work. Puts me right off them.

twistyfeet · 23/08/2013 14:17

yes. They arent interested and I'm not interested. Tell me what you are selling then I can say no.
Vodaphone called today and after establishing the call was being recorded I told them to pay their tax Grin

quesadilla · 23/08/2013 14:32

I once had a cold caller from a charity call me up at about 8 o'clock at night wanting to shoot the breeze about famine/poverty/politics etc. I kind of got the impression he thought that if he came across as an engaged and political type I would want to give him more money.

But it really boiled my piss.

MrsTerryPratchett · 23/08/2013 14:35

Should I drop it from the script? This is the clue. You know it's a script, I know it's a script, it's not culturally normal I live in Canada where randoms are always inquiring about each other, bleugh just drop it.

BinarySolo · 23/08/2013 14:35

To be honest I get rid of them quicker when they pull that type of stunt. Had one yesterday ask me 'how are you today? Are you enjoying this weather?' My reply was 'whatever this is about I'm not interested' and to out the phone down.

I'd far rather they be honest and cut to the chase.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 23/08/2013 14:39

Well I am not too bad except computer isn't working very well and my windows are really draughty Wink

SilverOldie · 23/08/2013 14:43

I never let them get that far, once I've established it's no-one I know I say 'stop, I am registered not to receive cold calls, goodbye' and put the phone down.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 23/08/2013 15:46

Grin moaning really really hope I can remember that next time I get one.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 23/08/2013 15:48

last one we had DH was in the room and was impressed when he heard me say 'who are you and how did you get this number?' followed by ' No you should not be ringing me as I am reg......' that's as far as I got before they hung up

MrsLouisTheroux · 23/08/2013 15:50

YANBU. Immensely annoying. 2nd only to being asked by a chugger if I want to help starving children as I walk down the street.

Tiredemma · 23/08/2013 15:51

I had a man calling me the other day who said that his name was 'steve' (in a very heavy Indian accent)- he asked me if I had had an accident in the last three years - I said No
He then asked " are you sure?"
Yes I replied- I'm sure
Then he asked "have you been hit by a bus in the past three years?"
No I replied
"have you fallen over in a supermarket?" he asks
No I replied
"have you...."
"are you going to go through a list of possible accidents that I could have had in the past three years?" I asked
"yes" was his reply

click.

MikeLitoris · 23/08/2013 15:52

I have worked in a call centre and flat out refused to say it.

It just sounds so insincere.

Floggingmolly · 23/08/2013 15:57

I got a bollocking from one lady who rang and said "Good morning Mrs. X, isn't a lovely day?". I asked who's calling, she repeated "isn't it a lovely day" in tones of increasing annoyance and finally screamed "all you had to do was say it's a nice day!!!!"
I think she wanted to sell me a mobile phone contract, but me refusing to follow the script and chat about the weather to a complete stranger sent her into a tail spin.

PeppermintPasty · 23/08/2013 16:03

The problem for you is that there is absolutely nothing you can find to say that will prevent me from telling you firmly that I do not wish to continue the call. They are all dreadful, and every time my hackles are raised.

So yes, drop it. And everything else helpful

BinarySolo · 23/08/2013 16:10

How soon after registering with tps do cold calls stop? I get about 6 a day at the moment and registered yesterday.

I got a call for a mr Walsh (we've had a few so it must be their old number). I asked the woman on the phone to remove me from their data base and she said oh it's for a survey, would you like to do it instead. Erm, that'd be no. Click.

ParsingFancy · 23/08/2013 16:11

Floggingmolly that's brilliant!

I've had a few tell me I was a bad person after I strung them along for 20 mins while they tried to criminally break into my computer...

Jux · 23/08/2013 16:12

Ooh, I have a lovely time answering that question.

If I'm in the middle of something and busy, I ask them if they care and if so why?

If I have time on my hands, then I will tell them how I am. Exactly. In detail. For a very long time. As I have ms, there is usually quite a lot to catalogue, from generalised fatigue and pain, to that tiny little throb that extends about half way along the joint of my left thumb which is excruciating. Then I finish with "It's been lovely chatting, but I really must get on. Some of us have things to do, you know! Bye." and hang up.

Yes, it annoys me being asked by cold callers how I am. How dare you ring me up and then waste my time.