To think that you should make phone calls outside your own office

[careerchangeperhaps]

I work within a small complex of business units, each with their own entrance from the outside. There are only a few units (5) on the estate, all detached from each other and as we're rather rural, it's a peaceful haven with no traffic noise and hardly any pedestrians passing either.
Recently, new tenants have moved into one of the units and most of the staff from this business have taken to leaving their building to make their important phone calls that they don't want their colleagues to overhear, choosing instead to stand right outside my business unit. They are all men with deep booming voices and stand right by my window (presumably as we have a slight exterior porch - which the other units do not - so this offers some protection from the elements).
The business units are listed buildings in a converted former industrial complex and have single glazed windows so have terrible soundproofing. I can hear every word of what's being said of every conversation - they might as well come in as it sounds like they're in my building anyway.
I work in a creative role and am finding this horrifically distracting and it's so loud that people on the phone to me have commented asking if I had someone else in the office. I had a polite word a couple of weeks ago but they laughed at me and said I don't rent the outside space so it's none of my business.
AIBU to think that you just don't do this? Many of them also vape outside my window too, so my office has a near-permanent smell of tutti fruiti .
Should I just suck it up or have another word?

Stick a polite sign up?

Stand outside their window with some music blaring full blast? 🤷‍♀️

Stick a speaker on the windowsill and boom out some music when they are on the phone?

I think you need to stop being polite and perhaps find a way to play loud music when they are on the phone.

Regarding the vaping - speak to the landlord about that aspect.

Get one of those air horns they use at football matches and blast it out of your window every time one of the arrives.
They can't really complain, you're in your office and can do as you please

You should speak to the landlord, there's not much they can do other than email them a polite reminder and maybe put up some signs.

I manage a building on behalf of a landlord and no one ever listens, we can only really email the tenants and hope the message gets passed on and that people listen.

Are you close enough to empty a glass of water out of the window periodically?

Record a message "X company are inconsiderate arseholes." Loop it and play at full blast while they're on the phone. Otherwise any loud noise or music that makes it impossible to carry on a conversation will do.

For the vaping, find the cheapest nastiest perfume and spray it near them (not on them as I suspect that could be held against you, but in the air where they have to walk past to get back to their office).

@birdling

Get one of those air horns they use at football matches and blast it out of your window every time one of the arrives. They can't really complain, you're in your office and can do as you please

I like this suggestion best

Tape one of the calls and play it back about a minute in arrears at full volume, so the loud people hear their own voice. Then they will fear that the conversation is not private and will hopefully go elsewhere.

You have asked politely once, so reasonable not to be nice a second time.

Can you put a notice in communal areas that you don't want to hear about blah blah blah and give details of conversations that you have been subjected to.

My neighbours are ridiculously noisy on the phone (and in general) and I told them they probably wouldn't want me overhearing x, y, z but it was impossible not to when they spoke at that volume. I was also overhearing some confidential work calls - well they should have been anyway.

Oh and the other irritation is that they pace up and down in front of my Ring doorbell which means I get a zillion unnecessary notifications (and a flat battery too!).

I've ordered a Vuvuzela

Find a YouTube video with something suitable disturbing, maybe a toddler screaming or sex noises (one after the other would be ideal) and blast that really loudly any time they're near your building, will be even more disturbing than music.

Get a load of stink bombs and pop one out every time they are there.

I have the very thing OP. www.amazon.co.uk/MINIONS-Blaster-Realistic-Distant-Up-Multicolor/dp/B07YQMXTTK/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&crid=1R6DS7WMQTNM9&keywords=minion+fart+blaster&sprefix=minion+fart+%2Caps%2C222&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1629136595&sr=8-2 My DS was given a similar one as a Christmas present when he was little and I can confirm that it is very annoying indeed.

Super soaker 2000?

Inappropriate rap music just load enough to drown them out. Or "I know a song that'll get on your nerves" on repeat...

Some fantastic ideas here - thanks everyone

And don't forget that you are not obliged to make your phone calls in your own office, or even outside your own office. Even if you fancy listening to some very loud music, there is no obligation to do that inside or even near your office. Just saying.

Put a shredder on a desk right next to the open window, and save all your shredding for the next time they decide to stand there.

I’d play some slipknot or something really loud when they come and hang about by your window

Shredder is funny!

Comment loudly on everything, seeing as they are including you in the conversations. And shit stir. "That's not what Gary said, he said he could do it cheaper but don't let Dave know, because he's a lazy bastard anyway" "Yeah those deliveries are always late its because Bob is shagging around "

Take up a musical instrument as stress relief. Maybe the drums or bass guitar?

Or something like chanting, sound bath etc?

to make their important phone calls that they don't want their colleagues to overhear, choosing instead to stand right outside my business unit. They are all men with deep booming voices

I can hear every word of what's being said of every conversation

Actively listen to a few conversations and take some notes - client names, details of what is being said and so forth. It may take a few goes but once you've got two or three examples of commericial/confidential information revealed in the conversation, go and complain again formally. You can say you heard so and so talking about this and he's revealing all their client info directly outside your window and if it continues you will complain to the Information Commissioner.

If may not actually be a data protection breach in reality but the fact you've got their commercial info and are threatening to report it should put a stop to the whole thing overnight.