To not want to have a cozy chat with the telesales guy?

[Wonderstuff]

'Could I speak to Wonderstuff?'
'Speaking'
'I'm calling on behalf of Mothercare...How are you today'
'Fine' {like he gives a toss}
'What have you been up to today?'
'I don't want a chat, if you are going to flog something get on with it'
'No need to be like that, I'm just trying to be polite..'

FGS
I don't mind being called by telesales, I have done the job, we all need to make a living, I try to be polite, but I really don't want a cozy chat with a total stranger who calls me to flog accident insurance, and I don't want someone to try to make me feel bad for not taking part in said chat. I also get irritated with with shop assistants asking me how I am, I realise this is less reasonable on my part and better that than sulkily ignore you I guess.

I really wish we could go back to more formal times when people addressed you as Mrs X and didn't attempt to get all matey with you immediatley.

Get your children to answer the phone.
Seems like everyone but me does

YANBU

What really annoys me as well, is that my bank does this even when I phone them. i.e. telephone banking, just want to transfer some money and get on my way - and you get "how are you today", what is the weather like, what are you up to etc.

I used to answer the how are you, but it just encouraged them to think you are having a friendly conversation and they would carry on.

Now I a) do internet banking. B) if I have to phone them, say, look can we just do this quickly, I am in a rush!

And they can NEVER pronounce my name, not even an approximation of it, which is not very friendly in itself! Why can't these companies concentrate on teaching them things like that, rather than wittering on about what the weather is like!

I completely fell for the M & S thing. Last time she was apparently popping off to get herself the same magazine as she loved the free gift so much

Whenever I get a telesales call I just agree with everything till a couple of sentences in and very chirpily and enthusiastically say, 'Oh that's amazing I've just been thinking about getting new glazing / insurance / mortgage! I'll just grab a pen!!'

Then I gently put the receiver on the table, wander off and get on with whatever I was doing. Some of them hang on the line for a good few minutes. I feel sorry for the operator but I just want to cost the company as much money as possible .

The young bloke who sorted out my phone upgrade earlier this year took 20 minutes to take the simple info down because of his wide-ranging conversational interests. We ended up talking about STAR SIGNS, FFS, in which I have less than no interest.

Was too wimpy to adopt any of the excellent replies here. Must Try Harder in future

Oh god I feel gutted to read that M&S employees (and others) are told to say something positive about customers' purchases. On the odd occasion this has happened to me, I always felt good about the thing I was buying but now I know they were just saying something because they had been told to. I will never be able to accept their comments at face value again!

And re the telesales: maybe saying "how are you?" is ok, but still irritating imo, but asking how your day has been is downright impertinent. I would have put the phone down.

That said, I do think my touchy attitude comes more from the fact that I hate companies who cold call. If I have rung the company or they are not trying to sell me anything, I am much friendlier. I do remember once speaking to someone working for a utilities company. He had a lovely Irish accent and the conversation definitely deviated from the text!

I just really hate the fact that you have to get rude with people sometimes, I don't want to, I worked in a call centre, I was the person who told you to say it (cause it was my job to tell you to say it!!!!) but please when I nicely try to tell you i am not interested please listen.

Charity collectors are the worst, even telling them that I ahve been made redundant didn't work (and yes its true) was told it would be good karma!!!!!