Do you get solicitation phone calls?

[Shorts]

I just got a call from a card service asking if my business was considering accepting credit cards.

I said I was, but I had not completed my research to feel comfortable making a decision today. I also asked her if she was soliciting my business. She said yes. I asked her company name again and said I would keep it as an option as I do my research.

While I am going to use a credit card service, I don't appreciate receiving solicitors calls because my phone number is listed on some official paperwork.

Are these types of calls going to be a regular occurrence that I will need to deal with?

How do you handle them? I don't want to be rude (although I feel like it) because I hate solicitors. I just got ding-dong-ringed two more times. This is going to get really old.

As for another separate work number, that will be happening very soon. I'm going to take an extra cell phone on our account and use that as the work line to keep things separate. Any advice or unforeseen pitfalls going about that?

[Regis]

It is a dilemma if you want both on the "Do Not Call" list and want customers to call. You need to get that business line up & running. Then retrace your registrations and change the number. You'll probably still get some calls. And yes, card services and others have many many sales folk that will be calling you. I get them on a business that I closed 3 years ago but, stll have the number.

Regis

I just got a call from a card service asking if my business was considering accepting credit cards.

I said I was, but I had not completed my research to feel comfortable making a decision today. I also asked her if she was soliciting my business. She said yes. I asked her company name again and said I would keep it as an option as I do my research.

While I am going to use a credit card service, I don't appreciate receiving solicitors calls because my phone number is listed on some official paperwork.

Are these types of calls going to be a regular occurrence that I will need to deal with?

How do you handle them? I don't want to be rude (although I feel like it) because I hate solicitors. I just got ding-dong-ringed two more times. This is going to get really old.

As for another separate work number, that will be happening very soon. I'm going to take an extra cell phone on our account and use that as the work line to keep things separate. Any advice or unforeseen pitfalls going about that?

[MADMAX22]

The first thing I recieved when I put in my business application (wasnt even finalized yet) were junk mail for cards, scanners, registers, shipping supplies,..... everything you could think of. Luckily it was a instant barrage and slacked off but it was still annoying.

[mulefool]

Every time someone calls you like that, ask to be removed from their calling list. they are supposed to honor that, although sometimes they don't. but, every little bit helps. Chris

[TwinOaks]

Other than the "do not call" regstry, there's really not much to do...other than tell the person "don't call". Look up the d.n.c.r. and the penalties involved, do the same for 'communications harassment'.

I had repeated calls from the "You're car warranty is about to expire....". After several times of telling them to remove me from their call list, I got hold of a person, asked them to turn on the recorder and threatened legal action under communications harassment statutes.

Nary a peep since.

If they still won't leave you alone, pick up an inexpensive recorder and phone attachment, record the call and send it to the D.A.

Legitimate companies want your business. Scams want your money.

Since they've already got the one number, I suggest getting a second number as a private line, and placing in the DNCR, instead of trying to convert one to the other.

Good luck

[Shorts]

I got a little fed up after 5 more calls from the same company. One guy listened to me get firm and then hung up on me. While that bothered me he hung up, that was the last time that company called today. Several other solicitors letg me know I can get a free computer.

This number is/was on the DNCR prior to this. I suppose the recent paperwork somehow threw it back into the free for all system.

What does rub me is that we just got these phones in February after not having cell phones for 3 years (out of the country). So everyone just got them lol

[Dom]

You can tell that your policy is that you'll only consider a written proposition, you won't discuss it on the phone - end of the conversation.

Make it short, be kind and polite, just make the other part fine with it, but remember the policy.

A friend of mine told me his method : " in NO, which part do you not understand ? " - funny, but I thinks it's too rude.

Personnaly I often orient the conversation about my products with a lot of enthousiasm - maybe I could sell something to the person who calls (then I don't make it short). Afterall, this phone line is here for your customers, then use it in this way.

[Shorts]

You can tell that your policy is that you'll only consider a written proposition, you won't discuss it on the phone - end of the conversation.

Make it short, be kind and polite, just make the other part fine with it, but remember the policy.

A friend of mine told me his method : " in NO, which part do you not understand ? " - funny, but I thinks it's too rude.

Personnaly I often orient the conversation about my products with a lot of enthousiasm - maybe I could sell something to the person who calls (then I don't make it short). Afterall, this phone line is here for your customers, then use it in this way.

A written proposition sounds like a good way to go about it.

I'm automatically turned off by being approached by a vulture...err, sales person of nearly any kind (cars, snake oils, etc). Anyone that calls me has already failed. I don't prefer to do business with a company that uses blatant practices that I despise. I feel these tactics undermine my readiness and timing. I suppose I do take it personally that someone is essentially forcing the discussion and interaction on a particular subject that I'm not to that point yet. When I am ready to complete a transaction I will seek it out. And I don't want to hear about it until I bring it up.

Wow, I'm controlling about my money!

I think I will turn the tables. I'll go into a sales pitch for my items when I get these calls. hehehehe

Edited June 9, 2009 by Shorts

[Shorts]

Other than the "do not call" regstry, there's really not much to do...other than tell the person "don't call". Look up the d.n.c.r. and the penalties involved, do the same for 'communications harassment'.

I had repeated calls from the "You're car warranty is about to expire....". After several times of telling them to remove me from their call list, I got hold of a person, asked them to turn on the recorder and threatened legal action under communications harassment statutes.

Nary a peep since.

If they still won't leave you alone, pick up an inexpensive recorder and phone attachment, record the call and send it to the D.A.

Legitimate companies want your business. Scams want your money.

Since they've already got the one number, I suggest getting a second number as a private line, and placing in the DNCR, instead of trying to convert one to the other.

Good luck

After 4 calls in the last 10min from the same guy, I specifically came back to this thread to get the right wording

I did try to sell him some custom leather goods on his first call after I told him I wanted any proposals in writing. He paused to let me talk, didn't answer any questions or say he needed anything specific, then continued his spiel. When he started talking I began my sales pitch again. I told him I appreciated his call but I needed to get back to work and hung up on him.

He calls again, he's going to hear about legal action.

I know I'm probably getting spooled when I let these folksget under my skin. But I'm competitive and stubborn.

Edited June 9, 2009 by Shorts

[UKRay]

Monica,

My dear and aged mother keeps a football referee's whistle (the sort with a pea in it) by the phone and blows it really loudly into the headset when she gets a sales call. They rarely ring back. She shrieks with mirth every time she does it.

Look, it works for her, okay?

Ray

[Denise]

In Canada, by law the person calling is required to give you their phone number and the company they are calling from, especially if you are on the do not call registry. So now whenever "Michael" or "Rachel" call about our credit card interest rates, I immediately press 1 to talk to a real person, tell them that by law they need to give me this information and ask for it. They hang up, of course, because it is a scam and not a legitimate business. But they haven't bothered me quite as often since I started doing this.

[Johanna]

Two words: "Caller ID". My mom went to the fair and filled out every coupon for every drawing with my name and phone number because I am home to take the calls for when she would win. Bah! We never win anything except dozens of calls who have a legit reason to bypass the DNC list. I don't want to buy siding, an alarm system, a new mattress, be converted to a new religion, lease a car or get home water cooler delivery service. I would have loved to win the bicycle or the new roof, but oh well. If you call me with a "blocked number", I probably won't pick up the phone at all.

And if you do pick up one of those sales calls, a quick "No thanks!" and hang up. Don't let them talk, since it is a business line. My dad will always say, "let me go get my wife..." (he's not married) and then set the phone down and go back to whatever he is doing. He says it's an even trade- his time for theirs.

Johanna

[TwinOaks]

I guess perhaps the only thing that would top Johanna's dad's method would be to have some 'elevator music' on the Ipod and ready to go.....

[HorsehairBraider]

I don't have this problem (because most of my customers contact me via the internet) but a friend does. Don't know if this is true... but she always answers her phone with her business name. She says that some of them are not allowed to call a business, so they hang up. Some kind of rule about it, apparently.

As a warning, if they are calling to try and get you to sign up for a merchant account, it's most likely a scam. Someone was doing that to another friend and when she asked for a reference, they gave her a number at Chase. Turns out the person was a scammer, but knew the number for a legitimate company and gave that out as though that was their company. It was not. Chase collected the information from my friend about this scam and hopefully shut it down, but there will always be scams.

Now, if you want to have some *REAL* fun with these guys... do the counter-question form found here. You might even be able to find out what toothpaste they use!

[DigiTanha]

The secretaries at my day job just tell telemarketers they are an answering service and the telemarketers usually hang up.

[Ian]

In the days when I had a regular business number in the phone book, it was constant and relentless. My workshop area and retail area were seperate, so every call required me to drop what I was doing and go around to the store. Sure as sheets it was always when I had started stitching or glueing. Drove me up the freaking wall - that and walk-in salespeople.

[celticleather]

I usually ask them to hold for a moment, and then go back after 15 minutes . . . and they've gone! They waste my time - I waste theirs!