[plug] telemarketers

[Chris Caston]

On Fri, 2005-07-22 at 10:54, Andrew Cowie wrote:
> On Fri, 2005-22-07 at 10:00 +0800, Mark Dixon wrote:
> > Telemarketer: "Hello Mr Dixon. ..."
> > [no one calls me that except sales people and they all do it]
> > 
> > Me: "Hello.  I take it this is a telemarketing call?"
> 
> ...
> 
> The give-away that I've noticed this month is
> 
>         "Can I speak with the business owner?"
> 
> Like, duh, if you don't know who that is, then you either don't know who
> I am (implying you're a telemarketer), you don't know who we are or what
> line of business we're in (implying you're a telemarketer), or you
> didn't bother to read our website where it is quite obvious whose
> business it is (implying either you're a telemarketer or, if a
> salesperson, you didn't bother to do any research at all before phoning
> us. Hello! Successful sales is a *relationship* business. Do your
> homework for bog's sake).
> 
> Sad.
> 
> AfC
> Sydney

Usually when its an "overseas" call and they say "Can I speak to the
manager?" or "Can I speak to the managing director" 

I say "No the manager is dead and only the technician remains"

OR

"Does not exist"

OR 

"No, this is a technician run company"

and hang up.

Once someone from a Perth hotel called up trying to get me to book a
function room for "our Xmas party" so I just gave her the sad story
about how self-employed people don't get to have an office xmas party
unless they enjoy drinking alone.

regards,

Chris