I couldn't stand it anymore...

[dettu]

I just put a telemarketer on indefinite hold.

I get a LOT of telemarketing calls in this new job. Bossies do not WANT to talk to any of these people. The admin's standard script is, "My HR dept has asked me not to give out any internal company information, so I'm afraid I can't help you with that." Sometimes they're nice, sometimes they're not. Sometimes they thank me and go away; sometimes they just repeat their spiel.

This one was not too bright, appeared to be calling from far away (bad sound on the line) and spoke semi-intelligible broken English. I have NO problems talking to people whose first language is not English--but when it's someone I need to politely terminate contact with ASAP so I can get back to work, I have far less patience. I think the guy may not have understood me when I said, repeatedly, no I cannot help you--he really seemed not to comprehend. Finally I just put him on hold and left him there.

After a while, the hold light on my phone went dark, indicating that the call was gone.

Darn!

[diamondlady]

Dettu,  Don't feel bad cause I do that alot with persistent sales folks that don't take the hint the first, second, third and fourth time I tell them no or hang up on them.  I haven't in quite some time, but if they don't get the hint by then, well your on your own and be prepared for whatever my mood may be, whether it's hanging up on you without saying another word, or the continual hold.

Gotta do what you have to especially if you are swamped.  

Diamondlady fka chris68
Peer Moderator

[Jackie G]

After repeating you're unable to help several times, I would have hung up.  After all, if you had done that to them, they would have hung up on you.

Or, be really blunt and ask them not to call you again.  Then if they do, you can repeat your request for them not to call you again.  I used to do this with stationery companies, and noted down in a notebook when they last called so that when they denied they'd been told, I could quote them chapter and verse as to when they'd last called me and what I'd told them!  It worked very fast.


Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[peana]

They drive me insane, and have started trying some awful tactics.  Recently I've had 'my colleague is in a coma, but we need to get some urgent information to his contact at your company.  Unfortunately we can't read his name from his notes' Me: 'What project was this concerning?' Them: 'It's best if we speak to the IT Ops manager directly.' Me: 'Please can you give me more information first?'  ...this went on for about 10 minutes with the caller being constantly evasive and accusing me of being insensitive about his sick colleague.  In the end he hung up!

I've also had someone claiming to be from the Chinese High Commision needing to speak to the IT director regarding an investigation of a yakuza gang.  When I explained that we had restructured recently and could he give me a name so I put him through to the correct person I was told he couldn't mention names over the phone!  When I questioned why he was phoning then he hung up!

I've also had sales people phoning up saying it's a personal call in order to be put through - bossie has now given me a list of the people he'll accept personal calls from!

[dettu]

My callers always seem to come preloaded with information--they'll have names of people they want to talk to. I haven't put one of these calls through yet, not even in my first week here, because I could just SENSE it was some salesperson trying to scam me--but it might be really disarming for a younger, less experienced admin who would think, "Oh, well if he's a long-term associate of Bossie's..."

The coma thing is the boldest I've ever heard. Wow. Do they honestly think that if they were able to gain access using that method, anyone would consider seriously doing business with them?