Rant alert - B2B Sales Phone calls

[Hazel at the Hill]

The above are part of my job - both phoning up prospective business Clients, and also fielding sales phone calls in.

I am always polite to sales callers - sometimes I wish to take some information from them further, sometimes I don't.

Today a young lady called to ask about our phone system (we get half a dozen calls like this a week on average ). I explained - as I always do - that, no, we are no longer with BT, we already have a company who processes all our calls through least-cost-routing, and that I am happy with our existing provider, but thank you for calling.

'Well, we have a gentleman in the area next week, so can I make an appointment for him to come and see you?'

'Er - didn't your hear what I just said? We're happy with our existing supplier, I don't think that you can save us any money, and I don't wish to take this any fur....'

*click

Don't put the phone down on me when you are trying to sell me something!!!

So, Jasmin from Universal, if you decide to call us again, please be ready with your supervisor to hand so that I can explain to him exactly how unprofessional his staff are, and how they are unlikely to get very far in a sales career.

*ahem

Rant over.

[Incy]

I hate that and sadly it's all to common. We get sales calls at home even though we are ex directory and I have had them put the phone down on me several times when I politely explain I'm not interested.
It's SO RUDE! After all they made the call.

[HeyWayne]

I hate that and sadly it's all to common. We get sales calls at home even though we are ex directory and I have had them put the phone down on me several times when I politely explain I'm not interested.
It's SO RUDE! After all they made the call.

Register your number here Incy:

TPS Registration

We get maybe two calls a year now.

[gingerlover]

After a while we gave up and just said send someone around and when they turned up tell him "sorry not interested", you waste my time I'll waste yours.

It seems to have worked

[SarzWix]

I used to do business-to-business sales, I got in trouble for talking to people after they said 'not interested' I didn't last long in that job...

[zazen999]

British Gas did that to me when I was halfway through informing them that my OH was at work and I wouldn't be making any decisions about our service whilst he wasn't at home....I tell them this every time they subsequently call and embarrass the person trying to do the sales talk again....and still they keep calling......

[TEB]

I just say that we are tied into a 2 year contract which ends on so and so date, seems to work.

[piskieinboots]

you rant away Hazel hun - I am totally with you

Sadly, I cant use the TPS system because home line is also my office line - so I just try to be polite and say 'thank you but no thank and thank you for calling and thank yo...oh clear off'

[Incy]

Register your number here Incy:

TPS Registration

We get maybe two calls a year now.

Thanks Wayne. I'd be interested to know how they get our number in the first place. When I ask they get all shirty with me and mutter nonsense about random dialling. Only If it was random, how do they know my name?

Just went to register and discovered we already are. OH must have already done it.
It states on the site that they are legally obliged NOT to call registered numbers. I shall take great pleasure in pointing this out to the next unsolicited caller

[Hazel at the Hill]

It's the medium sized companies that I have trouble with - big corporations inc. the utilities both train their staff correctly, and are obliged to certain levels of service/politeness as they will have the ombudsman/daily mail ('rude bt drove my granny to drink')/watchdog on to them, so they have a level of PR to maintain.

Small companies (like mine) have to work bloody hard for sales and so try very hard indeed not to p*ss anyone off ever.

It seems to be that some medium sized companies employ staff who don't give a damn, then don't or can't afford to train them properly, and aren't really bothered if they hack you off by putting the phone down on you - they'll never speak to you again, and you've likely never heard of them either, and will never do so again.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks Wayne. I'd be interested to know how they get our number in the first place. When I ask they get all shirty with me and mutter nonsense about random dialling. Only If it was random, how do they know my name?

Just went to register and discovered we already are. OH must have already done it.
It states on the site that they are legally obliged NOT to call registered numbers. I shall take great pleasure in pointing this out to the next unsolicited caller

Make sure when they call that you get the company name, and the callers name before confirming that yes, it is you, then ask to speak to the supervisor as you are TPS registered. If/when the phone goes dead at that point, I think you can report them to TPS online.

[Incy]

Will do Hazel, Thanks.
I'm almost looking forward to the next unsolicited call.
Time for REVENGE!!!1

[Glutton4...]

When asked 'Is that Mrs. ??,' I got into the habit of answering 'No, she's moved' Strangely they usually hang up! Too stoopid to realise they could try to sell to the new person - D'oh!

[piskieinboots]

For home sales calls - I always say 'I don't own this property, HRH does, call her and see if she will agree to new windows/doors/whatever, I'd be thrilled if she says yes'

You can see the blank face on the other end, you really can

[Glutton4...]

LOL - nice one Piskie!