How do you handle it?

i do tend to hear them out a little. sometimes i interrupt them to say no, but i usually don't just hang up on them. i do get annoyed though when i've said no and they keep going or they rephrase the question and ask again.

of course, we have call block now so most of them can't get through. :D

I have been known to listen to their sales pitch and then tell them 'no.' I have also been know to answer 'Is [insert name here] home?' with 'I am sorry. . . but he/she is no longer with us.'

My family tends to joke around with them....

I often say either "omg you'll give a 16 year old a credit card" or "well i just filed for bankruptcy this morning, are you sure?"

I must've gotten this habit from my granddad. He once told someone calling to clean out his septic tank..."what's a septic tank?.....oh I don't have one of those. I still use the same otuhouse my granddad did" (refrain from the MS jokes please)

But my granddad's new favorite reply has been, "can you call back in an hour or so? my Viagra just kicked in"

I generally let them start their spiel so I can be sure they are a telemarketer, then say "sorry, not interested", then hang up.

Always wanted to try the Jerry Seinfeld approach

UDC,
The Seinfeld approach was hilarious!!

I will listen to them and if it is something I know I dont want I will interrupt them and thank them for the call and ask them to take me off their call list. If they continue, I thank them again, and hang up.

I hate telemarketers, I used to screen the calls for my parents my brother and sister did the same....and now at the young age of 19 I'M GETTING THESE CALLS. IT'S CRAZINESS...so now my brother and sister are screening our phone almost constantly...well anyways...I pretty much just hang up on them if I answer...they annoy me...and they really don't like listening ot they younger people say no.

If it doesn't show a number on my caller ID, I usually don't pickup.

-JD

There should be a fourth option there.

"Hear them out, and politely say no."

I used to do telemarketing, and it's the hardest job in the world. You don't really want to talk, and the people don't really want to listen. So, both people are pissed walking into the conversation. I've been yelled at, i've been hung up on more times than I can remember (even before i did telemarketing, but that's a whole other story), and at some points, i've been threatened by lawsuit. Eventually, i quit, just because the money wasn't worth it.

Nowadays, if someone calls, I remember when people were @ssholes to me, and ruined my nights. I didn't like it when it happened to me, so I don't do that to these folks. Normally, i'll let them do the spiel, then i'll say something like "I appreciate your call, but i would prefer not to right now." If they ask again, i'll say "i would prefer not to." On a couple of occasions, i've been complimented on how I handled a telemarketer. My point is, just because it is annoying as hell (and it is), doesn't mean you should blame the telemarketers, they're just trying to do their job.


... Then again, i always loved the jerry seinfeld responses to it


"Hello, would you like a suscription to time?"
"Yes!"(hangs up)


"Hi. Would you be interested in switching over to TMI Long Distance service?"
"Oh, gee, I can't talk right now. Why don't you give me your home number and I'll call you later."
"Uh, sorry, we're not allowed to do that."
"Oh, I guess you don't want people calling you at home."
"No."
"Well, now you know how I feel." (hangs up)

That was option one. Unless I read it wrong. My problem lies with the ones who wont take no for an answer.

I'm with TPC on this. My mom, during a rough financial period in our life, had to work as a telemarketer, and I knew what she went through. I will not hang up on them without saying goodbye first, but I will be polite.

As for not giving up...they have a script to read, and most of them have been told that they have to try at least two times (it's called dual-refusal, I believe...a telemarketer that called me once told me about it) before they're ALLOWED to end the call.

One thing I am proud of tho'...Mr. LRT used to be really rude (imo) and just set the phone down on the table and let them talk to the air...he now just politely refuses and then hangs up. :)