Sunday, February 27, 2011

Joining the No Call List

I hate telemarketing calls.

(Is there anyone who doesn't? Very social people, maybe? Or someone who is just really in the mood to talk to anyone?)

When the National Do Not Call Registry was formed, I was thrilled in assuming that it would eliminate the number of times my phone rings and I find someone wanting to discuss car loan refinance options or amazing magazine subscription discounts or some other deal that I'm just not going to want to miss.

But here's the thing. I'm not looking to refinance my car or buy the latest gadget that I've never heard of (as if I would purchase it sight unseen over the phone anyway) or even answer a telephone survey. I learned my lesson the hard way on that last one when I spent a full half an hour on the phone answering a survey once and always regretted having wasted that time.

So now that my phone number has been registered as one to NOT call, why do I continue to receive them? According to the National Do Not Call Registry, "calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted," which just makes me sigh a big sigh.

If I want to donate to charity, then I'm going to do it on my own terms. And if I cared about politics, then I would follow the news... and, in fact, the huge number of automated calls reminding me about such-and-such great candidate in the weeks leading up to any sort of election drive me even further away from caring. I'll make my own informed decision and vote for whomever I please, thank you very much.

Even with caller ID, I still can't just let the phone ring - it's a habit I can't break. But typically now I hang up as soon as there is that obligatory pause while a telemarketer's computer system kicks in. However, I'm thinking there has to be a better way. I have two certain someones who live here that talk and talk and talk all day long... why not let them have a conversation with someone new?

I think it would help get my point across that I don't want to talk if I handed the phone to Little Sister B to ramble incoherently for a while or to Big Sister E so she could launch into a story about how at school we used these markers that were like markers but they were more like circles and there were paints and then I got some marker on my shirt and then this one boy didn't raise his hand and that's the same boy who wore dinosaur pajamas on pajama day and do you know what we had for snack? Those tortilla things with cheese! You know? Those ones? And I drank some milk and then you know what else? Well...

It seems like a win-win situation all around if I don't have to waste my time gritting my teeth but instead my kids get to chat until they've said everything that they can think of... or until the telemarketer hangs up. Whichever comes first.

Now I'm just waiting for the phone to ring.

Are you plagued with telemarketing calls? How do you like to deal with them?

11 comments:

  1. Ha! I've always wanted to mess with telemarketers a little, but haven't really had the courage. Handing the phone to a jabbering little girl is a great solution :D

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  2. Beautifully said, Thank you for the smile.

    I came Hoppin on over on Sunday morning from Az. and the Shibley Smiles Sunday Blog Hop, and look forward to hopping into you again sometime soon.

    Have a Hoppy Sunday and see you next week!


    Leila
    http://azsbsm.wordpress.com/
    Meet me on Sunday

    http://azfillerpack.wordpress.com/
    Blog Hop Round Up!

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  3. That's brilliant. There weren't really telemarketing calls that way when my sons were young, or I'd've done the same!

    What I do now is [if I don't hang up like you do during the pause] if it's a PERSON on the other end, I acknowledge them right away, then tell them that a) I'm not a candidate for whatever they're calling about and b) I need to speak to someone who can put me on THEIR "Do not call" list, and c) [if they can't give me a person to speak with about being removied] I wish them luck with their next call, because I'm going to let them get on to it. Most of the time I either get passed to a supervisor who says they'll get me taken off, or I get to wish the person who called well and then hang up.

    Robo-calls I report on whocallsme.com so that there's data gathered someplace about those numbers. Often I find, there, an address or email to write to to address being taken off, and that's worked.

    But boy, I'd've loved to let my younger boy review movies for callers. "And then This Guy, he [this that and the other], and then This Other Guy, he [same], and then This Guy He Who [did the third thing] . . ." for HOURS. We still laugh about it.

    Thanks for lightening up my Sunday. I came to you through some giveaway, but I stay because you're fun and interesting.

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  4. haha, so true! I hate those calls too...and how in the world do they find our cell #'s anyway??! Ughhhhh!

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  5. Well I must say I like your ideal & I did use to put my kids on the calls when they were small it was a lot of fun that way. Some of them would hang on for 10 minutes or more waiting for mom to rescue them. Now,however since the do not call list I agree is just a joke. I don't want to hear from charity's or political people so I use the Seinfeld approach. I kindly ask for their home phone number so I can call them back when it's more convenient for me. They always say but I can't give out that information. I say-Oh,you mean because I might call you at your home,your place of peace & quiet & bother you while your'e busy? They always apologize & agree to add me to their own personal do not call again list. Works everytime,it's rude but I don't care.

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  6. That's a great idea! I'm sure they would also love to hear all about my son's day at preschool and while he counts the number of friends he has and names them all one by one. :)

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  7. That is the BEST telemarketer solution I have ever heard!! You have to do it, you just have to!

    We don't have a landline, though we used to. My husband will actually talk to people, it's so annoying. I always tell them to take me off their calling list. Then legally they have to remove you. This includes all organizations, so once you tell ABC charity to take you off their list, they are not allowed to call you anymore (at least that's my understanding). But I don't know, I love the idea of your cuties talking their ears off even more!

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  8. We get several calls a day even though we're on the no call registry. They can't take no's about donations, if my husband says no then they ask for me, and vice versa.
    We often don't answer anymore.

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  9. I could not agree more with the no call idea. THey always call at the most busiest time and they only want to keep you for a moment. Ha! I am followering you from I love my online friends.

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  10. I always say "could you hang on a moment please" then I put the phone down and walk away, by the time I come back they have gone!

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  11. Well...you know what I do. I like them say their 15 minute dialog and say I'm not interested, or keep going this sounds great, all to say nope and hang up. I've been on the list for years, and it irritates me I still get calls. Win a trip to Bahamas, want some magazines, blah blah. Big sister E sounds just like Zoe, she is funny!I agree put them on the phone next time or sound like a young girl and say your mom is in the shower:)

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