Re: Call me madam (sales calls)

[Guest guest]

>I had a phone call today from a Double Glazing salesman who managed

>to commit one of my 'pet hates' the over use of my name. Every other

>sentence was begun or ended with " Mrs Germain " - For whatsits sake I

>know who I am. and when he wasn't calling me " Mrs Germain " he was

>calling me Madam - sounded as though I was running a knocking shop.

>He couldn't get through his script fast enough and I couldn't get a

>word in edgeways.

>

>Mrs Germain

>Miffed of Jersey

I hate that too - whether it is my first name or my surname. It's a

particular mistake with my surname as it is so easily mispronounced

(though I suspect not by Channel Islanders!) so frequent repetition

can be quite insulting. They used to get my previous name wrong too.

We've had a lot of sales calls recently about:

a) women's health insurance policies for cancer. I have a particular

sensitivity about health insurance as I was dealt with very shabbily

once (long tale, and served me right for taking out a policy with a

company owned by British American Tobacco for heaven's sake - how

could I expect ethical behaviour?), so I don't feel too guilty

putting on a very particular voice and saying that it would not be

appropriate for me thank you goodbye.

mortgages - again I put on a particular voice and say gloomily

that we would not be in a position to be able to change mortgages.

(This is most definitely true - we'd love to do it if we could) That

works.

I also particularly dislike charity 'sales' calls - I hope NCT never

does this. I've found these the pushiest of the lot and quite brusque

themselves if they have started by asking if they can tell you a bit

about...they go on and on and on and *then* mention money and if you

then say no...!

I did once say " No thank you, goodbye " and put the phone down - and

got a call back with the woman yelling " There's no need to be so rude "

--

jennifer@...

Vaudin

[Guest guest]

>I hate that too - whether it is my first name or my surname.

I've decided I like using people's names - it all started in Australia

where you're never Mrs So-and-so anyway. Well, not IME anyway.

So whenever I call somewhere now and they answer the phone with 'XYZ

company, speaking' I always start the conversation with 'Oh Hello

, it's Sue Woollett here. I 'd like to do/find out about/etc...'

then I continue to use their name throughout the conversation.

If they don't give me their name I always make a point of saying 'Sorry,

I didn't catch your name. Who am I speaking to?' Some people are very

nervous/reluctant to give their name - I'm sure they think I only want

it so I can complain!

--

Sue

[Guest guest]

Something like that happened to me once - only with a door-to-door

seller. He was quite young, and I have no idea what he was selling. I'd

just got home from my beloved great-aunt's funeral; was b/fing DD2 (6

weeks, then); and DS (then 15mths) was crying loudly. The doorbell rang

and there was a youngish man with a clipboard and a big briefcase. I

opened the door with difficulty (one hand and baby stuffed under t-shirt),

and collared DS with free hand, said " no, thank you, I'm not interested "

and shut door again with my foot (being the only free limb). Whereupon

*he* kicked the door loudly, several times, and shouted " There's no need to

slam the effing door on me you effing stuck up effing bitch! " which was

quite frightening. Fortunately, a couple of neighbours appeared and saw

him off the cul-de-sac, but I've never opened the door to an unexpected

stranger again...

Vicki

http://www.plushpants.co.uk

>I did once say " No thank you, goodbye " and put the phone down - and

>got a call back with the woman yelling " There's no need to be so rude "

[Guest guest]

> Something like that happened to me once - only with a door-to-door

> seller. He was quite young, and I have no idea what he was

selling. I'd

> just got home from my beloved great-aunt's funeral; was b/fing DD2

(6

> weeks, then); and DS (then 15mths) was crying loudly. The doorbell

rang

> and there was a youngish man with a clipboard and a big briefcase.

I

> opened the door with difficulty (one hand and baby stuffed under t-

shirt),

> and collared DS with free hand, said " no, thank you, I'm not

interested "

> and shut door again with my foot (being the only free limb).

Whereupon

> *he* kicked the door loudly, several times, and shouted " There's no

need to

> slam the effing door on me you effing stuck up effing bitch! "

which was

> quite frightening. Fortunately, a couple of neighbours appeared

and saw

> him off the cul-de-sac, but I've never opened the door to an

unexpected

> stranger again...

>

> Vicki

> http://www.plushpants.co.uk

>

>

> >I did once say " No thank you, goodbye " and put the phone down - and

> >got a call back with the woman yelling " There's no need to be so

rude "

We get lots of pushy door-to-door sellers, particularly from Coldseal

(UPVC doors and windows) - they used to come at least once a

fortnight. I remember reading once that if you ask them (politely of

course!) to take you off their list of people to call on then they

are obliged to do so. Last time they came (last summer) I happened

to be in the front garden digging with most of my neighbours outside

too, so I felt brave enough to ask them not to call again. There

were at least 4 young men, all swaggering about rather aggressively.

They all congregated at the bottom of the road, looking at me and

obviously telling each other what a b***h I was. I felt quite

intimidated but I held my ground. In the morning I was disgusted to

find I had raw eggs plastered all over the front of the house. I was

so furious that I phoned their Head Office at 9am and complained,

with a description of the young man concerned and a detailed report

of what time he had come and what I had said to him. They were VERY

apologetic and haven't been round for 2 months now (which must be a

record!). Lets hope they've got the message and won't come again -

if I wanted new doors and windows I would be looking for quotes

myself, and certainly NOT from Coldseal!

Ruth

[Guest guest]

> Something like that happened to me once - only with a door-to-door

> seller. He was quite young, and I have no idea what he was selling.

I'd

> just got home from my beloved great-aunt's funeral; was b/fing DD2

(6

> weeks, then); and DS (then 15mths) was crying loudly. The doorbell

rang

> and there was a youngish man with a clipboard and a big briefcase.

I

> opened the door with difficulty (one hand and baby stuffed under

t-shirt),

> and collared DS with free hand, said " no, thank you, I'm not

interested "

> and shut door again with my foot (being the only free limb).

Whereupon

> *he* kicked the door loudly, several times, and shouted " There's no

need to

> slam the effing door on me you effing stuck up effing bitch! " which

was

> quite frightening. Fortunately, a couple of neighbours appeared and

saw

> him off the cul-de-sac, but I've never opened the door to an

unexpected

> stranger again...

>

> Vicki

> >I did once say " No thank you, goodbye " and put the phone down - and

> >got a call back with the woman yelling " There's no need to be so

rude "

I am shocked! I do know that salesmen have a rotten time of it trying

to get us to buy things we don't want, but OTOH, heck it's their

problem if they cold-call on us, why *shouldn't* we have the right to

say " No thank you goodbye " ?

Ruthie