I can save you money
By p1kef1sh
@p1kef1sh (45681)
February 4, 2011 12:04pm CST
I received a call from a telephone sales company that said that they were working on behalf of my TV, broadband and phone provider. The woman asked what company I get those services from. I said that if she worked for Virgin then she'd already know. "I can save you money" she said. "Great" says I. "How much?" Then she admitted that she didn't have any idea what I was paying currently. I asked her how she knew that she could save me money then? She admitted that she couldn't. But I could call Virgin and they might lower my tariff. I don't need someone to ring me to tell me that! By now I was wondering just where this call was going. She didn't know either. So we concluded the conversation with her saying "have a lovely day". Do you ever have confusing and pointless conversations with telephone sales people?
6 people like this
23 responses
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Feb 11
Haha! All the time. Went round and round in circles with this guy at the Chargebacks and Disputes Centre at RBS and it was a masterstroke of mine to demand that I speak to the manager. She then gave me the Fraud Section's telephone number. Why couldn't the guy do that as I was slowly losing my temper with him? Would've save a load of grief..oh, and they've paid me too. Let's hope I can keep hold of the cash this time round.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Feb 11
I am with Janey on that one. I thought she meant in a public discussion and instead she posted private stuff that should have remained between her and Janey.I thought the me aning of private messages was to give both people privacy and not open it to the world. I hope nobody ever does that to me.It was very foolish.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Feb 11
My discussion was deleted to "keep the peace." Yes, really! I'm a bit miffed but it's done now. I suppose admin couldn't delete vonmac's without deleting mine, as it looks like they are taking sides, so I've accepted the decision..just.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
4 Feb 11
Yes. those calls get on my nerves so badly. I hate it when you call to drop something off of your phone features, like Call waiting or something like, so you can save money and they try to talk you into buying some other feature at the same time. If I could afford more features, I would not be calling to drop some. DUH!
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47279)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Feb 11
I generally say, very politely, "Thank you for your offer, but I'm not interested." Then I hang up.
2 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
4 Feb 11
That's funny! I haven't had quite such a confusing and pointless conversation before. We sometimes have people knocking on the door though, also implying that they're from our current telephone provider, and saying that we can save money on our calls if we sign up right away. On further questioning, it always turns out that they're from a rival company and are trying to steal customers. Such dodgy practices put me right off ever dealing with whatever company they turn out to be.
I also get frustrated by obviously Indian people phoning up from call centres, saying "hello, my name is Susan..." or Giles etc... when that's obviously not their name. Of course I don't
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
4 Feb 11
I am in complete agreement. I sometimes get Brian or Sean phoning from Bombay and pretending that they are English! In fact we have an insurance company here that has a call centre in India. There are always lots of lost Brians and Seans wandering around. LOL.
2 people like this
@liquorice (3887)
•
4 Feb 11
Lol! Yes, I just think if you can't be honest about such a basic thing, then why should I believe anything else that you say.
1 person likes this
@liquorice (3887)
•
4 Feb 11
[Wow, that send before I was finished]. Was going to say that of course I don't mind where they're really from or what their name is, I just don't like the dishonesty of it.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
13 Feb 11
Charities do, yes...if you say I'm sorry, I cannot afford.....they offer to ring back at a later time when things might possibly be easier. You really cannot refuse twice now can you?
Insurance companies are not yet on the bandwagon here. Give it a little time, they will be calling soon....*play evil sounding, eerie music here.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Feb 11
hi Pikey oh yes Bank of American, enless phone calls telling me because
I am such a good patron they want to give me a free accident policy for umpty thousand dollars, then they say will only cost you x dollars a month, how's that, I thought free,oh no only first month and he goes on with that spiel until I break in again, I am going on 85sir, oh sorry to have bothered you blah blah. So I think now they will get the message. Same day this lovely 
young woman starts in the same spiel and I say" dont waste your time. I am going on 95.' So this time she hangs up on me. 'So four hours later' Mrs. Hatley as you are a valued patron I am extenginy to you" I break in "free but not not free policy. I am going on 85"
this time I hang up on ths spiel. Next time I hang up as soon as I hear Bank of America.
young woman starts in the same spiel and I say" dont waste your time. I am going on 95.' So this time she hangs up on me. 'So four hours later' Mrs. Hatley as you are a valued patron I am extenginy to you" I break in "free but not not free policy. I am going on 85"
this time I hang up on ths spiel. Next time I hang up as soon as I hear Bank of America.1 person likes this
She's either new in the sales line or has no confidence at all? Well, just consider you were one of her practice targets? Haha!~
Hahaha!~
@mands61123 (2098)
•
6 Feb 11
ha ha she sounds very confused and what a waste of both your time!
ste has recently about broadband and ping times virgin trying to get us to swap to sky hes a gamer and started asking lots of technical questions they ended up baffled and telling him he didn't know what he was on about and transfering him to a tech who did. We haven't swapped lol
personally i don't answer the phone the only mithering i want is from friends or customers and they all know my mobile so i screen it and if it's unknown and not a local number it goes unanswered.
@mands61123 (2098)
•
6 Feb 11
ha ha oh i always pick up for a bit of that hun im just to busy to talk ha ha ha
he did explain it all to me in great length i'm perfectly capable of understanding I just ain't in the slightest bit interested *eyes glazed over head hits table zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
4 Feb 11
Luckily for caller ID I dont answer those calls and let them go to voicemail and then delete them right away....LOL However, I love the fact that you continued the call and put her in a predicament that she really couldnt help you. 
Those calls are annoying, my stepfather has gotten to the point that he picks up the phone and then hangs up without saying anything... since the phone will ring until the machine gets it and then they hang up anyway with out leaving a message. 
I hope in the end that you did have a lovely day after that!! HAHAHA
Those calls are annoying, my stepfather has gotten to the point that he picks up the phone and then hangs up without saying anything... since the phone will ring until the machine gets it and then they hang up anyway with out leaving a message.
I hope in the end that you did have a lovely day after that!! HAHAHA1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
5 Feb 11
Good on you. It seems like you you had her on the back foot from the start and she had no where to go then. 
I get phone calls like this to my mobile phone sometimes as I am the phone contact in the Yellow Pages for the archery club that I belong to. My number must have made it to a list somewhere because I keep getting calls asking for the business owner. I then ask them what business? When they reply with the club name, I tell them that is it a sporting club, not a business, you idiot! That usually shuts them up real quick. I never tell them that I am the owner of another business though.
I get phone calls like this to my mobile phone sometimes as I am the phone contact in the Yellow Pages for the archery club that I belong to. My number must have made it to a list somewhere because I keep getting calls asking for the business owner. I then ask them what business? When they reply with the club name, I tell them that is it a sporting club, not a business, you idiot! That usually shuts them up real quick. I never tell them that I am the owner of another business though. @RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
5 Feb 11
Well asking them where they want to go is much more polite than telling them where to go!
Maybe I should start trying to sell them something as well. I could tell them that I will listen to their sales pitch, but only if they buy something from me first!
Maybe I should start trying to sell them something as well. I could tell them that I will listen to their sales pitch, but only if they buy something from me first! 
@stevieboi19 (1419)
•
4 Feb 11
I had one about claiming back tax or something along them lines anyway and the man on the phone asked me all sorts of questions finally concluding that I wasn't entitled to any such thing. Which I knew myself as I don't pay tax I just felt the need to waste his time for ringing me about something I never asked about in the first place.
1 person likes this
@aprilsong (1884)
• China
6 Feb 11
I have also experienced similary thing on phone too. That was a woman who try to presuade me to buy insurance. First,she introduced herself as a clerk at a bank with which i have maken a credit card. From her number,i knew it is ture. Then she asked me how is the situation of my household finance. And could i spare 500 rmb pre month for an insurance? I said i don't want to. But she didn't give up, ask why? I said i already have health insurance,and i don't want to buy one more. Then she try to persuade me: will 500 rmb pre month means too much for you? we have great rewards to it... ... etc.
I regreted very much to answer the call. If i knew it was a sales womean.I would not take it. So i made some excuse to stop the call.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
4 Feb 11
I never have. When I get a telephone sales call it consists of me telling them what scum of the earth they are to invade my privacy uninvited and I tell them they are no worse than home invaders. Then I tell them I know what a horrible job it is and I understand their need to make some money but I am on the do not call list and if they call again their company will receive a stiff fine from the Feds.
I'm much nicer than I used to be to telemarketers.
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
4 Feb 11
I subscribed to that "do not call" list, as well. But I think it wore off and I am now being bombarded more than ever, it seems.
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
4 Feb 11
I have taken to looking at the phone number and if I don't recognize it I often just will not answer. But recently, if I know it is telephone sales, I will just plain hang up. I'm tired of wasting my time playing with them, by asking 'what are you selling?', as I used to do. They bore me, I am not buying, so what is the point?
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
5 Feb 11
Well, I think you are just a tease :P. You can tease me anytime instead, ok? HUGS
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
14 Feb 11
LOL... That sounds like a sales pitch that could not face the pressure. I was once in the times shares business and I can tell you the training is good and prepares you for eventualities such as the questions you asked that agent. Seems she was not trained at all. Had no idea about the product she was selling. Such is the case when people have to just settle with a job for the sake of earning a living.
Poor woman.
