How to deal with unwanted callers

[tanpsi]

I was a retail broker for a year 10 years ago, and you are trained to try deal with any excuse(including "I'm sorry we are eating dinner") or rejection so the only thing to do is hang up!!!!!

One thing was funny is that our office had the number of "Ma Boyle" on a card(you were only allowed to call people on cards)

http://www.columbia.com/who/investor_relations/bios_gertrude.aspx

She would actually pick up the phone sometimes and BS with the brokers.

Now, there are do not call lists that you can put yourselves on, but the best thing to do is say "No Thanks, put me on your don't call list" and hang up.

[Inearthed]

I never get telemarketers on my cell phone.

We get them all the time at work, I usually just interrupt them and tell them I'm not interested and hang up, or I just hang up. Sometimes when we're feeling really rude I'll transfer the call over to my boss who will go into this alternate ego inspired by Milton of Office Space and he'll just waste a good 10 to 15 minutes of their time. Asking them questions like "Have you ever googled yourself ma'am?" "Would you mind if I googled you right now?"

[RacerX]

I'm on the DNC list and it works.

I used to just ask the callers about what city they're calling me from, how the weather is there, then go off on several tangents, etc.

[charvelguy]

I sometimes get in their face, especially collectors, what is their name, what company do the represent, where are they calling from, etc.
I recall very well my days as telemarketer..fortunately, I got into the office part of it so,it was not so bad. Working in the that office actually was one of the more fun jobs I had.. almost everyone was artistically inclined and working a PT job...so I have a considerate soft spot for them. There would be a good deal of turnover but once you had core people who were really good, it became pretty stable.