Osler's Razor

I haven't tried this myself, but I've heard some people pass the phone to their chatty preschool-aged children.
 

I have 4 options (depending on the time of the day):

~ I'm happy with the insurance I have and I am not interested in changing at this time. Please do not call this number again.

~ I'm sorry sir/maam I'm not interest, please do not call this number again.

~ I'm sorry sir/maam I'm on my way to an appointment(class), please do not call this number again.

~ I can't take your call now, my child (grand child) is in the bath tub. Please do not call this number again.

I always add the "please do not call again" as our numbers are registered with the Do Not Call list and the phone solicitor is always being taped. There are exceptions to the DNC call rule if you have donated money to an organization in the past.

Time to register your office number on Do Not Call.

Remember this person works in a call center and is being watched, timed and monitored during the entire work day (this is how it works). At least 95% of the numbers they call result in hang ups unless they get a lonely little old lady like my mother-in-law. At that point they wish the person had hung up.

This may be the only work the person could find in this economy and the are desperate not to get fired and bring home some type of paycheck. People turn to phone sales solicitation to feed their family/pay the rent and don't last long in the job because of the statistics noted above.

Be thankful it is not you making the call.
 

Times are tough,Professor. I probably would've hung up on the guy myself. Desperate to make a sale,one might even say ravenously "hungry." Frustrated and cranky. I am willing to bet that he hasn't made a sale in eons. People can't eat insurance or put insurance in their gas tank. I once knew an NML insurance man. He turned out to be a con man and to have a personality disorder. Not sure which came first...the disorder or the con man part. On the plus side he was a gourmet cook and a snazzy dresser. I always thank them sweetly and hang up before the spiel starts. Would you want to be an insurance salesman? I've always wanted though,that being said,to hold forth with some crazy gibberish,and see how long it takes for them to hang up. A variation on Carrie's theme. Although I am sure that Rowan could acquit himself admirably on the phone. Benjamin too!
 

Just hang up. it's more polite bc it allows them to more quickly initiate the next call. It's a volume business.
 

When time permits, my hilarious spouse and I have played out many a scene with telemarketers on the line. They normally involve fights about her blankity-blank mother or yappy little dog that escalate to near family violence. It's amazing how long they stay on.

Handing it to the chatty kid is always a great option. Snoring is a good one if you are alone.
 

Sadly Michael is right. I get calls from insurance salesmen, brokers, headhunters, etc. every week. Its tiresome, but you get numb after a while.
 

I got repeated calls from a sales organization a few months back. The fifth or so time they called (after I'd asked the other four times that they not call me back), I asked for the name, number, and extension of the person I was talking to. I then said I would report them to the police department and the FCC if they kept calling me after I told them I didn't want calls from them anymore. Aggressive? Absolutely. On the plus side, they never called me again.
 

Not that I was raised to be "rude", but we have a different sense of appropriateness in the East.

First of all, why would you be calling me at my place of business? I did not ask for any such solicitation. The call itself is rude.

Usually, I would say, "No thank you, I am not interested, please do not contact me again." Then, I hang up before s/he has a chance to respond.

Or, I just go right to schooling him with a little East Coast attitude (certainly not a sign of humility and nothing of which to be proud, but effective nonetheless).

If you are interested in my business, then why don't you put it in writing and send me something in the mail?
 

Campbell-- very brave...don't think I could have managed it...but after 5 calls,maybe. I love diadelkendall playing out a scenario with the wife! Very creative! Improv-ing..very cool.
 

I interrupt salespersons like that as soon as they start to speak, telling them I don't make purchase decisions or do business like that on the telephone and that if they would like to send me something in the mail I'd be happy to look at it.

I tell solicitors for contributions the same thing - I don't take solicitations by telephone.

In either case, if they insist on continuing to speak, I do hang up on them. Rarely do I get such calls at work. Mostly they come when I'm in the middle of cooking dinner.
 

"I don't do business with anyone who solicits by phone!" and hang up.

Works for almost anything. Caller ID helps - as does the fed's no call list.

In spite of being a Southern Woman who was brought up to be polite, I have no problem hanging up or not answering these rude people.

Lee
 

Good suggestions, all. There is a funny, funny CD from a comic who makes a living responding to unsolicited phone calls. One of my favorites is when a carpet salesman calls, asking the salesman if he knows how to get blood out of carpet ... really, really fast. Then breaking down completely.
Bob
 

turn it around on him.
"actually, sir, i'm all set on insurance, but since you've called, how are you on legal representation? if you'll just mail me a retainer check for the reasonable price of $xxxx, we can get you in a lawsuit that's just right for you..."
 

Update!

This is still the only call I have received like this in the time I have lived in Minnesota, and I still have a lifelong commitment never to buy anything from Northwest Mutual.