Sales Calls & Surveys / Are You Kidding Me?!

[RitaB]

I have been inundated with sales calls, surveys, and "Hey! It's Time to Renew Your Tax Software" mail. This week. (I have always wanted to say "inundated".)

What the heck? Do they look at the calendar, and say to themselves, "What is the worst possible time to call an accountant; I love a challenge!"

Oh well, hang on my friends! We got this!

[oceanlovin'ea]

that is why I LOVE caller ID. I haven't answered one of their calls all year. If it's not a client or someone I recognize, I don't answer it. Funny....they hardly ever leave a message.

Linda, EA

[geekgirldany]

I don't think Drake calls. I believe they just send out a renewal notice. Taxwise was always bad about calling.

[RitaB]

Somebody

Somebody did leave a message saying they were hired by IRS to conduct a survey, had questions about a non-profit I do. The Executive Director gave her my number. (Well, of course she did...). Anyhow, I'll jump right on that next week sometime.

The other sales calls have been about cleaners (guy sprayed his stuff on my carpet, and my eyes burned all day), ink salesman, couple of people selling credit card apparatus. (I always wanted to say that, too.)

Today, the renewal package from ATX.

[DaveO]

Had a salesman call the other day. He started his pitch, "I know how busy you are right now." I said, "No you don't" and hung up.

[Burke]

It's the robo calls that drive me nuts. I sure have gotten a lot lately. I try to hang up within 2 seconds.

[RitaB]

Good one

Had a salesman call the other day. He started his pitch, "I know how busy you are right now." I said, "No you don't" and hung up.

That is so funny! Will have to try it out tomorrow.

[jeff501]

Tell 'em you charge for sales calls. I do.

I posted this a few months ago but it may bear posting again. I've gotten several calls this week. One was from a person claiming to represent a local church. But the Caller ID was from out of state. I asked if all the donation went to the church, she paused for a second then said; "a portion, sir". I asked how much, 75%, 50%, 5%? She didn't have an answer. Then I said we charge $75 per sales call, she hung up.


We have a "charge" for sales calls

A couple of years ago I was having one of those days we all have from time to time. To complicate things further, I must have had three sales people walk in unannounced. The third person kind of caught a bit of grief from me and I told him we have a company policy of charging $75 for a sales call, paid upfront. Plus, the call needed to be scheduled at least a week in advance and we would give them 15 minutes to make their sales pitch with no guarantee of us purchasing anything. I never saw this sales person again.

I even typed up our policy on company letterhead and handed it out a few times. Also had the office staff tell telemarketers our policy. So far, no one has paid and the sales calls pretty much stopped for a while.

Putting the phone down for a long time and making them wait works too.

[jeff501]

office supply sales calls

I also get calls from time to time from someplace selling office supplies. I've got a few clients who work in law enforcement who block their number on Caller ID so I almost have to answer the phone or I would just totally ignore it when no number shows up.

They always start out by saying their the guys with the bad jokes but great prices on office supplies...

I got kind of nasty with the last guy who called, pretty much read him his rights then asked if he still wanted to tell me his little joke. He stammered for a second then just hung up. Maybe I got to him a little bit.

[JohnH]

What is this with the "bad joke" sales call? I've just recently begun getting them, and I can't think of a more unprofessional way to start a telemarketing pitch. Puts the caller on a par with Rodney Dangerfield or Jay Leno. The person who thought this up needs a refresher course in marketing 101.

[JG EA]

I Putting the phone down for a long time and making them wait works too.

I like this one very much. "Please hold".

[veritas]

How to handle a sales call

http://www.funnysalescartoons.com/video/handling-telemarketers-the