Phone call solicitations to tax folks

[Jiggers]

No Salesmen - No Soliciting

I have a NO SALESMAN - NO SOLICITING sign on my office door.

You would be surprised at the number of salesmen who walk in and announce that they are "...not selling anything, but...."

I just point to the sign and tell them that I don't do business with anyone that can't read.

They just turn around and head out the door without a comment. At least not one that I can hear.

[gboykin]

I just ordered this list through the FOIA. I will be calling you all in the near future!

[Burke]

3. You report them to FTC and/or Secret Service

The Secret Service? Well, now....that would be interesting......

[jeff501]

Tell 'em you charge for your time

We have a "charge" for unsolicited 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 had two sales calls on the phone and 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. I guess the three "no soliciting" signs on the outside door and in the lobby area weren't written in plain enough English for the person to understand. Also have the office staff tell telemarketers our policy. I'd probably fall over if someone ever paid but it's fun to see or hear their reactions.

Attached is what we hand out or recite over the phone.

************************************************** ********************

Due to an increasing amount of unscheduled sales calls during the day, we have been forced to implement a new policy regarding same.

As we are a very busy office, unscheduled sales calls take away from our employee productivity.

Effective immediately, we are charging a non-refundable fee of $75 per requested sales appointment. Payment must be made in guaranteed funds, call must be scheduled a minimum seven business days in advance and payment must be received at time appointment is made. An appointment does not guarantee purchase by us, only an opportunity to take time for your presentation. Sales presentations will also be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes.

In the event we are receptive of your proposal, the $75 fee will not be refunded or applied to any purchase.


Thank you for your understanding with this matter.
************************************************** *****************

[oceanlovin'ea]

same number

My home number and my business number are the same because my business is in my home. So we only answer the calls from numbers we know or local numbers. If the caller id, says "Oregon" or "Tulsa, OK" I don't answer it most of the time. The other day in the late afternoon, I answered the phone and said "Hello". The person on the other end said "Oh, you surprised me. You didn't answer (by my business name). I said to him "That is because I am not in the office today. I have a sick grandchild I am taking care of." "Oh, excuse me, but I'll just take a minute. I'm so and so". I just told him I was too busy and not to call me back as I wasn't interested.
Sometimes if you just answer, they go away. Otherwise, they keep calling every day or several times a day trying to find you. So it depends on my mood. Actually the busier I am, the more likely I am to answer so that I can just say I am too busy and not interested. But I always try to be polite. Rudeness is not becoming on anyone.

Linda, EA

[FEDUKE404]

Update of note

Excerpted from a well-known tax newsletter:

Now that businesses can obtain a list of PTIN holders from the Service…

Tax practitioners are irate about the spike in unsolicited calls and e-mails that they’re getting from telemarketers and others pitching products and services.

For $35, marketers can get the preparer’s name, e-mail and professional credentials, along with the name of the preparer’s business, plus its address and phone number.

And the solicitations will keep on coming. Although IRS revised Form W-12 so return preparers can provide a personal address that is exempt from disclosure, they still must list a business address and e-mail...plenty for solicitors to exploit.

FE

[Roberts]

Roberts:
With regard to who/why/what the Duke is saying about telemarketers, here's another quote (don't remember who said it, but it's apt) that applies -- to you: "If you don't know the answer to that, then I can't explain it to you."

Ah, so you don't consider yourself in sales when it comes time to acquire new business?

[Black Bart]

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

Quoting the friend of Charlie Brown

GOOD GRIEF !!!

SALESMEN.......Dude.......SALESMEN !!!!
FE

Roberts:
With regard to who/why/what the Duke is saying about telemarketers, here's another quote (don't remember who said it, but it's apt) that applies -- to you: "If you don't know the answer to that, then I can't explain it to you."

[FEDUKE404]

Quoting the friend of Charlie Brown

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

GOOD GRIEF !!!

SALESMEN.......Dude.......SALESMEN !!!!

(The examples you cite are what most of us here would refer to as the "ordinary course of business" calls.

FE

[Roberts]

Because I personally feel that unsolicited telephone sales calls to my business phone, cellular phone, home phone, local telegraph office, or at my front door are unnecessary wastes of my time.
FE

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

[smithtax]

How to handle unsolicited telephone calls

Personally I put them on hold indefinitely. But then it's just me & the wife in our office.

I have friends that work for larger companies who simply transfer them from one person to another just for the fun of it.

[FEDUKE404]

Answer

When you notify the IRS that your home phone is how they should contact you for business, why do you complain when companies call you to do business?

[rant]

Because I personally feel that unsolicited telephone sales calls to my business phone, cellular phone, home phone, local telegraph office, or at my front door are unnecessary wastes of my time.

Same for spam emails and USPS "junk mail" with a similar purpose.

And, for my additional 2¢ worth, I also have a real problem with the IRS now providing ( = selling) my business contact information to vendors to be used for those purposes.

[/rant]

Of course, it's not overly difficult to rely on my cell phone (IRS and its vendors don't have that...yet) and just not answer the landline unless there is a clear reason (new Schedule C deduction - Caller ID !!) to do so!

FE

[Roberts]

For some of us, our business and home address/telephone number ARE the same. . .

Regardless of any "justification" I just don't enjoy having every tax software company and/or CE vendor in the country calling me. As for what arrives from them via snail mail, that just automatically goes into the recycle bin.

FE

When you notify the IRS that your home phone is how they should contact you for business, why do you complain when companies call you to do business?

[FEDUKE404]

However

The National Do Not Call List is only applicable to HOME phone numbers and personal cell phones. If you list the number as your business phone number with the IRS, the list is no longer applicable to you.

From the FCC website: "While you may be able to register a business number, your registration will not make telephone solicitations to that number unlawful."

Business to business phone calls are not subject to the Do Not Call List restrictions. If you don't want calls coming to you, set up a free Google phone number and give it to the IRS next time you register. The calls will be routed there and you can delete the messages very easily.

For some of us, our business and home address/telephone number ARE the same. . .

Regardless of any "justification" I just don't enjoy having every tax software company and/or CE vendor in the country calling me. As for what arrives from them via snail mail, that just automatically goes into the recycle bin.

FE

[Roberts]

The National Do Not Call List is only applicable to HOME phone numbers and personal cell phones. If you list the number as your business phone number with the IRS, the list is no longer applicable to you.

From the FCC website: "While you may be able to register a business number, your registration will not make telephone solicitations to that number unlawful."

Business to business phone calls are not subject to the Do Not Call List restrictions. If you don't want calls coming to you, set up a free Google phone number and give it to the IRS next time you register. The calls will be routed there and you can delete the messages very easily.