British Expatriate Network

Just had a bit of bother with the supplier of our phone service (AT&T )
I had a ca from a ... *national survey company *assuring me she wasnt selling anything and asking me to answer a few questions .
before she could ask them i ask her how she got the number when we are on the national no call registry AND its a cell phone ???.. no reply and the phone went dead .
i called the company back several times and all i got was a recorded message saying they were.nt selling anything just doing a survey .

I called AT& T and asked them how was it that was a company based in Minn ( i think ) had access to my private cell phone #?
they assured me they didnt sell or distribute telephone #and anyway the company i quoted them was a >>>>>> survey co and not a telemaketing one .
still i said did you give out my number to them ?
No was the answer and them some b/s about these companies get list of numbers thou *files *?

my point is weather they are just a survey company of not what happens to my phone number when they are finished with there survey ,do you think they just discard it or is it possible that they sell or give access to it for telemaketers ...???? setting the company up as a **market survey company* might just be a way the sharks are getting around the *no call registry rules *
anyway as i pointed out to the rep i have to pay for the call ( both ways ) of a unwanted and annoying call that can eat up your minutes quickly .

the rep then stated once again they DONT give out private numbers to outside sources .
i dont believe them. has anyone else had a similar annoying experince ??
Like to hear if you have .

PS The last 3 call to our home by canvasers were not selling anything either ,
One was from a vacumm cleaner co . offering free carpet cleaning. next was from a security co offering FREE instalation if i signed a 3 year contract ,
the third was from a local newpaper offering a 7 days free trail if ......
see where this is going ?

MOST telemakers start there conversation with ..... IM NOT SELLING ANYTHING

I'm pretty flat-out rude to anything that I sense is going that way, usually within the first 30 seconds. Not abusive but I say no thanks, remove me from any list or database and never call me again (so it is clearly on the recording they are no doubt making) then hang up or I say no thanks and close the door on people while they are still mid-pitch sometimes.

My front door is situated so I can usually see who is there through some net curtains from where I sit on the couch so if they look like they are selling, I don't even bother answering.

I do love the response though when you turn down anything "Free" here (or in UK as I recall for that matter). Had some guy try to offer me a free energy audit (selling windows) and he wasn't the least bit perturbed by the fact my house is only 10 years old, was built with energy efficient materials and has been audited for free by the natural gas company within the last five years.

Selling direct in a art but unfortunatly these days they send /of have call any warm body that is willing to do it . when i was in direct selling you knew how to find your hot market tarketed that and looked for BUZZ words that got the client interest in at least listening to your spiel .

examples of indiscriminate marketing .
(1) you as you say your house is only 10 years old . wrong market for item being peddled \

(2 ) we once went to presentation for a time share and the saleperson had his head up his ass when it came to buzz words . he asked what we was interesting in hobbies etc and we said only interested in social environment that included a licensed bar .tv . sports etc *no kids things *. so he IMMEDIATLY takes us to the family swimming pool with lots of kids , noise and no drinks allowed . didnt stand a chance to sell us a time share even if we had liked it
Lesson to be learnt to be a saleperson

listen and dont talk unless nessasary

The one's that get to me are the folk who appear at the door with a clip board and leaflets asking for money to keep them off drugs.
I no longer engage and just politely say no thanks, but it still gets to me.
My immediate response was why? I don't know you, I'm not related to you and the only person who can keep you off drugs is YOU.
We still get the free shampoo your carpet and case your house folk, and the kids, I want to go to camp you have to help me, and to all I say NO and why ask me.
It may take a village to raise a child but I really think the parents should get involved.

Ask them to give you their phone number and you'll call THEM back at home.

We have numerous kids who trawl through Bart Trains with said clipboard attempting to raise money to send them to a Spelling Bee or to a basketball camp or whatever. Those people piss me off.

The ones which annoy me the most are the recorded messages but we get all kinds.

Mr Melhug and I, by choice, do not watch TV. We have no cable or sattellite hook ups and no antenna on the roof. We just are not interested. So, it is more than annoying to have someone call when we are busy and try to sell us a TV viewing package. We are not believed when we say we do not watch TV and have even had people with very hard to decipher accents agrue that point with us...
The very worst callers of all are the ones who you have already had that conversation with.
Nowadays, I just hang up!