OK, I hate talking to people on the phone at the best of times. In fact, I'll go to great lengths to avoid speaking to people on the phone.
If a number comes up that I don't recognize, or it's blocked - then I won't answer it as chances are it's someone that I perceive as a pest!
I also have the philosophy that if it's really important, then they will leave a message - and if the message is from someone that I want or need to respond to - then I'll email (not phone) them back.
As good as I am at avoiding nuisance phone calls however - you just get some persistent people sometimes who simply won't give up or take no for an answer. Occasionally people like this manage to slip through my very tight net and get me on the line!
The worst example of this is usually when I am at work and someone from a mobile communications provider manages to get through to me. What inevitably follows is an extremely irritating exchange along the lines of;
Them: Hello, Are you the person responsible for your Company Mobile Contracts?
Me: Yes (in a very grumpy/annoyed/disinterested tone - my heart has literally just sunk that one of these leeches has actually managed to get through to me).
Them: How are you today, did you have a great weekend - what did you get up to, did you get out in the sunshine at all?
Me: Erm, not much! (I'm instantly infuriated by the small talk and am thinking "Get to the point pest - stop pretending like we're friends or something").
Them: Anyway sir, let me introduce you our company. We can save you money on X. Y, and Z.
Me: We're in mid contract on everything you could support us with at the moment so we're not looking/able to change anything right now.
Them: Do you mind if I ask who those contracts are with and when they would be up for review?
Me: I tell them - usually not the correct date so I can get these insects off my back for as long as possible.
Them: Can I ask how many mobile devices you have on the contract?
Me: Roughly X amount (now really struggling to hide my growing irritation that I have not managed to get rid of them yet - although I have been known to simply hang up at this point).
Them: Ah I see, and what about your landlines, and broadband connections. Can I ask you when you would be looking at those contracts.
Me: As I mentioned, I'm not in a position to get into this now. I get a large volume of calls of this nature and I simply don't have the time respond to them all or get into a lengthy dialogue on the subject. So I'm going to have to end this call now thank you.
Them: Well can I send you an email with my details and some information that you can review?
Me: OK then! (Now losing the will to live)!!
Them: Great, so what's your email address please?
Me: I tell them
Them: I'm sorry, could you spell your surname please?
Me: OK
Them: And does that have a hyphen or a dot in it or is it all one word?
Me: All one word.
Them: That's great, well thank you for you time. I really hope we have the opportunity to work with you in the near future. Our organisation is partner to some major brands that could really benefit you, and our current customer base includes X, Y, and Z! I'll send these details over to you now. Let me know when you get them and I'll give you another call in six months or so to review where you are at that time.
Me: Yeah, whatever.
Them: You have a good day now. Good to talk to you.
Me: Handset replaced - grumpy sigh emitted. Time to get on with some real work!
Conclusions
I so hate getting collared by people like this. They waffle on and on and bore me to tears. They all claim they can't beaten on value, and what they can deliver is unique.
They all seem astonished that I have no interest in their unique money saving proposals and seem absolutely insulted that I am not rushing to sign up with them immediately.
A good proportion of them just want to waffle on about the bloomin weather or anything else irrelevent and try and act like their my best mate. I don't even want to talk business with you, so I ceratinly don't want to talk about anything else!
There must be some way to stop people like this. Can't we colllect them all up and put them on a remote Island somewhere where there are no communications and they can't waste my time and ruin my day?
