tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post6174360892932528244..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: It Started With TelemarketersAviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-35365795103326602462009-02-22T23:20:00.000+00:002009-02-22T23:20:00.000+00:00We have a do not call list in Australia, but after...We have a do not call list in Australia, but after I signed up all my numbers, I swear I got more calls than before. If you tell any of the callers (the ones that speak english outside of their scripts anyway) that you're on the do not call list, they just tell you they have an exemption for some reason. I just ended up getting an unlisted "silent" number that costs me an extra $3.95 a month, that seems to have fixed the problem!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-12094069340394760892009-02-22T23:05:00.000+00:002009-02-22T23:05:00.000+00:00Just for the record, I am not technically a telema...Just for the record, I am not technically a telemarketer, since I am not selling things directly. Thus we get around anything blocking sales calls AND THAT IS ANOTHER WAY THEY GET YOU.Callsign Echohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07394192594808060440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-90321446086052530062009-02-22T23:03:00.000+00:002009-02-22T23:03:00.000+00:00Ah, you all are so fortunate to have a friend in t...Ah, you all are so fortunate to have a friend in the business. Here are my tips:<BR/><BR/>1. Don't give your number to businesses.<BR/>2. Don't give your number to businesses.<BR/>3. Don't give your number to businesses. I don't care if they say they will sacrifice their first born on an altar before they would sell your number. Don't give your number to businesses! They are lying, or they've found a way around it or they are going to use it to spam you themselves.<BR/>4. Don't give your number to businesses. They will indeed add you to the DNC (Do not call) list if you so request, and then reactivate it as soon as you interact with the business in any way. That is considered "opting in." You DO NOT have to say "I opt in to your spammy phone calls. They decide what is opting in and what isn't.<BR/><BR/>5. Don't give your number to businesses. If they say "It's just so we can..." They mean it's so they can telemarket to you.<BR/><BR/>6. Don't give your number to businesses. Once they get it, THEY NEVER REMOVE IT FROM THEIR LISTS.<BR/><BR/>EVER.Callsign Echohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07394192594808060440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-49920557642828675912009-02-22T18:47:00.000+00:002009-02-22T18:47:00.000+00:00Thanks for the pointer, aluwings. I looked at som...Thanks for the pointer, aluwings. I looked at some excerpts, and it reminds me of an updated "Koyaanisqatsi". ( Phillip Glass makes great film score music btw. )<BR/><BR/>When I see actual workers, it makes me more ambivalent about a full-on Chinese boycott. They're real people just trying to make a living too. But my opinion of China's government definitely affects my buying choice. When given one, I prefer to buy as local as possible, which of course would include Canada.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-68136974101243278672009-02-22T02:45:00.000+00:002009-02-22T02:45:00.000+00:00I got frustrated trying to buy an answering machin...I got frustrated trying to buy an answering machine that wasn't made in China, and toyed with the idea of trying to buy nothing made in China for a year. There's a book out called, I think, "Not Made in China" about a family that tried to do that for a year. I paged through some of it in a bookstore. It was far more difficult than I had guessed.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-2422285039425753802009-02-22T02:31:00.000+00:002009-02-22T02:31:00.000+00:00@sarah and all (Do you know how hard it is to find...@sarah and all (Do you know how hard it is to find clothing that is not made in China these days?)<BR/><BR/>Look for the documentary, Manufactured Landscapes ... thought provoking...Aluwingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16518739658424324739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-22281044023865934192009-02-22T02:10:00.000+00:002009-02-22T02:10:00.000+00:00I always say, "Oh, hey -- hold on a second." Then...I always say, "Oh, hey -- hold on a second." Then I set the handset down on the desk and go back to what I was doing.dpiercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03397601206317363858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-19259051064149012532009-02-21T20:22:00.000+00:002009-02-21T20:22:00.000+00:00So often these calls come at teatime... heck, that...So often these calls come at teatime... heck, that's MY time!!<BR/><BR/>But I'm like Ward... when I realise it's a telemaketer, I just say "No thank you" and hang up: that not only saves MY time, but the telemarketer doesn't waste their time, and can move on and annoy someone else.<BR/><BR/>If you're in a bad mood, start the conversation, then just place the phone down (not hang up) and walk away... leaving them to talk to nothingness for a while :-)<BR/><BR/>PaulAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-38184743365398389102009-02-21T19:57:00.000+00:002009-02-21T19:57:00.000+00:00I'm glad Aviatrix' US phone will be guarded by the...I'm glad Aviatrix' US phone will be guarded by the full force of the United States Government .. in 30 days or so.<BR/><BR/>Poor telemarketers. No one appreciates their calls. I knew someone in the industry years ago ( ran a call center ) and he was always so embarrassed to tell people what he did for a living. Just imagine, there is a job that pays less well than commercial aviation, and it has to be much less fun.<BR/><BR/>Global economy and worker exploitation, environment despoiling... Yes, I've been veering toward protectionism and "buy American" logic in self defense. For instance, I have nothing against the Chinese people, but despise what their government is doing to it's people and to the people of Tibet. Do you know how hard it is to find clothing that is not made in China these days?<BR/><BR/>Interesting view of work 'round the world on my favorite eclectic photo site: (see "world of work" in The <A HREF="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/" REL="nofollow">Big Picture</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-68377696785182896012009-02-21T11:16:00.000+00:002009-02-21T11:16:00.000+00:00UK has "telephone Preference Service"AFAIK, It's f...UK has "telephone Preference Service"<BR/>AFAIK, It's for landlines only, but it's very effective. register by phone or write 9not sure about E-mail)<BR/><BR/> Virtually all junk calls stop dead. the odd miscreant is told "I subscribe to TPS you should not be calling"...effusive apology and they hang-up....not sure if the sanction is the men in macs and pulled-down trilbies,or they get unplugged from the system....but it works and is free.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11679310031767479691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-80586375988069932872009-02-21T08:46:00.000+00:002009-02-21T08:46:00.000+00:00Sorry to hear about the worst of US practices cros...Sorry to hear about the worst of US practices crossing the northern border.<BR/><BR/>One thing to keep in mind is that *69 or caller ID data can be and are regularly fudged. Apparently these organizations have significant enough funding to pay for phone systems that allow this, apparently not in violation of US laws.<BR/><BR/>I've also noticed that some friends' home phone lines (don't know if/when the cell companies will ever do this) have a feature that requires the display of caller ID. If I've instructed the phone company to automatically block my caller ID, the service that some friends have (again, through the local, wired phone service) will unblock my caller ID for that one call if I "press 1". The friend will then see and recognize my caller ID and pick up. Presumably the rest are dumped into the telephonic ether.<BR/><BR/>Subsequent calls to those friends' numbers, when proceeded with *82, will allow my caller ID to show up for that call only, allowing it to go right through.<BR/><BR/>Best of luck in your work to end this global plague.<BR/><BR/>MartyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-58881912914233356572009-02-21T07:41:00.000+00:002009-02-21T07:41:00.000+00:00I've noticed two things about many of the telemark...I've noticed two things about many of the telemarketing calls I get: if you wait 2 rings, they seem to hang up. Or, if you pick up and say hello and no-one replies for a couple of seconds, you can safely hang up.<BR/><BR/>Machine calls I hang up on, and if I get a person on the line I say no very quickly. At my last job, I had lots of sales people legitimately calling me to sell me stuff, so I got very good at saying "sorry, not interested" and hanging up. It's not rude to stop someone from using up your time when you don't want them to. <BR/><BR/>I don't know if this is the chemical plant story you're talking about - BC government having to take over a pulp mill because if you just turn the power off and walk away you get a toxic nightmare.<BR/><BR/>http://www.timescolonist.com/takes+over+Mackenzie+pulp+mill/1213042/story.html<BR/><BR/>The guy that bought the mill and walked away is actually from Alberta, but it looks like he's trying to get out of the responsibility.Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10536621966257386711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-70319718302637627812009-02-21T07:04:00.000+00:002009-02-21T07:04:00.000+00:00Aviatrix,If I recall correctly, regulations prohib...Aviatrix,<BR/><BR/>If I recall correctly, regulations prohibit telemarketers from calling US cell phones.<BR/><BR/>Next time you receive a telemarketing call, advise them it's a cell phone. They should end the call quickly and remove the number from their database.pixelantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08862766154812397893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-5892440028340264462009-02-21T06:11:00.000+00:002009-02-21T06:11:00.000+00:00@telemarketersbegone:Take a look at Asterisk if yo...@telemarketersbegone:<BR/><BR/>Take a look at <BR/><A HREF="http://www.asterisk.org/" REL="nofollow">Asterisk</A> if you're interested in computer-based call screening. It's GPL open source.<BR/><BR/>Pitfalls: Asterisk doesn't run on Windows (Linux/BSD only), requires a a fair bit of competence with Linux, and will require hardware interfaces to connect to phone lines and phones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-54338080753022947622009-02-21T05:01:00.000+00:002009-02-21T05:01:00.000+00:00The easy way out:If it's a automated call, hang up...The easy way out:<BR/>If it's a automated call, hang up.<BR/>If it's a person on the other end then immediately interrupt them and say, "Ma'am (or Sir) this is a business phone." In three years of doing this they invariably either immediately apologize or simply hang up.jinkstohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05645519830822645928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-34674348713881504122009-02-21T04:27:00.000+00:002009-02-21T04:27:00.000+00:00Marc Côté: thank you for that very easy to use web...<B>Marc Côté</B>: thank you for that very easy to use website. My US cellphone has just become a telemarketing target. I must have used it to register for something I shouldn't have.<BR/><BR/><B>telemarketersbegone!</B>: Interesting. I was recently joking about having a machine that would answer the phone and beep through to the real person, and then try and waste <I>their</I> time, on the theory that while they are talking to my computer, they aren't bothering someone else.<BR/><BR/><B>Duey</B>: I'm sure they hide in an unmarked building.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-50419065079710791612009-02-21T04:03:00.000+00:002009-02-21T04:03:00.000+00:00An ex-telemarketer once told me the longer you sta...An ex-telemarketer once told me the longer you stay on the line listening to a sales pitch, the more likely you are to be called on subsequent products. I now instantly hang up the second I'm sure it's a telemarketing call. Embarrassingly though, I have hung up on dentist receptionist trying to remind me of my appointment...<BR/><BR/>Why isn't there a computer application that screens incoming calls as someone else mentioned. Known numbers go right through or are treated according to a preset preference. Others can be handled by requiring the person to state the first name of the person they want to talk to. Or something... Why can't the computers work for meeeeee in this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-38008662830577001512009-02-21T02:40:00.000+00:002009-02-21T02:40:00.000+00:00I live in Grand Rapids and have never heard of Luc...I live in Grand Rapids and have never heard of Lucre. But yes, telemarketers suck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-52552612570145547112009-02-21T02:19:00.000+00:002009-02-21T02:19:00.000+00:00One way to screen by machine without missing urgen...One way to screen by machine without missing urgent calls is to use a greeting message that tells the caller what you are doing, i.e.:<BR/><BR/>"I am by the phone but screen my calls to avoid telephone harassment. If you need to speak to me now, say the word 'urgent' at the tone and I'll pick up."<BR/><BR/>You can get much fancier if you have the tech skills, money, and patience to implement a software PBX on a spare computer. With a scheme like this, the computer would answer incoming calls with an IQ test: 'press zero now.' The call be diverted to your phone only if the caller was human enough to press zero when prompted. Consider it a captcha for telemarketers and robocalls.<BR/><BR/><BR/>P.S. would you mind posting a high res version of the cloud photo you're using for your profile pic? It looks like it'd make nice wallpaper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-55128144315891194712009-02-21T01:56:00.000+00:002009-02-21T01:56:00.000+00:00Like all these sorts of endeavours, they will keep...Like all these sorts of endeavours, they will keep trying until a significant fraction of the population learns reputable companies don't work that way. Then they will move onto the next scheme. The one bright spot is that more people seem to be catching on more quickly than ever before. When I get calls from unknown numbers, I can usually Google them and find out what the scam is before the phone stops ringing. That's an idea for a blackberry app, catch the in coming number and present the 800Notes.com page.nec Timidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03017143602023726206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-254703846443964982009-02-21T00:07:00.000+00:002009-02-21T00:07:00.000+00:00Aviatrix, the US version is a government list back...Aviatrix, the US version is a government list backed up by possible fines for companies that do not abide. https://www.donotcall.gov/Marc C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05593002055776765614noreply@blogger.com