Tips For Stopping Telemarketing Calls, From a Telemarketer

It may seem a bit counterintuitive for a telemarketer to be writing an article on how to avoid telemarketers, but really it isn’t. The last thing I want is to call someone who absolutely does not do business over the telephone. It wastes my time and yours. I may not make commission on my calls, but I am required to meet certain goals for each shift in order to keep my job. In this economy, I cannot afford to lose my job, even if it is a telemarketing job. That is why I absolutely support Do Not Call lists and make a point of attempting to ensure customers who cannot be helped by my product are not contacted anymore.

With that said, there are a few things I must mention up front. Certain calls cannot be placed on the Do Not Call lists, including calls that involve your medical care coverage or health and safety. If you have a relationship with a company, which means you currently transact business with them or have in the last year, they can call you regarding that business relationship. A few examples of a business relationship include: they are your cell phone carrier, prescription drug provider, cable company, credit card company, bank, etc. These companies may need to contact you for very important reasons.

These tips apply to reputable and ethical companies only. Companies that are not reputable or operate in illegal activities will not even bother to check or maintain Do Not Call lists.

• When asking to be removed from a calling list, make sure that you clearly state that you want to be placed on their Do Not Call list, and
  LISTEN TO ANY DISCLAIMERS that the agent may read to you. For some companies that may have a relationship with you, waiting to hear the disclaimer is very important. This disclaimer is legal language that makes certain that you understand that they may legally need to contact you for certain reasons, and you are waiving any liability for missed calls. They may also need to tell you that the orders take a certain amount of time to process, usually 24-72 hours for phone calls.
• If you treat the telemarketer rudely, you are less likely to receive courteous treatment and respect. Remember, telemarketers are people too. Many have families and bills to pay, just like you do. A telemarketer is much more likely to ensure you are no longer bothered by their company if you calmly state that you either do not do business with a company that you have not called. A reputable company that calls you will likely give you alternative ways to you to transact business, such as their website or customer service number or will offer to send you written documentation.
• Answering the phone and immediately hanging up does not work. The telemarketer is generally required to set those calls as a callback. Telling the customer “No Thanks,” without hearing the message or talking to the agent, will also generally result in a callback. Listening to the agent for a few seconds, then letting them know why you are uncomfortable with their call is much more likely to ensure that they stop calling you.
• Be careful who you give your number to. Many people hand their number out willingly to anyone, then complain about solicitation calls. Most of the time telemarketers have your number because you gave it to them.
• Get a Google Voice telephone number. They are now free to everyone, and are a great resource for blocking phone solicitation. Keep your actual number private, and give the Google Voice number to companies or organizations. Google Voice has settings that allow you to screen all of your calls, including block features. With the block feature, numbers that are on your block list hear an out of service message and believe that your phone number is no longer working.
• Don’t Answer the phone in the middle of your dinner time. You don’t have to answer the phone every time it rings. Turn the ringer off during dinner. The reason telemarketers call more often between 4:30pm and 8pm is because this is when most people are home for the evening. Calling between business hours doesn’t always make the best business sense if telemarketers sit for hours getting no calls because everybody is at work except Grandma Martha and her 48 year old deadbeat son who lives with her.
• Don’t lie and tell the telemarketer that the person they are asking for (you) is out of town for the next two weeks. Your phone number will just be put back in the bucket and called until somebody actually speaks to you.

These are just a few tips to avoid being stressed out and bothered by telemarketers.

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