Am I sorry that I upset you?
No I’m not, if you were the man who telephoned me from Weatherseal, the British double glazing, replacement window company.
I am fed-up to the teeth with unwanted telephone calls, offering me free holidays, phones, loans, replacement kitchens, insurance, or “Do I mind if I answer a couple of questions?”.
If I want something, I will go on-line, go on the internet, or I will go to the shops. Thank you.
Ring. Ring. Ring. “Can I speak to Mr Holt please?”
If I hear an Indian accent, I can feel the hairs starting to stand-up on the back of my neck. I know it is a call center in India wanting to sell me something.
“What are you selling?” I ask.
“Oh nothing sir. Can I ask you some questions? Do you have a mortgage?”
That is it.
“No I do not have a mortgage, I am 95, and paid it off years ago. But I tell you what, I have some money
to spare, would you like a loan from me, I will only charge you 4% APR, instead of your 16% , and ……….”
The phone goes silent, as my reply is not on their script. They are stumped. NLPers? Pattern interrupt.
Or I will reply :-
“Do you give loans to bankrupt people?”
I just asked a question, there is no need for them to put the phone down on me.
But Mr Weatherseal Windows, why does your company keep interrupting my day? On your Weatherseal computer database, you can see that we have had windows installed only a few years ago, and because of that, why should I want to have them replaced again?
If I did know people in the rest of the flats here in Norbiton Hall, (click to read about), why should I recommend you, a company that keeps calling me up, intruding into my personal space.
All I said to you was :-
“We have your windows already thank you, but I might be interested in a conservatory.”
to which you replied :-
“We do conservatories.”
I could tell from the tone of your voice you were suddenly interested in me.
“Yes I know, but we are on the second floor.”
There was no need to say back to me, “Ha. Ha. Very funny”, and put the phone down on me. I do want a conservatory installed, but not here.
So Mr Weatherseal Windows, you lost yourself a potential sale.
Then we get the silent calls. No-one on the other end. I end up shouting down the phone, but no-one hears me except for the neighbours and the shoppers across the road.
Yes for those of you who have similar problems, there is a service here in the UK called the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) (click to visit web page). This is an opt out service or register. It is a legal requirement that all organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make cold calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so.
But they still keep coming. Perhaps the call centers in India do not know about it, or even know where Britain is.
So Mr Weatherseal Windows and the many cold callers who interrupt my day and evenings, I am going to have fun with you. Please don’t put the telephone down, as I do know you have a job to do, and my fun may be a waste of time to you, but then, so is your call to me.
Oh yes Mr Weatherseal Windows, do you install the conservatories in Malaysia?
Still you continue, see the article – Weatherseal Windows, do you think I am stupid?