Another Cold Caller Defeated

[Ameliepoole]

I run my own business; we dn't make cold calls but understand that some business's do.
There is massive negativity towards receiving these calls, and for a business person i think it is short-sighted.

If you are too busy, someone else should answer the call for your business.
The call should be listened to, as it is an opportunity to enhance your business.
Whether it is the right opportunity or the right time, is another question;
but I find it laughable that so called business people see it as a triumph to kill someone else trying to make a living

 

[captaincloser]

I run my own business; we dn't make cold calls but understand that some business's do.
There is massive negativity towards receiving these calls, and for a business person i think it is short-sighted.

If you are too busy, someone else should answer the call for your business.
The call should be listened to, as it is an opportunity to enhance your business.
Whether it is the right opportunity or the right time, is another question;
but I find it laughable that so called business people see it as a triumph to kill someone else trying to make a living

Welcome to UKBF Amelie. Just a word of warning. Despite this being the UK business forums website there is a hard line vitriolic section of the membership who will wear you down on these cold calling threads unless you a very resilient. A good sense of the ridiculous helps enormously.

Its good of you to post as you have and I am not alone in wishing more people would be less negative about getting and giving new business via telephone contact.

I am sure all of us in sales welcome you here and hope you get and give lots of good advice,

 

[kate1]

Yes welcome Amelie, your business sounds interesting - can you explain a bit about it, used to live in France myself.

 

[quikshop]

So the answer is to lower your level of professionalism

You need some level of professionalism in the first place to be able to lower it, something the majority of cold callers lack.

My response to a cold call is in the first post of this thread, I wouldn't sanction ending a call mid-sentence unless the caller became aggressive... and I can't remember the last time it got to that.

 

[kate1]

To be honest like I have said, to start a thread entitled "I defeated another cold caller" once again I reiterate, I wish thats all I had to worry about........It just sounds so infantile.

 

[Nuno]

I run my own business; we dn't make cold calls but understand that some business's do.
There is massive negativity towards receiving these calls, and for a business person i think it is short-sighted.

If you are too busy, someone else should answer the call for your business.
The call should be listened to, as it is an opportunity to enhance your business.
Whether it is the right opportunity or the right time, is another question;
but I find it laughable that so called business people see it as a triumph to kill someone else trying to make a living

Exactly.
Welcome.

 

[quikshop]

To be honest like I have said, to start a thread entitled "I defeated another cold caller" once again I reiterate, I wish thats all I had to worry about........It just sounds so infantile.

Provocative rather than infantile, I doubt an infant could end a cold call with a few gargled words... although

The fact that you and other direct sales bods have taken offence and adopted a siege mentality on this thread suggests that you know cold calling is a stack'em high turn'em over industry that does the reputation of sales more harm than good.

I recommend Joe Girard's book and the techniques he used to build his networks, manage customers and prospects over time.

He's not direct sales but he is the best salesman in the World.

 

[kate1]

Trouble is Quikshop, I never come across any of the problems that you are talking about, never. Im on my own, I have to answer the phone, I get exactly the same as you - cold calls on my mobile, landline and office line, but I dont get wound up about it - dont need to post of a forum about it - it just dosent effect me at all. Had one today trying to sell me a phone system, she had left several messages, she rang again today, was polite, explained that we werent quite ready yet and she said she would call back in a month, said thank you for that, might be readier nearer then, all was cool, dont need to trip anyone up or test them, and certainly dont have time to post on a forum about it. Seige mentality, really - who started the post

 

[quikshop]

Trouble is Quikshop, I never come across any of the problems that you are talking about, never. Im on my own, I have to answer the phone, I get exactly the same as you - cold calls on my mobile, landline and office line, but I dont get wound up about it - dont need to post of a forum about it - it just dosent effect me at all. Had one today trying to sell me a phone system, she had left several messages, she rang again today, was polite, explained that we werent quite ready yet and she said she would call back in a month, said thank you for that, might be readier nearer then, all was cool, dont need to trip anyone up or test them, and certainly dont have time to post on a forum about it. Seige mentality, really - who started the post

But that's not entirely true, is it? You seem to have plenty of time to post on this forum.

The fact that you are happy to take unsolicited calls and give the caller the time of day is great, I'm pleased for you. The vast majority of the public are not.

After a 12 hour day I am not happy to waste any time listening to sales pitches on my home phone hence my OP.

I am happy that I have found a way to end cold calls quickly and without being offensive or rude. To post that on a forum is perfectly valid and the reaction of yourself and other sales bods that has ranged from offended to aggressive to personal just goes to show how validated people are in not giving cold callers the time of day.

You've all lived up to your stereotypes, congrats

 

[kate1]

Cool no problems at all.

Enjoyed the discussion without once being rude or aggressive. Good debate

 

[bdw]

If you are too busy, someone else should answer the call for your business. The call should be listened to, as it is an opportunity to enhance your business.

Welcome to the forum Amelie but you need to take a reality check when coming out with daft statements like that. I have a few questions for you based on that ^ statement.

1. I am self employed. Do you expect me to employ someone to keep cold callers happy?
2. Do you think that I am incapable of finding appropriate "opportunities to enhance my business" myself when I need them?
3. What chance do you think that a cold caller who has no knowledge of my business or my requirements has of being able to offer me something that I would value or that I need at the specific time that the call is made?

I have to answer the phone, I get exactly the same as you - cold calls on my mobile, landline and office line, but I dont get wound up about it - dont need to post of a forum about it - it just dosent effect me at all.

But you have a vested interest. The OP did not NEED to post on the phone about it. You did not NEED to make things worse for yourselves by trying to defend it when there is so much evidence that cold callers are a major source of annoyance to the majority of the British public.

I am quite sure that cold calling does work to some extent based on the fact that there still many of you around but I would suggest that if you want it to stay that way then lurk quietly in the background. Don't stir people up even more by suggesting that you are providing an essential service.

.

 

[eventdomain]

I find it laughable that so called business people see it as a triumph to kill someone else trying to make a living

That statement is a bit OTT isnt it - come-on, just because the OP used the word 'Defeated', he's now treated as some business killer or something lol.

The word Defeated is quite fitting, when you consider the tricks many UK companies allow to happen. For instance, I got a call from BT, turns out it was from a call centre not in the UK, but India. The telesales bod, who was clearly Indian speaking, called himself 'Mike' what the?? lol.

Are BT so short of competent telesales agents, they have to outsource Call Centres to India now, and if the industry's image is so squeaky clean, then why do Indians have to call themselves British names to fool people, when it fools noone as soon as they start speaking And it makes me shudder to know there's some manager dude actually making them do this stuff.

This has got to have one ending surely, and it aint good. And people on here dont think its necessary to fight off the buggers, companies use call centres to pull this crap - big centres with like 150 telesales operatives to bang out calls all day long - I know this - I used to work for one - jeeze.

If you didnt stop them, it would get worse for a few big reasons...

 

[kate1]

Welcome to the forum Amelie but you need to take a reality check when coming out with daft statements like that. I have a few questions for you based on that ^ statement.

1. I am self employed. Do you expect me to employ someone to keep cold callers happy?
2. Do you think that I am incapable of finding appropriate "opportunities to enhance my business" myself when I need them?
3. What chance do you think that a cold caller who has no knowledge of my business or my requirements has of being able to offer me something that I would value or that I need at the specific time that the call is made?

But you have a vested interest. The OP did not NEED to post on the phone about it. You did not NEED to make things worse for yourselves by trying to defend it when there is so much evidence that cold callers are a major source of annoyance to the majority of the British public.

I am quite sure that cold calling does work to some extent based on the fact that there still many of you around but I would suggest that if you want it to stay that way then lurk quietly in the background. Don't stir people up even more by suggesting that you are providing an essential service.

.[/QUOT

But just dont group us all in, like you seem to be doing. Its very tiresome. You have an industry and so do we. Yes I get very offended about the rants on here. 21 years in and NEVER EVER NEVER experienced such rude people as yourselves.

 

[eventdomain]

Don't stir people up even more by suggesting that you are providing essential service.

This is the crux of the matter - is the service essential? is some telesales bod, going to get the such accuracy of a match from some scraped/bought list, that a sale will be made via a first contact call approach.

mmmm, I dont think so. I'd suggest the main annoying factor of 90% of cold calls is an unmatched approach.

I'm also betting that the tele-agents have no knowledge of how on-target the prospects are, or even whether its a business their calling. They certainly have no knowledge of the actual business activities their about to sell to - I mean not even basic basic research here eg: like going to a website for more information, that may help them decide whether making a call is worth it for them to even start dialling

No, they just hit enough numbers and hope to wear someone down into making a on-the-spot decision. Who buys straight away and on the phone too, no way, not without serious consideration anyway.

 

[telemax]

mmmm, I dont think so. I'd suggest the main annoying factor of 90% of cold calls is an unmatched approach.

If you want a matched approach, join a dating agency!!

 

[telemax]

No, they just hit enough numbers and hope to wear someone down into making a crazy decision.

Actually when I'm calling someone about a £100 k software package they don't hand their credit card details over on the phone!!

 

[ZooTicuS]

Ummmm wait I am lost on this one now.

Are people complaining about 'cold-calls' to your home telephone number or to your business number?

These, to me anyway, are two very different things.

I for one don't mind receiving 'cold-calls' (business to business) or in fact making them (B2B). Although I do prefer to 'warm' the call up by sending an email first and following it up

 

[Optegris]

Slightly off tangent but do any of the telesales companies who have posted on this thread deal with products in the ecommerce industry? If so could you PM me please?

Note if you are a telesales company who has not contributed to this thread then don't PM or cold call me

Right, as you were, back to the "bun fight"

 

[kate1]

Thing is the original post was being offensive to our industry and im amazed that you think thats alright,simples its not, Im completely shocked about the abuse of so called adults on here. Im about to employ people and we get the numb nuts shouty screemy people that cannot deal in business- dont. What ya reckon event domain and btw shall i give a couple of people jobs or not?

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

Thing is the original post was being offensive to our industry and im amazed that you think thats alright,simples its not, Im completely shocked about the abuse of so called adults on here. Im about to employ people and we get the numb nuts shouty screemy people that cannot deal in business- dont. What ya reckon event domain and btw shall i give a couple of people jobs or not?

It was hardly offensive was it, just a simple comment on how people who cold call can't deal with a conversation going away from their script.

You seem to be suggesting that cold callers have a right to be listened to, the opposing view is if someone phones you without consent they are fair game for a simple 2-way conversation. Any good salesperson would deal with that kind of question effortlessly, but then they don't work in call centres!

For me there is a big difference between appointment setting calls for high end products, obviously carefully targeted and researched compared to call centres trying to sell PPC/SEO/Phone Contracts/Energy Suppliers etc. The difference is in the first case the intention is to put a proposal forward for consideration because you believe it is right for the caller, the latter is just trying to force your product over someone elses without giving an opportunity to the caller to compare the value of the offer with other suppliers.

 

[kate1]

Dosent cut with me at all, because my industry is so bad shall I not employ a person? its absolutely shocking - not give a person a job? Think you guys who think calling people need to take a step back - im busy and I need somebody to help me out, so I shouldnt employ and take somebody of of benefits? Think it through really!!!!

 

[maxine]

Ummmm wait I am lost on this one now.

Are people complaining about 'cold-calls' to your home telephone number or to your business number?

These, to me anyway, are two very different things.

I for one don't mind receiving 'cold-calls' (business to business) or in fact making them (B2B). Although I do prefer to 'warm' the call up by sending an email first and following it up

I've thanked this post as I too thought this thread was about b2b calling.

Unfortunately a lot of flawed arguments have been put up about b2b calling and then supported with evidence relating to b2c so no wonder you are confused .. Me too!

The majority of consumers dislike b2c calls

The majority of businesses do not dislike b2b calls to the same extent or the same strength of feeling.

The siege mentality is where the majority of telesales bods have all tried to point out consistent inaccuracies.

Despite Kate saying she's never had a rude person on the phone people are still persisting that she has ... She should be the judge of this don't we think? I can't say the same unfortunately as there have been times when I have caught someone at a bad time and they have told me in no uncertain terns but this really had been such a teeny percentage of calls.

I measure everything and know all my stats so why should I debate views that are resorting to implications of lying?

I give up

 

[eventdomain]

Just wonder in our sordid industry if event domain or bdw are taking anyone out of employment ive got my first one coming to work in the next couple of weeks

I use Casual staff during certain busy months, mostly for admin duties, but as my websites are so automated, I rarely hire people on long term basis. Most external site activities is outsourced so can get away with minimal staff. I get a few undergrads each year wanting work exp, colleges contact me a bit as well, so might do that soon.

Just expanded the company into search, with the largest database of its kind in the world (I own about 2% of search in 3 areas). I get about 60k - 75k of visitors hitting my main site, translates into approx 14 million searches, promoting over 10'000 companies in one sector alone and 2nd site over 500'000 in the 2nd and 3rd sectors, which means I serve over 500'000 business owners for free (on one site), which is more than 95% of websites today, individually ofcourse...

Which is why I was featured on Yahoo News, Daily Mirror and WN.com and a National Finalist at the 2010 Peopleperhour awards for Virtual Business of the Year, plus 2 internet award wins so far.

Site is the same as my profile name.

 

[maxine]

I've deleted posts that are directed to people individually that are off topic. Please make an effort to keep on track everyone

 

[ludwig]

I usually try to be polite. After all the person on the end of the line is just trying to do their job. I try though to get them off their script by asking where they are or what their name is. Mostly they can't cope and just try to keep reading and if I can be bothered I explain to them why that won't work. If they are polite though and good humoured I'll listen without winding them up although sometimes it's hard to resist.

 

[telemax]

.

But I would also call you an absolute fool to be sitting down and waiting for businesses to come to you. I'd be on the phone making businesses aware of what I had to offer.

You have an excellent point,

I know a guy here in Oxford who is out in the freezing cold, knocking on doors for his offline/online directory. He's ended up wth loads of paying customers, many from the local branches of big chains.

People love local, they are sick of speaking to anonymous call centres that could be anywhere, buying stuff off web sites where the phone rings out if there's a problem. Someone local either ringing or turning up in person speaks volumes.

 

[telemax]

I can't believe in in 2012 we still have 'web savvy' people believing they can hide behind a keyboard and maximise a websites potential.

They can, but they need to throw millions at it.

 

[quikshop]

I've thanked this post as I too thought this thread was about b2b calling.

Unfortunately a lot of flawed arguments have been put up about b2b calling and then supported with evidence relating to b2c so no wonder you are confused .. Me too!

Ahh well let me cure your confusion. My post was in response to a B2C cold call. I think he said he was from Sky or BT, it didn't really matter because the call was unwelcome after my usual 12 hour day.

The last thing I want to be doing after getting home is listening to some insincere scripted waffle designed with the sole intent of keeping me on the phone long enough to get money off me.

B2B cold calls I am less hostile towards but the same still applies; if the sales person cannot get past the same simple question then the call ends.

 

[Tin]

Okay

I and other mods have trimmed a load of posts containing personal comments from this thread and I ask once again, attack the argument and not the person.

If it degenerates into a personal tit for tat again, the whole thread will be removed and that would be a shame considering the amount of worthwhile contribution by many members.

Ray

 

[Atilla]

You have an excellent point,

I know a guy here in Oxford who is out in the freezing cold, knocking on doors for his offline/online directory. He's ended up wth loads of paying customers, many from the local branches of big chains.

People love local, they are sick of speaking to anonymous call centres that could be anywhere, buying stuff off web sites where the phone rings out if there's a problem. Someone local either ringing or turning up in person speaks volumes.

Now that i can agree with.

 

[webstore]

Cold B2B calls drove us completely nuts last year to the point there were just too many in a given day - then we came up with a brilliant idea - get rid of our phones !

Life is bliss now and if anybody wants to have a chat by phone, they need to email us first then if its a potential customer we will call back on a private line (blocked caller ID, ex-directory) and we have persuaded all our existing customers to contact us just via email which they seem very happy to do.

 

[bdw]

Ahh well let me cure your confusion. My post was in response to a B2C cold call. I think he said he was from Sky or BT, it didn't really matter because the call was unwelcome after my usual 12 hour day.

<<Comment removed by mod>>>
Like many people on this forum I work from home so cold calls are an intrusion to me whether they are B2B or B2C. As I said in my original post a few days ago, " ... I cannot recall one cold call in my lifetime where I got any benefit." Like it or not, that is a fact.

There is no doubt that there are certain products and services being punted once in a while that are perhaps a wee bit different from the norm but in my experience I will hear about them elsewhere. If they are unique enough and good enough they will often sell themselves. I have never required anyone to phone me to tell me about them.

I can't believe in in 2012 we still have 'web savvy' people believing they can hide behind a keyboard and maximise a websites potential.

I think I disagree. :|

I am not quite sure what you mean by "hiding behind a keyboard". Millions of people have created businesses on a website alone. Many of make a good living from website enquiries alone including myself. Many people have become very rich solely as a result of having successful websites. Millions of businesses world wide do not use and do not see the need for tele-marketing or any other form of marketing outside of their online presence. It clearly works for some but it is not an essential part of business.

I have built websites for people who have subsequently stopped all other forms of advertising because they get all the business they need from enquiries generated through their websites.

.

 

[telemax]

hiding behind a keyboard[/I]". Millions of people have created businesses on a website alone. Many of make a good living from website enquiries alone including myself.

I can't knock anything that someone makes a living from. However the local angle is sadly missing nowadays. I want to speak to the bank manager?, they route me through some call centre 300 miles away. I want to return something faulty from a website? all I get is a ringing out phone.

That's why if I was building a directory locally, I'd be door knocking and networking local business. If I was starting a local IT support business, I'd be knocking on nearby industrial estates. If I was starting a motor factor company I'd be ringing local garages.

People appreciate that, whether it's an initial call or a long standing business relationship. I've worked that way, sitting down being offered cups of Tea by prospects, talking about their business (yep from a cold call). Sitting behind a screen is no subsitute for that.

 

[jane p]

When I get cold calls at home I say to the caller: "I'm a bit busy at the moment, give me your home number and I'll ring you later." The penny tends to drop and it usually gets rid of them.

And of course you can just put the phone down.

or I am having my dinner at the moment. Give me your number and I will call you later when your having yours.

 

[bdw]

That's why if I was building a directory locally, I'd be door knocking and networking local business. If I was starting a local IT support business, I'd be knocking on nearby industrial estates. If I was starting a motor factor company I'd be ringing local garages.

There may be something in that.

I will say that if a local company calls me I am more likely to listen to them provided that they are offering something related to what I do and that I would benefit from (as a specifically local service). If they call me up (and they do) offering something totally irrelevant they get the same treatment as time wasters from anywhere else.

.

 

[maxine]

I guess it depends on the type of business you are in for whether a business can rely purely on a website to bring in ideal traffic. The feedback that I get from
Clients is yes they have a relatively well performing site but they don't want to sit back and daydream whilst waiting for their most profitable type of customer to hit google. A lot of services especially corporates do not get that far. Contracts are reconsidered and negotiated totally away from search engines. I got a nice audit client for a firm of accountants today and that is typical of the sort of work that people rarely ever go googling for! It's all who knows who and who makes the right approaches at the right time.

I would never be arrogant and say telesales or telemarketing is always essential for any business. A marketing mix will be different for many businesses

Where it's a good commercial choice for some businesses it's a shame that progress is hindered because of lack of awareness or where people assume the worst based on consumer experiences

 

[bdw]

I just got another cold call. A lady with an Asian accent asked me if she could speak to my wife.

I asked her what was her business and she waffled on about something. I then asked her for her company name and address. She hung up on me. That is why people get angry about cold calling.

.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

But that is angry with unprofessional cold calling surely, not cold calling in general.

I get cold calls, I am on TPS, but I still get them, I try and be polite (initially) I ask what is it regarding? the pitch then starts. if it is something I am not interested in, I simply say "let me stop you right there, i really would not be interested". the PROFESSIONAL telesales people thank me for my time and say goodbye. the UN-PROFESSIONAL ones try to blag me, they get a harsh, "look I told you I am not interested" (I give them a quick second chance, if 'thanks you' (or similar) is not the next words out of their mouths, i simply put the phone down.

People are more annoyed at the intrusion into their time, and the unprofessionalism of it all. it is though very hard to be angry with someone who is behaving professionally and being courtious. which is what the poro telesales guys n gals do.

 

[bdw]

That is essentially how I deal with this. I may be a bit defensive with cold callers but I am not rude to callers who are not rude to me.

.

 

[eventdomain]

Just had a call from a Merchant Bank :

the guy said

Sales guy: Can I speak to the Marketing Manager" ?

Me: Is this a sales call?

Sales guy : yes, can I speak to the MD?

Me: What's it concerning?

Sales guy: So the Director isnt in then?

Me: No, he's in a meeting - what's the call about again?

Sales guy: When will he be back?

Me: Like I said, he's no available, but I need to know what the call's about so can better inform him. Who are you?

Sales guy: Can I speak to the MD now!

Me: Look, if you dont give me what I want, then you wont get what you want, so its probably best to come clean. You've already given me your company name, so might as well tell me what you want.

but on refusal, the phone went dead. Got a feeling they'll ring back later, sadly they'll be talking to my call blocker. This guy seemed to have a problem telling me what he wanted - fine, he doesnt get what he wants then.

Find it strange that these callers go to all that trouble of dialling numbers, starting dialogue, re-questioning, probing and then not giving out basic further info eg: what the call is about.