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| Nuisance calls! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 10 2006, 03:55:46 PM (451 Views) | |
Bridiej
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May 10 2006, 03:55:46 PM Post #1 |
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Chattermonster Extraordinaire!
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We have a silent number (that we pay extra for every month) but are getting an increasing number of nuisance calls. They say something like "Can I please speak to Mrs Ferguson?" and when you say they've got the wrong number they ask if this is the number they've dialled (your number) and then launch into their script for whatever they're selling / charity they're raising money for. Is there any kind of legislation to stop this sort of thing? Or is the "wrong number" scenario getting through some sort of loophole? |
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| ABCDiamond | May 10 2006, 05:18:14 PM Post #2 |
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You may have given your number out to someone, and they have sold it on. We've been on silent numbers since 2000, and never get any that we can't track. We always ask where they got the number from. Most of our calls are affiliated to our banks, but we've stopped them by telling them we will change banks if they continue :) When I fill forms in and they need a phone number, I give them my fax number, unless I really want them to have my number. The fax rings a few times, but we rarely get faxes in. Except for recently, I think some companies have twigged, and I have been getting fax advertising recently, for... Call Center Headsets, Dell computers, Point of Sale equipment..... Pretty interesting for a Non Business Fax line :) |
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Bridiej
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May 10 2006, 05:25:11 PM Post #3 |
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Chattermonster Extraordinaire!
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I've decided next time i'll just say "Sorry you've got the wrong number" and hang up, wont even give them a chance to speak. Today it was some wheelchair charity or something, wasnt really listening...! :angry: |
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| marco121068 | May 10 2006, 05:50:52 PM Post #4 |
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Huggable Hunky Humorist
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Or if you don't mind your phone being tied up for a while...just tell them you'll just go get the person they're after....and leave them hanging for 15 minutes. I think that way they can't disconnect and they're left with an unusable line for a while? Does any of that make sense?? |
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Bridiej
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May 10 2006, 05:57:02 PM Post #5 |
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Chattermonster Extraordinaire!
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I like that idea Marco...! :lol: |
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TopCat3
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May 12 2006, 10:56:18 PM Post #6 |
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Tantalisingly Opulent Pussy, Caring And Thoughtful
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It doesn't work that way - the caller is the one that controls the disconnection of the call, you cannot cut off an incoming call. Just say, thanks for your interest in me, but I don't wish to participate, goodbye. There is no need to play games or be rude to people who are earning an honest living in the best way they can, paying their way through uni, extras for an ageing parent they are caring for during the day and this night job is the only job/social outlet they can get, single middle-aged women who cannot get a decent permanent day job now because all the younger women who insist on a career and a kid are taking jobs they could be doing, and happily receiving welfare benefits the single woman's tax has provided for all her working life, I could go on. Someone that was exceptionally abusive to me once, I rang back just before the end of the shift and when they answered, stayed silent until they hung up, then left the line open, took off my headset and went home. And no, I didn't care if they needed the phone, you can always find one if you really need one and they probably had a mobile. All I was doing was offering them the opportunity to have their say in a survey for their local government or some such - they're paying for it after all. I understand the fact that people don't always find incoming calls convenient. They should be clear, succinct and polite about it and request not to be called again, wait while the number is checked and assurance given that the number will be added to the "do not call" list for the particular company that is calling, then say goodbye. Companies are bound to comply with a request to add a number to a "do not call" list, whether they be selling a product/service, canvassing for a charity, or conducting a survey which is often for feedback about a service the respondent has recently used or government requiring feedback on proposed legislation changes. Being abusive and playing games will not halt these calls. People who don't answer and just lay the phone down will be coded as "no answer" (because that is what happened on the call) and called again. Usually every two hours on the CATI system (computer aided telephone interviewing), I can't speak for charities or commercial purveyors, but the CATI system is usually programmed to churn numbers every 1.5-2hrs. Every 30minutes if you have been "smart" and said to call back then put the answer-machine on. Every 30minutes during your meal, your nap, your quiet read of the book you've been waiting for all day. I'd love to be able to come home every night after my dayjob and cuddle my cats and read but unfortunately I have to provide my own 2nd income as there is no-one else to do so. Outbound calling can be a grinding job that destroys ones faith in or like of people generally. I go out of my way to thank people and have the utmost respect for those who deal with me in a professional manner when refusing or requesting number removal. Those who don't, I get great delight in leaving in the system until the job ends, often up to two weeks per job. Over the past six years I like to believe I have made a difference to the economy of Australia by working hard instead of collecting welfare, paying my taxes so other lazy bastards can collect, passing on the opinions of genuine, sincere people who care enough to give feedback to government, or one of their service providers (banks, insurance co airline etc) so that the people who work in these companies that commission the studies get to keep their jobs instead of being laid off because the companies didn't take the trouble to understand their market and position the right products in the right places. Listen to the public whinge when lay-offs are announced - lay-offs of sons and daughters of the people who lay the phone on the table and turn up the radio in my ear or just abuse me. Fortunate to live in a country where the government invites feedback and there is commercial competition that forces choice and proper understanding of market forces. Try telling that to North Koreans. And if you don't want your service provider to call you for feedback, tick the box next to the smallprint. It's an opt-out system, they reserve the right (it's there in writing) to call you and mail to you unless you advise otherwise. It is your right to opt out, your right NOT to disclose your number, and your right to request its removal from any list. Market and social research companies do not buy or sell lists. A customer might be passed to them from the company commissioning the research. At the end of the study the numbers are destroyed and never re-used for any purpose whatsoever and never have been, revisions to the privacy act around 2001 made no difference to that industry, its own regulations forbid re-use of numbers, buying and selling of lists, and always has. I cannot speak for direct marketing companies or charities. Market research companies usually use the electronic white pages on CD for random dialling, or they might use a computer system which generates the last four numbers after a predetermined area code. This is how some silent numbers can get called, by accident. Also the CD discs are 2-3 years old so if your silent number used not to be silent (and "new"ones are often recycled ones from closed-down businesses etc)it will still be on the CD disc under someone else's name. These old CDs have to be used for the time being because new ones are not being made. It is my guess that most direct marketing companies and charities work the same way. Finally (OK, I'm coming to the end of this rant-information session) if someone ever rings you and says its a survey and it turns into a sales pitch, tell them it is illegal and you will report them to the Association of Direct Marketers of Australia (ADMA) and to the MRSA (Market Research Society of Australia) and I'll look up the number and post it here. I thank you. From the MRSA website www.amsrs.com.au Surveyline: 1300 364830 QUOTE Surveyline is a national phone service that allows members of the public to check the bona fides of research companies in one phone call. UNQUOTE |
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moneypen20
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May 12 2006, 11:35:59 PM Post #7 |
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Bond's Beaut Bombshell
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I hope you had a drink after posting that lot :D All credit to you for doing a job I couldn't do in a month of sundays. |
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| manxfamily | May 13 2006, 12:13:04 AM Post #8 |
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Mad Manx Marvel
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Wow can't argue with that. |
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| marco121068 | May 13 2006, 02:07:03 AM Post #9 |
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Huggable Hunky Humorist
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Gulp! I realise that everyone has a job to do....but when people go to the trouble of registering with the TPS (in the UK) or being registered as silent numbers (which I assume is the same thing) it's BECAUSE they don't want such calls. |
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| Tiredwithtwins | May 13 2006, 05:15:53 AM Post #10 |
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Admin
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I usually tell them no thanks and put the phone down. if im in a good mood i say thanks, have a nice day, then put the phone down. you are right marco, ive gone to the trouble of registering with the TPS and TMS, and religously tick the box (or untick it) to ensure i dont get any unsolicited calls/mail, but its bluddy frustrating when i still get them on a regular basis :blink: |
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Bridiej
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May 13 2006, 12:41:56 PM Post #11 |
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Chattermonster Extraordinaire!
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The thing I object to is not only that we have to pay extra to have a silent number, but they are so crafty asking is that Mrs such and such then going into their spiel. If they were just honest in the first place it wouldnt be half as bad. And telling them you're not interested doesnt always work, I did this once in the UK and the bloke rang me back a couple of times and blowed raspberries down the phone. Sounds amusing but it freaked me out, after all he had my address and he could have been just down the road for all I knew...! :o |
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| Pommygirl | Jun 8 2006, 10:34:24 PM Post #12 |
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Emerald (Special Member)
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I'd really like to know how these companies get your number. We have a funny suspicion that the hospital where I've had recent major surgery gave out my number as the calls have got worse since I've got out and its so annoying. One call started as a recorded message in a tacky american accent and I put the phone down immediately. Another call came from India trying to sell me a mobile phone. I'm sorry but I have no time for these types of calls and its an invasion of privacy.
:no: I wonder what would happen if you let off a 120 decibel rape alarm down the phone right in their ear - what a good idea - must go get one! :o |
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Bridiej
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Jun 9 2006, 11:04:02 AM Post #13 |
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Chattermonster Extraordinaire!
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ouch!!! :o from now on I'm just going to say "sorry, wrong number" and hang up. Worked last night, I had rung a few friends and a couple were out, so when the phone rang I thought it was one of them so said "hello" heard "hello" back from obviously a call centre so said "goodbye" and hung up! :lol: |
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Bridiej




TopCat3



10:54 AM Jul 11