Solicitors

[Ironman]

I agree with you Eric. There is a way to get them to stop calling that I used about 6 months ago but I guess my meter ran out of quarters.

[George D]

Ever noticed how tele-marketers all block the caller-id facility. Try asking them for their phone number and the most in-convenient time for you to call them back.

[Detlef]

ever heard of unlisted phone numbers? My last TM call was ...uhhmmmm.....3 y ago? Can't even remember...

--Detlef

(call 1-900-xxx-6969 to reach me )

[SiG Lady]

(ErikW)I wish the NRA would stop using telemarketing, junk mail, and scare-tactics that are directed at the very young or feeble minded. It really cheapens the organization.

I'm in the NRA, but there's some parts of which I'm not proud.

I love my 2nd Amendment rights and all, but the amount of money the NRA spends on its rather costly-looking, non-stop mailings asking for money is discouraging. Heck, it's like, they're asking me for money so they can fund more costly-looking mailings asking me for money. And I personally think they should use NO telemarketing at all. Telemarketing cheapens* ANY entity--forever. Just try scraping "telemarketer" off your shoes once your biz has used it.

*thank you, Eric

[Jon Merricks]

My number is unlisted and I still get them. I get TM calls for the person I bought this house from and have had my number changed like 3 times since I moved in. Try and figure that one out.

[ErikW]

Me too. They ask for me by name, though I'm unlisted, which means they are buying and selling names and numbers.

Ever do a full credit report on yourself? You'll see all the informational transactions, which is them buying and selling your contact info. Makes me sick.

[kimel]

I have started to get TM calls on my cell phones. My home number is unlisted and I get calls. My work number gets calls.

How you ask? Simple. Various businesses require that I give them a phone number in order to have and acct or to purchase stuff. I made the mistake of giving one vendor my cell number (it was the wife's Christmas present and I didn't want them to call and spill the beans). Besides that one, single company I haven't given my cell number to any other business. That outfit sold my cell # to some TM group and now I get calls on my cell.

So I am clear across the nation in upper NY state last April. Cell rings and I figure it is the wife. Nope. TM jerk. Before he gets 3 words in I ask him to forward me to his supervisor. He asks why. "So I can get an address to send the bill. Your TM call is costing me $2 a minute...this is a cell and I am roaming." <click>

I told the last NRA TM person that called that if the NRA TM group ever called me again for anything I would never give the NRA another penny. Odd...they haven't called in years.

And so goes life....

[dajarrel]

EricW,

Don't you just hate it when your best dripping sarcasm is wasted on some moronic twit.

Dennis

[BDH]

Eric, fantastic post. I was laughing my ass off!!

Here's mine.....

A couple of years ago, I was dry-firing in the basement, and had a really good session going. My wife never interupts me, unless there is something really important happening. Well, she comes bopping in and tells me that she needs me to come upstairs as there is someone at the door. Of course, I ask who, and we have the following discussion....

Her: 'it's a couple of guys that are selling some type of 'oil change service'.

Me: 'you gotta be sh*ttin me. Just tell them we aren't interested'.

Her: 'you don't understand, I've been trying to get rid of them for at least 5 mins, and they won't go away'.

Me: 'well, try again, I'm busy'.

Her: 'I need you upstairs NOW'.

So now, not only did they interupt my dry-fire session, but they had scared my wife and now I am burning mad. I started to take off my gunbelt, but thought, 'why bother' and headed up the stairs as fast as I could move, and with all my gear on (including the blaster locked in the race holster).

What was absolutely precious was the look on their faces, when instead of a small women (5' 2" 105#), I was standing there with an angry scowl on my face, filling the doorway (6' 4" 300#), and with my race gun on. I still wish I had a picture of their expression! It was a short conversation....

Here is my phone telemarketer tip..... see if your phone company offers a service called 'Distinctive Ring'. What this does is gives you two phone numbers, while only paying for a single phone line (you can tell which number a call is coming in on by the telephone ring). Since I have two numbers..... one is published, and one is private. I give the published number out to people/ businesses/work, while I only give the private number out to close friends, family, etc. When the published number rings, we NEVER answer the phone. If it is someone that we did need to talk with, they will leave a message on the answering machine. If not, they just hang up (99% of the time). If the private line rings, we answer the phone because we know it is someone we will want to talk with. The benefit of this is that we always know whether to answer the phone or just let it ring..... we have a published number so if someone is trying to track us down, they can find us..... and this only cost a couple of bucks a month.

[SiG Lady]

One of our local/area NRA reps noticed a couple of questionable guys knocking on doors in his neighborhood one day and eventually they knocked on HIS door... now, he's usually packing his .45 anyway, so he made sure it was super-blatantly visible on his belt, answered the door... the dudes looked at him, looked down at his belt, and ran off without even a second glance. It works.