What is it with charity cold-callers?

Just had a cold call.

"Hello, can I speak to Mr BB please?"

Me: "Can I ask who's calling, please?"

Them: "I'm from the National XX charity"

Me (super-smooth polite) "Oh, I'm really sorry, we agree that we only support two charities, we're not interested, sorry".

Them: "Oh, we don't want to take away from any other charities, but I do need to speak to Mr BB".

Me: "I'm his wife, and as I said, we only support two charities, I'm sorry, we're not interested."

Them: "Yes, but we're -"

Me: "I'm sorry, we're not interested, thank you, bye-bye" (she was still trying to waffle at me at this point, and I was in the middle of doing something when they phoned, so I lost patience and hung up).

Is there a "set programme"? Do they just keep going on autopilot? Are they set to "ignore"? Why can't they just accept that I don't want to throw my hard-earned cash over to them (for a good reason, I feel) just on the basis of a phone call? Did they just want to get past hard-nosed b*tch and talk to the nice friendly man?

Grrrrrr.....

BB - my response to any cold call is simple - "I don't respond to any cold call and as we are on the telephone preference list you shouldn't be calling at all so please delete my number - goodbye."

I just don't get into conversation and I don't feel bad about it either.  Cold calling is a form of bullying in my mind.  They get you when you are totally unprepared.

LOL flat footed - thats better than my approach and its costing them money too.  Perfect.

I really just want to tell these people to p1$$ orf!

It's not that I'm mean but I give regularly to the local hospice, buy a poppy, put the odd coin in a collecting tin etc.  Now if I wanted to donate to something else then I would, but it's my money and I'll decide what to do with it.  What makes it worse is that the cold-callers don't just want a couple of quid do they?  No, they want my bank details and an ongoing commitment until such tiem as I get round to cancelling the direct debit.  Sorry guys, i know you're only doing your job, and maybe you believe passionately in rare frogs, or whatever, but you're busines is not welcome here!

Bah humbug - anyone else looking forward to Christmas? 

PMSL @ Flat Footed, that's actually really good.

The way I get rid of them is, if they won't get off the phone after I've told them 'no' once, to blow a whistle down the phone.  It never fails.

LOL Vixx!!

I try to be nice to charity people, especially as I often find myself asking other people for money for charity. Most of them are fine when you explain you already support other charities. This was just a bit annoying.

And don't get me started on mailshots including books of raffle tickets that they ask you to sell... or worse, buy yourself...

Soupy, we are on the TPS, but we seem to be getting more and more calls like this just lately

Millster wrote (see)

I really just want to tell these people to p1$$ orf!

It's not that I'm mean but I give regularly to the local hospice, buy a poppy, put the odd coin in a collecting tin etc.  Now if I wanted to donate to something else then I would, but it's my money and I'll decide what to do with it.  What makes it worse is that the cold-callers don't just want a couple of quid do they?  No, they want my bank details and an ongoing commitment until such tiem as I get round to cancelling the direct debit.  Sorry guys, i know you're only doing your job, and maybe you believe passionately in rare frogs, or whatever, but you're busines is not welcome here!

Bah humbug - anyone else looking forward to Christmas? 

Quite so, Millster! I went into the kitchen after and stropped: "It's my b****y hard-earned cash, I'll decide what to do with it and when!!". (Sorry, had a bad day, I'm not usually into flash-rage).

There are so many charities we could support, so several years ago we decided to keep our efforts to one local and one national charity. We support our local hospice (Vixx, you'll know we could hardly NOT...;)) and Asthma UK. I've worked at our local hospice and I know how important that is, and who knows, one day someone I know and love may need it. And I very definitely have asthma and several friends who are much more severe than I am, and I know how important AUK's work is for people like them and children with asthma too.  But this charity today has no emotional, local or other connection to me...if I'm going to support something, it's with good reason, not just cos some person in a call centre rings me up. Pah.

BB - you two are both so darn NICE, I can't tell.....

We are on the TPS too,but we are still getting these calls.....

The best was the hubby of one of my clients.  Phone call mid-way through me training client, he wanders through, picks up the phone, listens for a minute, tells them he isn't interested politely.

They obviously are not to be swayed, so he tells them again, still politely.

So, whn they carry on AGAIN, in his politest voice he says ''Would you mind awfully if you just fack orf?''

He then puts the phone down and goes back to what he was doing......

BB - unfortunately I stopped supporting the hospice when they couldn't be arsed to acknowledge the 'small' amount of money that was still raised at the end of my redundant Chicago 2007 campaign, when I offered to give everyone their money back because of the race being stopped.  Everyone said that I could still give the money to the charity instead.

Never got a thank you or nuffink......

Vixx76 wrote (see)

BB - unfortunately I stopped supporting the hospice when they couldn't be arsed to acknowledge the 'small' amount of money that was still raised at the end of my redundant Chicago 2007 campaign, when I offered to give everyone their money back because of the race being stopped.  Everyone said that I could still give the money to the charity instead.

Never got a thank you or nuffink......

AUK sound nice - if I could raise 1500.00 I'd run London for them......

Don't think I can get that much tho......

Easiest way to get rid is to say you work for another charity.  As in "I'd really like to support your cause but I work for *insert name of rival charity*"

What I find more annoying is the telecoms companies who pretend to be your supplier and want to discuss your contract.  I had one yesterday

Them: Hello is that Vicki **
Me: Speaking
Them: We're calling on behalf of T-Mobile regarding your T-Mobile contract
Me: So you're not T-Mobile
Them: We're calling on their behalf
Me: So you're not T-Mobile then
Them: We're outsourced and dealing with your T-Mobile contract
Me: So you're either T-Mobile or you're not, which is it?
Them: We're working on their behalf
Me: So you're not T-Mobile then
Them: Um
Me: Are you going to lie to me and say you are T-Mobile to get my business?
Them: We're actually outsourced by T-Mobile
Me: So which T-Mobile call centre are you based at
Them: We're not actually based at a T-Mobile call centre
Me: So we're getting somewhere then, you're not T-Mobile
Them: We'd like to discuss your T-Mobile contract
Me: Fat chance of that, you could be anybody
Them: Um
Me: I'm not interested mate - feel free to continue if you think you can get my business

Far more irritating that the chuggers :/

yeah, I hope it's been recorded and used as a training call - thing is the git wasn't from T-Mobile he was from some random muppet-company, and have since found out today that T-Mobile sold on a load of customers details to other companies: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8364421.stm

grrr