Do you consider telemarketers "fair game"?

Question

What happens when one calls you? Is it maddening? Are you polite? Do you hang up right away? Will you say something funny or clever?

If you're a telemarketer - Same question, but on the other end of the call. What do people do when you call them? Do you expect negative reactions, or do you keep an open mind?

There's no deep thinking behind this question. I had a telemarketer call me a moment ago, and am curious about how the general public reacts.

Answer 1

I registered for "Do Not Call" the second it came out. No unsolicited telemarkets anymore!

For those telemarketers who call because I already have a customer relationship with their company, I hang up on the telemarketer. Then I call the company and let them know that if they ever have a telemarketer contact me again I will terminate my business relationship with them. End of problem!

Answer 2

Seinfeld had the best answer.

Seinfeld: "I can' talk to you right now. Give me your home number and I'll call you.

Telemarketer: "I can't do that."

Seinfeld: "Oh...you don't want people calling you at home?"

Telemarketer: "No."

Seinfeld: "Well I don't either!"

CLICK

TELEMARKETERS AND SPAMMERS WILL NEVER

MAKE A SALE FROM ME JUST ON GENERAL PRINCIPLES. I DON'T BUY ANYTHING AT ANY PRICE FROM PEOPLE WHO ANNOY ME!

Answer 3

My husband uses vile profanity on them..and he used to be a telemarketer...I usually hang up but can get nasty if they are aggressive...they are b******s! Get a decent job that a person can do with integrity! lol

Answer 4

I normally just wait for them to get out the first line,  then I say "thank you but I'm not interested in your services" and hang up.  Pretty simple.

Answer 5

I can  be rude or at least abrupt.  I don't appreciate uninvited or unwelcomed calls where someone tries to hustle you to buy something or do something.  I view such as an invasion of privacy.  Same when someone comes to my front door, including religions sects.  Most of the time I am polite, unless they don't want to take "no" for an answer and just keep going.

To me, THAT'S rude.

Answer 6

I enjoy letting them talk through there whole spill then hanging up on them, they waste my time, so i figure least I could do is the same. lol

Answer 7

Once I started flirting with the girl on the other end, she called while I was having a party so why not?

Thanks to caller ID usually I just won't answer but if I do I quickly interrupt their speech with a polite but firm "I'm not interested, have a good day."

Answer 8

Mostly I'm polite and say "Thank you but I'm not interested."  However, if they were polite, they would hang up.  If they keep pushing, then they're the ones being rude and I usually just hang up.