I just don't get the sales mindset.....

[poltr1]

A representative for Time Warner Cable called me today. (Actually, they've been calling me for a month, but I wasn't around to pick up the phone when they called.) They wanted to sell me digital phone for $20/month.

They seemed so confident that I was going to switch. But I said no. And then they persisted: "I understand your resistance.....". What makes them think they're going to persuade me? (I know, it's in their script.) I had to think of something fast. Something that conveys, "No, no, hell no!" I thought, "Tell them I work for their competitor, or own stock in the phone company I have, and that switching over would create a conflict of interest." So I did. And it worked. I should have added, "Put me on your do not call list", but they were off the phone by then.

Don't people understand that if I want something, I'll go ahead and pursue it myself? I don't need people slamming me, trying to slam me, or verbally twisting my arm to buy their product. I hate that.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

There are people--more than you think--who cave under such tactics.

The salespeople I *like* are the ones who are knowledgeable about what they sell, can answer factual questions about the product, and can tell me things like, "Okay, if I spend another $50 to get the next model up, what additional features does that get me?" I can describe how I want to use $PRODUCT and they can figure out what they have that might meet my needs. *Those* are the kind of salespeople I will recommend to others.

Telemarketing--which is what you experienced--is about the lowest form of salesmanship there is. Yet enough people buy things from telemarketers that the telemarketers persist at it. (Just like spammers. :-/ )

[ladysoapmaker.livejournal.com]

I hear you about the sales pitch. It's sometimes like that they have to read a script before they get off or they don't get paid. I'm just waiting for them to call me so I can use my "So how do you guarantee that I will have a phone in a power outage and I have to call 911 because my daughter can't breathe?" question. I think this is my biggest problem with digital cable, the safety issue. Now I do have a cell phone however I can't guaruntee it'll be charged or DD#2 didn't break/hide it. I'm also so paranoid that I'm a licensed HAM operator so I always have a way to contact people. Unfortunately I need to get a new radio.

Had a Summer job once

[(Anonymous)]

as a telemarketer for magazine subscriptions, and hated every minute of it. I was never allowed to go off script for even a moment, and when I did make a sale the company would later call the person back and try and get them to add lots of other subscription to their order, which usually got them to cancel the order out right and my sales bonus would go away.

Literally the only thing you can do when people like that call, is break their script and get rid of them.

sorry they bothered you.

[robin-june.livejournal.com]

I did have to work as a telemarketer. (*) And yes, we were not allowed to accept "no" for an answer until the 3rd "no." I don't recall if the management ever came up with a counter strategy to "No, no, NO!"

(*) Yes, I was laid off & desperate. It was better than prostitution, but didn't feel like much better. I'm a scientist, now.

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

I had to think of something fast. Something that conveys, "No, no, hell no!"

You don't owe telemarketers that much thought.

I do understand that yelling "F*** OFF!" and hanging up doesn't respect the fact that the caller is just a human being with a crappy job. But you have the right to say "no thank you" and hang up in the middle of their response.