Energy Online

[Woodman]

What say you guys?

The Wife got a call from an Energyonline telemarketer on a Friday night while we were having tea. Very persistent she was and wife being polite she gave a few details and agreed that they could send some information to us, which is usually a good way to get rid of teleterrorists.

A letter showed up from them which we didn't open as we assumed it was junk mail, and anyway we could have been away. A weekish later another letter showed up which I opened that stated we had signed up with them and arranged everything with our current supplier. Neither of us had signed up with them so I opened the first letter and it stated that under the fairtrading act bla bla bla we had 5 days to respond to the first letter otherwise they will take it as given that we have signed up. In a matter of words.

The letters were dated the 15th and 16th of December respectively.

Fuckers.:mad::mad:.....So I rang up and told them what I thought. The girl on the phone said that she had had a few of these and by the tone of her voice was over it. I cancelled and told them to never ever call me again as I don't want to have anything to do with a company that uses tactics like this.

Kind of thing that elderly people get sucked into IMHO

Waddayou guys reckon?

Anyone else had this happen?

Am I being over sensitive?

[mashman]

Isn't that standard business practice? Wonder if the salesperson got the bonus before fleeing.

[Ocean1]

gave a few details and agreed that they could send some information to us, which is usually a good way to get rid of teleterrorists.

Where did you get that idea from?

Nevermind, for future reference it's not nearly as good as telling them to fuck off and never call again.


Isn't that standard business practice?

How many of the businesses you deal with practice that tactic?

Less than 5%?

Less than 1%

Almost none?

So no, it's not, is it?

You're just all jumpy about the Bogeyman in your head.

[Gremlin]

Report them to the Commerce Commission.

For any contract to exist there must be offer and acceptance. You simply can't say, if you don't respond, you've signed up.

Unfortunately many will be pressured into continuing, but these bastards need to be lynched (legally or physically).

[Naki Rat]

My elderly Mum is in a villa in a retirement village but is close to resthome care due to increasing 'memory issues'. It is a constant struggle to undo changes to her energy or phone supplier by hard-sell telemarketers, usually a case of finding a new account at her place and doing the required telephone rant at whoever it takes to cancel the change. "Outstanding balance" - stiff shit, it was your doing, your loss!

One of the telephone accounts that were opened had a petrol discount incentive. Ah, Mum was stopped from driving a couple of years back :laugh:

And don't get me started on Readers Digest's junkmail :facepalm:

[mashman]

How many of the businesses you deal with practice that tactic?

Less than 5%?

Less than 1%

Almost none?

So no, it's not, is it?

You're just all jumpy about the Bogeyman in your head.

What? It doesn't happen? See above.

And I saw it on tv a few times, though I've never kept a tally of my furious outbursts and jotted the instances down... on account of being so outrageously outraged. Ya know, vein throbbing on the forehead stuff.

The Bogeyman in my head is going :wari: and we're :drinkup: there too.

[Woodman]

Report them to the Commerce Commission..

Already have, and informed Energyonline that I have.

[R650R]

Right now there's a telemarketer in Somalia doing the Banana dance and FedExing duplicates of your credit card across the world lol..... :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Damn I hang up as soon as I even suspect it might be a telemarketer, theres usually that same random long pause just like when someone phones in a death threat....

[JATZ]

Next time tell them to Fuck off, the ring *telecommunications provider of choice* and ditch the land line.
In the 3(?) yrs since I've only been mobile I've had a total of 0 telemarketers call :D

[Tazz]

Not an overreaction at all man. Pretty ballsy.


And don't get me started on Readers Digest's junkmail :facepalm:

Isn't it unreal! They must have their own paper mill.

[george formby]

The problem here is actually answering your land line. If it rings before lunch it's a mate. After lunch it's a time waster.

And yeah, border line legal bullying tactics are shite. I would love to spend some time with these "business" people in a locked room. Preying on the vulnerable.

[Gremlin]

Next time tell them to Fuck off, the ring *telecommunications provider of choice* and ditch the land line.
In the 3(?) yrs since I've only been mobile I've had a total of 0 telemarketers call :D
I've actually had marketers call my mobile :mellow:

Further, there are several reasons legit Private Numbers ring me, so it's not like I can block them either...

[R650R]

I've actually had marketers call my mobile :mellow:

Further, there are several reasons legit Private Numbers ring me, so it's not like I can block them either...

Yes an even the phone company themselves do it from time to time for 'surveys'.... Then there's the junk text massages of their latest bonus add on offers....

[Voltaire]

Once your over 40 you don't have to be polite, I just hang up.
Don't even answer the door for them, opportunity does not knock.

Had my power switched without consent a few years back, same telemarket thing, Missus rang up incumbent and they must have been a tad

embarrassed as they sorted it out and gave us a better discount than the 'new' one.

St Johns installed an alarm system at my Mums house years ago as she must have said yes when they called.

She had alzheimer's and when I asked her what it was, had no idea or who had put it in.

[Woodman]

I usually do tell them to go away, but err indoors is politererer than me.

The girl on the phone yesterday tried to argue the fact that it was mostly my fault for not opening the first envelope. :facepalm:

[jasonu]

What say you guys?

and wife being polite she gave a few details and agreed that they could send some information to us, which is usually a good way to get rid of teleterrorists.


What you have done is give them hope. Telling them to fuck off and never call again works better.

[mstriumph]

Either say "not interested" and put the phone down or, if you are really cross, say "i'm so glad you called", give them a hard sell on funeral insurance... There are so many ads for this around at the mo that you'll have no problem making it up as you go along. Be sure to keep harrassing them for personal details... Fun!

A mate of mine always used to say "city morg, can i help you?" when answering an unidentified incoming :D

[TheDemonLord]

"Mr Demon, if we could just get a mo..."
me: No thank you, I am busy
"But I think you will find..."
me: No, but thanks for asking.
"Er so do you?"
me: No, thanks.
"oh okay, goodbye"
me: goodbye


Works everytime - give them no information and they can't sign you up for anything - you don't need to be rude and tell them to fuck off, just be polite but firm and for godsake don't give them any information - if you want info, go to their website, if you need more, email them to send you a digital brochure (can't change providers by using email address as authentication)

[Woodman]

"Mr Demon, if we could just get a mo..."
me: No thank you, I am busy
"But I think you will find..."
me: No, but thanks for asking.
"Er so do you?"
me: No, thanks.
"oh okay, goodbye"
me: goodbye


Works everytime - give them no information and they can't sign you up for anything - you don't need to be rude and tell them to fuck off, just be polite but firm and for godsake don't give them any information - if you want info, go to their website, if you need more, email them to send you a digital brochure (can't change providers by using email address as authentication)

Oh yeah we know all that, but these guys are using the 5 day cold calling right of refusal thing incorrectly, and immorally, and they know it.

[BMWST?]

i say i cant make up my mind,can you ring back say wednesday..and the y do,so i say i still havent made up my mind can you call next wednesday and they do....after about 5 times i say no thanks and they say ok

[flashg]

A mate of mine always used to say "city morg, can i help you?" when answering an unidentified incoming :D


Not the best thing to say.
Many years ago i used to answer phone by saying....... Underground airways.........captain speaking.
But my favorite was " City morg you kill em we chill em.
One evening the phone rings and i answer City morg you kill em we chill em. It was my wife's uncle ringing to inform us his wife (aunty ) had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Imagine how bad i felt. Now i just answer in a normal way. But if they don't respond fast enough i just hang up , might be telemarketers.

[Waihou Thumper]

Not the best thing to say.
Many years ago i used to answer phone by saying....... Underground airways.........captain speaking.
But my favorite was " City morg you kill em we chill em.
One evening the phone rings and i answer City morg you kill em we chill em. It was my wife's uncle ringing to inform us his wife (aunty ) had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Imagine how bad i felt. Now i just answer in a normal way. But if they don't respond fast enough i just hang up , might be telemarketers.

Geez, those sayings have been around for eons! :)
I just ignore the phone, if it goes to answerphone then I can screen it right? Telemarketers never leave messages.

[far queue]

Here's an oldie I used to use - "City abortion clinic. You make them, we scrape them, no foetus can beat us".

Mostly I can tell from the caller ID it's likely to be a telemarketer, so I don't answer. If I do happen to end up with one, I just politely say "no thanks, not interested" then hang up before they respond.

[mstriumph]

Not the best thing to say.
.......
One evening the phone rings and i answer City morg you kill em we chill em. It was my wife's uncle ringing to inform us his wife (aunty ) had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
.............

sad
but hopefully he was preoccupied and didn't notice

[Gremlin]

"Mr Demon, if we could just get a mo..."
me: No thank you, I am busy
"But I think you will find..."
me: No, but thanks for asking.
"Er so do you?"
me: No, thanks.
"oh okay, goodbye"
me: goodbye
You're on the phone too long:

Me: Hello?
Them: Can I speak to the bill payer please?
M (flat voice): Why?
T: I'm calling from (insert some company)
M: Not interested *click*