Is there a secret to handling telemarketing calls?
Question: “What’s your favorite technique for handling telemarketing calls? We get several every day and it’s very frustrating. It’s bad enough getting them at home much less at work, too.” — Jeannette Clarke
Hi Jeannette,
When responding to these types of calls, I usually just mention that ‘this is a business office and they should not be calling.’ Generally they assume they are calling a residence.
I don’t know if you can add the telephone number to the government’s Do Not Call list or not, but that’s another option to look into. http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall/
Hope this helps.
Posted by: E | April 11, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Here the receptionist screen the calls for all staff, telemarketers are prohibited from coming into the building and we have a sign that indicated that. The receptionist will ask who the call is directed to and if persistent they are permitted to leave a voicemail only and then we just delete them.
Posted by: Jocelyn | April 11, 2008 at 01:37 PM
We get a lot fewer Telemarketing calls since we started responding: That is already set up through Corporate who is in Texas (cross country), would you like the 800#? They normally do not cover cross regions, so they say thanks and hang up. Quick & easy 😉
Posted by: Michele | April 11, 2008 at 01:39 PM
I immediately ask for the web site address, pull it up, print out the home page, and tell the caller I will pass along the information to my supervisor who, if interested, will contact the company. End of call.
Posted by: | April 11, 2008 at 01:49 PM
When I receive persistent calls from telemarketers, I advise them that my executive is too busy to take calls and all solicitations need to be done by mail.
Posted by: Diana | April 11, 2008 at 01:51 PM
I always provide them with a fax number advise them that solicitations must be done by fax or mail. Very often they will ask, “who is in charge of QA” or some other department. We do not give out employee names or titles and I politely refuse to engage in any further exchange of information other than to give the fax #.
Posted by: Alicia | April 11, 2008 at 02:03 PM
I work for a government agency in the purchasing department, so I’ve had more than my fair share of these calls. If they ask for the “decision-maker” I tell them that person cannot be bothered with these types of calls and they’ll have to go through me. I usually just tell them we never order from phone solicitations and if they’d like to send us detailed information about their company and a catalog, we’d be happy to consider them as a possible vendor. Normally, they never send that info. Hmm.
Posted by: Karen | April 11, 2008 at 02:10 PM
All of our phone numbers are listed at the government’s do-not-call registry. If we get a call from a telemarketer, we inform them that they violated the regulation by calling us, and if they do not remove us from their calling list we will file a complaint.
Posted by: Mark | April 11, 2008 at 02:31 PM
I have everybody’s number in the office on https://www.donotcall.gov/ and if a telemarketer calls I’ll let them know we are on the listed on donotcall so please delete us from your database. Now, I use this website also for my home phone number and cellphone. What you’ll never avoid is charity organizations but at least donotcall works very good and you have to update the website every 5 years. I hope this helps.
Posted by: Sharon | April 11, 2008 at 02:34 PM
I get a lot of telemarketing calls as well! I do what others said, tell them this is a business and that usually gets rid of them. However, many of them call for the director of my department and won’t say why they are calling, just that they will call him back. I do not want him to have to deal with them, so lately I’ve been insisting that they must speak with me and that I handle all of these matters for him. I also tell them that they can keep calling but that they will continue to get me. Then I’m able to tell them we aren’t interested from there. I really don’t get a lot of repeat calls as a result.
Posted by: Amber | April 11, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Sharon, I recently heard that people do NOT have to update every five years on the “do not call” list. From what I understand, the original plan had been to update every five years but the government changed that ruling. So…good news on that anyway!
Posted by: Karen | April 11, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Did you know that telemarketers are hired by almost every company to help build their businesses including Microsoft, Yahoo, Pepsi, Coke and many more fortune 500 companies?
In my VA business, we get numerous requests on a daily basis for telemarketing services. Companies pay very well for this service and all they are asking is just for you to take a ‘look’ to see if they could perhaps help or save your company money. How do you know that the “Decision Maker” hasn’t been asked by his boss to find a particular service or goods.
May I ask…does it really hurt to be polite, listen, and pass the info along to the Decision Makers? The next time a telemarketer calls you, think about this…he/she is doing a job just like you.
It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
Posted by: VY925 | April 21, 2008 at 12:51 PM
By the way, the Do Not Call Registry is ONLY for your home number. Business numbers do not apply.
Posted by: VY925 | April 21, 2008 at 12:53 PM
“How do you know that the ‘Decision Maker’ hasn’t been asked by his boss to find a particular service or goods.”
For most administrative professionals it’s our job to know! I can only imagine how chaotic the day would be for our CEO if we put through every call that requested him.
A lot of cold calls to our business are not only solicitors but recruiters who are trying to poach employees, or figure out the management structure within our company for recruiting purposes.
We are always polite, and offer for the caller to send information on their product or request via email. 95% of the time we never hear from them again.
Posted by: SVAdmin | April 21, 2008 at 03:26 PM
If your boss was trying to get information on a certain product or service, don’t you think the caller would have his or her name and not just ask for the “Decision Maker”?
Sure, there are legitimate telemarketers out there, but the great majority of our calls are from flat-out scammers. If the person is legit, he or she should be perfectly willing to leave a call-back number.
Posted by: Karen | April 24, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Telemarketing is an illegitimate business practice, PERIOD. I have yet to have a call from a telemarketer who is “nice” to me after I begin to ask them who they are and what they want. I do not consider it to be necessary to be “nice” to people just because “they’re doing their job.” If you don’t like people in the business community treating you like the pariah that you are, then find another job.
Posted by: John A. | October 28, 2008 at 09:04 AM