Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Phun on the Phone

I have been getting robo calls at least twice a day for months. You know, the kind where when you answer the phone, all you hear is a bunch of clicks, then the dial tone. So, you can imagine how satisfying it is to get a call that actually works and gives me the opportunity to talk to a real person.

It just requires a little patience. The call I got this morning, started with the menu:  "This is Rip-off Realty.  If you don't want to take advantage of our amazing offer, press 1. If you want to speak to a representative, press 2." Did I EVER want to speak to some hapless representative! When he came on the phone, he started talking about putting a sign in my front yard. I said, "Never mind all that.  I just wanted to tell you that I am on the "No Call List."  And, instead of saying something like, "OK, I'll take your name off our calling list. Sorry to have bothered you," he went on bothering me further by arguing with me.  Let the games begin!

He gave me some ridiculous story about calling me because I or someone in my household requested information from them about letting them to put a sign in my yard. I told him his information was incorrect.
(Unless one of the voices in my head had broken free and gone rogue on my phone, I thought, but didn't say.)

Then, he got belligerent.  "Someone in your household requested information!"  Again, I said "My "household" is an apartment, so you're still wrong.  Why don't you just stop arguing with me and take my name off your calling list?" It was clear he wasn't through arguing, so I hung up on him.

I don't mind telling you I was pumped for the rest of the morning. I went around thumbing my nose like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz, punching the air with  my fists and saying, "Bring em' on.  I'm all warmed up, now."  But, so far, the rest of the day has been uneventful on the old phone front.

I just hope that was the bunch who kept calling and clicking and hanging up.  If not, I'll have to figure out some other way to connect with a real person I can complain to on that one.

Stay tuned.  


6 comments:

marlu said...

Aren't they pesky? I wrote about the same thing on my blog on March 15th.

When I told him we were on a no call list, he actually apologized and said he would remove our name. Then he called back a couple of hours later with the same spiel! I told him he had advised me that he would take our name off. He just hung up!

Olga said...

I really wanted to talk to a live person when I get a call about lowering my mortgage payment. Since I don't have a mortgage, I wondered if that meant they would actually send me money. Sadly, not the case.

Big John said...

We get the same thing in the UK, Bettie. We have something called the "TPS" where you can register to not receive sales calls. They still call with... "I'm not trying to sell anything" ... My phone is now always on 'anwer machine'.

Golden To Silver Val said...

That friggin' "no call list" is just a big lie. No matter what....the pests will figure out some loophole so they can still call you. Lately I've been getting calls in the guise of it being "a survey". I've also had to deal with obnoxious phone solicitors. One of the worst worked for a charity that I had often donated to. He was horribly rude and was resorting to high pressure when he found out that I couldn't give this time. Very obvious to me that he was making money on my donation. He cost that charity my support as I took them off my list after that. I think it's just awful that a total stranger can crash in on your peaceful life via an unwanted phone call and say things to upset your entire day. All unprovoked and uncalled for. What gets me is that in today's economy.....HOW can they even dream that the average person can give as much or buy as much as they could several years ago? Every single thing has gone up and our incomes have not been able to keep pace with it all. These 'robocalls' are inconsiderate and an invasion of our personal space. It's a shame when you have to just let the answering machine get the call and then return it if it happens to be someone you need to speak to. The 'do not call' list is a dream...it's something we wish we could have but unfortunately that's just what it is....a dream.

Anonymous said...

I get so many phone calls where I pick up and all I get is clicks or nothing, and then it hangs up and it's so bloody annoying!

Anonymous said...

After several hang ups, I checked my caller id and called them back. Finally reached a real person and it was a great pleasure to hear him say several times "hello- hello- may I help you?- hello". I said nothing back to him and then hung up. Then I called right back and did the same thing 5 times in a row. It might not have affected them, but it made me fell great the rest of the day.