middle aged moment and Microsoft

anya My job is not a criminal offence. I work for a huge multi national company and pay tax like anyone else. You have to be highly qualified to do this (degree level). I think that anyone who confuses what I do and says it is a criminal offence is being ignorant of the facts. I cant help that, if someone who doesn't know the difference between market research and selling, however if those people slam the phone down/slam the door, they will never know what it is about so all Im saying is, don't just assume we are all after your money, give people a chance and listen to what they say and if you aren't interested then just say so politely. The ignorant ones are the ones who are rude and mocking. Everyone deserves a chance to have their say.

I think the point Mary was making, no, let me rephrase that, the point that Mary was clearly making, was that she is registered with TPS and that any calls she does get are from people who choose to ignore that.

Whether that is a criminal offence or not, you being in the trade could better answer that I, ethel , but it is definitely unethical.

I do find it ironic though that someone who claims to be always polite and can hold down a job which certainly requires tack and a positive disposition can resort to calling someone 'ignorant' on such small provocation

Ethel, it was a very ignorant comment, best disregarded if at all possible. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but do try to put it behind you and go on enjoying what you have described as an interesting job.

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maryXYX. I think Ethel has made it quite clear what her job is and it's rather hurtful, I imagine, to be told you hope she and her relatives are not cold calling criminals. Rather harsh don't you think?

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I don't invite strangers into my house nor do I expect them to intrude into my home via the phone.

btw I never get cold called on the phone, Im ex directory so that maybe explains it. I have always been polite in the past bearing in mind what I do.
None of my calls are already requested I am cold calling all the time. I have even been headhunted by sales companies, followed by managers of sales companies to see what I do and offered a sales job many times but I stick to research.

Have had knuckles rapped ☹️

Ignore my last post, actually making the post seems to have fixed it

How weird I can't get on to page 3 I get the message - this web page is not available - err connection refused, is there something wrong with the wat the website is configured I wonder?

But do you get these repeated unasked-for calls from the same company with exactly the same script, ethel or from people who say their name is something terrible English, but in an accent that proclaims that their real name is Azziz? From someone who tries to scam you into giving them details of your computer passwords so that they can fleece you, and then that call is repeated daily by different people with different fake English names, calling from different numbers so you can't even block them? Do you wait for an important call from the hospital, unable to take the receiver of the hook, and get several telesales wanting you to do surveys?

From your posts, I don't think you would continue to be polite and understanding with them forever.

Ethel the comments which you object to ,I think,are all made in respect to scammer phone calls. People are not referring to a legitimate call which has been requested which is presumably what you are doing. My DH sounds abrupt on the phone even to his friends as he is not a chatterers. My lovely cleaning lady sounds really bad on the phone. I always taken aback when she answers the phone. Same with a neighbour .she sounds as though she would stick a knife in you when she picks up the phone.

Glad to hear it ethel - you have to be true to yourself!

Gaga, I agree about scammers, but as you said ' they should realise by now how very unpopular the practice is'.

I know how unpopular my job is, by ignorant people who don't listen and don't want to take an interest in the world around them but it is my job and I don't have/want a choice. The people I meet who are helpful and kind and want to help resolve a problem and take part in a useful discussion more than make up for the others. I have met a lot of wonderful people and that is why I love my job.
btw I probably will stop and help the next person who in need of assistance.

ethel please don't take all these comments and stories to heart - they are not about you personally. You have explained how professionally you do your job and are to be commended for that.

I think people feel that cold callers, either on the 'phone or at the door, are intruding on personal space without invitation and that's why they get short shrift. I agree that there is no need to be rude or mock such callers but they should realise by now how very unpopular this practice is.

Then there are the scammers and I have no time or sympathy for them. Most of them are recognisable now (e.g. the microsoft calls from India telling you that you have a problem with your computer). They can fleece innocent, usually elderly people of a lot of money. It's despicable and they deserve all the rudeness they no doubt get.

Having read and re read these replies, I have come to the conclusion that most people are horrible to callers, both in person and on the phone , not because they don't want to know what they are selling/researching/surveying, but because they are taking their frustrations out on someone who cannot answer back. I am not allowed to be rude (wouldn't dream of it anyway) in reply to insults therefore I am a sitting target to someone who has had a bad day/is worried about something/is tired/ is feeling ill and many other things so they slam the door or to the person on the end of the phone they say rude or silly things they would not dream of saying to their friends. this is done because they CAN, if it were someones friend knocking or phoning they would have to be nice or risk upsetting them, they just don't care about strangers.
Well, I have learned from this, in future is someone is ill, I wont offer to help (I have sat with a female who collapsed at the door until help arrived), I have listened numerous times to older lonely people telling their sorry tales, helped, made cups of tea, phoned relatives and in general thought I was being of use (on all of this time spent I lost money). Never again I will harden myself and walk away.

Thank you when I was your age at least someone knows and appreciates the work I do. I love my job but the rudeness is not necessary.

I had a call from a chap offering me Sky TV/phone /Broadband. Told him I wasn't really interested as my firm pay the phone bill, and I don't watch much tv. He was a bit startled by that, and tried to interest me in sport/drama/history packages, but I said that honestly, the telly was usually on if I went out, to keep the dog company. We chatted for a while, he was a very pleasant lad, until finally he said "Is there nothing I can say that'll persuade you to take up one of our offers?" to which I replied "If you can have an Aston Martin Volante parked outside this out in 20 minutes, I'll have any and all Sky packages" "Can't do that" he said - "but - as the dog watches the tv, can I have a word with the dog?"
We both roared with laughter, he thanked me for my time and off he went. I still chuckle about that. The dog, however was not amused that there was to be no upgrade, and she will have to make do with Freeview!

I don't get many, but I just say, 'Did I invite you to call me? No? Goodbye.'

Sorry, ethelbags, but I don't think there is any reason to be polite to the people who phone saying that your computer has a problem. I had my first one (and last, I hope) the other day, and I said that I was so upset that my computer had gone wrong that I would have to put the phone down.

On the other hand, we have had, on at least 2 occasions over the years, researchers who have come to the door, complete with paperwork and numbers to phone to confirm that they are who they say they are, and we have answered their questions and enjoyed the experience, feeling that we have contributed to something useful. They were real people, doing a real job. One was asking about what TV programmes DD had watched in the past week and another was about what we spend money on - a government survey then, but probably privatised now.

If I have any of my little grandchildren aged about 9 months to 2 years I say I will put you on to someone who can help you. I put one of the children on the phone and they love a little chatter. Works a treat!!!

I have had some great fun with cold callers. I had one call - the 'Microsoft' one telling me my computer was in need of repair. I pretended I thought he said I had won a computer. He got very stressed. But beware - I had a call, saying I had won a prize, needed to confirm my id. I had won. I am so glad I didn't do my usual blah blah that day.

And then OH is convinced I am hiding something from him if I don't let him answer , but then he gets confused and upset when he can't understand them ............. We found out that we were paying for loads of extras on Sky that he had signed up for , took DS1 hours going through it all and cancelling films , sport etc