What is the best way to respond to telemarketers?

" I usually just hang up the phone or I set it down and walk away until I hear it beeping. What do you do? " I like to make fun of them !!!!!!! :-)

tell them to never call again..

I used to ask them for there phone number so I could call them back and bother them at supper time, lets just say that doesn't go over well with them.

there is no best way. I tried everytime to do not ge angry, but it is very difficult for me.

I'm ex-directory, plus registered on a do not call list, so I don't get bothered by telemarketers.

Tell them to back down.

I tell them to please get rid of my number in their system because I use it for my business.

just tell them that u already have the product.

Before the no call list. I would either answer or just let it ring. Got to love caller ID. Being a sahm for 11 years now, I have chatted with a lot of telemrketers. They were my only means of talking to adults, besides my family.

Well, their are only 8 words to say " Put me on your do not call list" and legally the no longer can call you...

these calls are not always annoying... why are people afraid of even attending these calls, if you dont want what they are selling or talking about you can always hang up and ask them to not to call back again and they obviously wont cuz they dont want to waste their time.... the only thing i noticed is people are stupid enough that they think if they are going to attend these calls they are going to be fooled by the telemarketer... BE SMART, you should atleast have guts to talk to anyone, and if its something good u should go for it... but people are usually not confident upon theirselves and they think once they pick up the phone they are going to be fooled.

I show them respect and treat them with courtesy. They are earning an honest living. As a matter of fact they are largely responsible for the growth and development of many of the largest, most well known comapnies. That means jobs and that is very good for the country.

I find that it is the simplest thing to just hang up. Thankfully, a lot of telemarketing calls that my family has received in the last year or two are automated machines that are even easier to hang up on than a live person! *laugh* We're not really in the position to buy what anyone is selling anyway, so I wish that they would all just quit calling. I wonder how many sales telemarketers ever actually make? It's hard to imagine that they make very many. I've never heard of anyone who was all that happy to receive a telemarketing call.

Don't hang up or walk away, make a sport out of it. Have fun. Good evening, may I speak with... If you’re like me, and most of your friends have given up on calling, because you screen your calls, or because you never agree to go out anywhere, then probably most of your incoming calls will be from telemarketers. One friend instructs telemarketers and weirdos, which may strike some readers as redundant, to hang up during her telephone answering machine message. All others may begin to speak so that she can identify the voice, and then make an informed decision. There is no reason for so much dread and trepidation. They call because they have something they want to offer you, a gift, kind of. And they are people persons, after all. Who else but a people person would agree to call strangers and talk to them, or read to them? But wouldn’t taking such a call be a little less immediately off-putting if they tried a tiny bit harder to pronounce our names correctly? I’ll concede that my name is not phonetically spelled, and it does amuse to be addressed as Miss Simile. My standard reply is "Sorry no one here by THAT name.". Or "That’s not how I pronounce it, try again". But I’d hate for people to pick up my bad habits, so here’s a better way. Instead of "No thank you, no thank you, no thank you….", which we all know doesn’t work, treat them as you would a friend, a friend calling long distance . Engage them in a little friendly chit chat. Oh sure this may break their rhythm, cause them to lose their place in the script. But you’re an individual and you deserve to be treated as such. They’ll soon forget they were trying to sell you something when they realize that you are genuinely interested in them. "Where are you calling from?" is always a good icebreaker, although their location may be apparent from their accent. "What time is it there is my favorite follow-up query, for telemarketers or anyone at the other end of my phone, local or otherwise. By now they should be trying to conclude the phone call. If you are lucky and fast you might get a couple of closers in. "Is it the beginning or the end of your shift?" I like to vary this with the ever reliable "Yeah, I hate Mondays too". Or "Thank God it’s Friday". material. "What’s your favorite color?" a great utility question that can be used anywhere in your routine. And when you are ready to hear that gratifying phone slam and dial tone, "Did you see Dilbert today"?

I'm actually very poite to telemarkets until they don't take no for an answer and start bugging me; otherwise I'm very nice and respectful to them.

Since they usually call during dinner, I'll ask for their number and tell them that I am eating, but would be more than happy to call them back when I can. Usually that confuses them and they just hang up.

well just bang the phone...

hang up

I just hang up the phone. Sometimes I just start answering their questions with answers that do not pertain to what they are even asking. "Hello Mr Dooley, would you like to answer a few questions about your long distance carrier?" "It doesn't hurt right now."

well,they are so nice that's why I treat them so nicely...they are just doing their job...its not their fault anyway...just try to listen...