Wednesday, 30 June 2010

When is a cold -call really a call to help you stop getting cold calls?

I have just received the most paradoxical of cold 'phone calls. I have been registered with the Telephone Preference Service for the last 8 years (i.e. since I have had my present 'phone number). It used to be a good, free, service but in the last six months or so I have had more unsolicited calls than I had ever received in the previous 8 years. My sister-in-law had noticed a similar increase and we had both intended to contact the TPS to find out what was happening. I never got round to it (don't know if she did).

So, a short while ago, my 'phone rang:

Mr. Man from call-centre in India: Hello. my name is -----, calling on behalf of V---

Me: Hold on, do you know I'm registered with the Telephone Preference Service?

Mr. Man: Oh yes, madam, that is why I am calling, You are still getting unwanted marketing calls despite your registration with Telephone Preference Service, is that not right? Now we at V---- are offering a service that guarantees that you will receive no such calls anymore.
Me: And how much do you charge for this service?

Mr. Man: Only £5 a month, madam.

Me: No thanks, bye!

1 comment:

Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax! said...

One of the really funny pre-recorded ones we get quite a lot starts 'This is a free message'. As if one might wish to pay to receive such calls!. (You may not be surprised I don't know what happens after that!)

I also get so many calls from British Gas asking me to buy electricity through them, I recognise the voice of the caller. When I said "Hello, you're from British Gas, aren't you?" she was surprised I knew before she started her advertising spiel. She then said she hadn't phoned before and that it must be that I can't distinguish between one Scot and another. Huh!

Lucy