Solicitor Stampede - you can tell it's a slow economy

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Kristine

Kristine

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Nov 26, 2002
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Middleville
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michigan
that our economy is lagging here in Michigan. I have never had so many cold call salespersons for everything from "soup to nuts" darkening my door.

Unfortunately they can't read the no soliciting sign on the door and I want to post something else. I don't want to offend my saleperson clientelle coming to buy but I want stop the cold callers.

anyone have a cute but to the point sign they use.

thanks.
 
" The buyer is currently sailing in the Bahamas and cannot take your call. If it is a dire emergency, we can reach her by ship to shore radio once a week.How important is your request? "

We use that line on the phone and it usually shuts them up long enough to say BuhBye.....
Sher
 
It's a tough way to make a living...

V
 
Oh, me too!!

They use to come in my store all the time. Total disregard of the sign on the door. I'm not talking about legitamate sales people, my problem is with the vegabonds....sweaty t-shirt, shorts and flip flop guy trying to sell me "the best cleaner there is" or the tatooed, tank topped girl (trashy boyfriend close behind) trying to sell me dollar store items. I politly ask them to leave and that my landlord has told us to call the police on unsolicited sales people. Sometimes they get an attitude with me and then I just tell them to get out. Sometimes they will even try the nice guy act on me "oh come on" "just try it". But most of the time the just turn around and walk out. In the three years in my present building I think they are finally getting the hint. It hasn't been as bad lately. - Now watch, one will come in tomorrow just because I said that!!
 
We are now getting up to 20 computer dial-up calls daily. We answer, hear a pause and then an automated message starts (or a telemarketer). They go through all the lines in sequence most of the time. Seems a group called NFBA (or similar) hits all our lines daily.

Most of the time the caller ID displays an 800 number (or says 'private') but those calls can be legit so we still answer.

If someone does get through and has my name, whatever they're selling, my brother-in-law sells it, too. "You know how it is with family. Please take us off your call list." Last week he was an insurance agent, marketing firm CEO, SEO, office products rep, balloon wholesaler and sold ink refills. Wonder what he'll be doing this week? ;)
 
LOL, gotta love 'em. In my main business, we have a large sign on the door that says "NO SOLICITORS". Paid extra for it to be put in those vinyl letters right under my store hours. Still, not one of them cares. As soon as they start their pre-memorized dialogue, I tell them to look carefully at the front door :) That usually does the trick.

The worst was one guy who came in and started talking quickly and then took out this bottle and sprayed my carpet with it, before I could even say something. I am not a small guy, so I took him by his back and threw him out the door. He was lucky I had customers in the store, or he'd have his face in the crap he put on my carpet.

With phone people, I have a habbit of letting them talk while I do other stuff. Just let them go on and on and on, until they stop and start checking if I am listening, then I hang up :)
 
We have a very large sign, yellow-orange with black lettering. It states: "NO SOLICITING. All of our advertising funds are already committed. Charities must complete a form in order to be considered for donations. Thank you." It actually has stopped most of that traffic.

What really gets me are the parents, usually the mom, who bring their children past that sign in order to ask for funds for their dance team, sports team, etc. What lesson are these children learning?
 
I must admit that I . . . . .

am not affected on a daily basis with this, the times I have been at the shop when someone comes in are very annoying.

But I usually admire the person for getting out there and trying to make a buck.

What lesson are these children learning?
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Persistence???
 
My favourite trick is to cut the person off right at the start of their speech and offer to show them something. That something happens to be the sign at the front door ... which, conveniently, they will now be standing in :)

It gets them away from the counter and half out the door before they realize what's going on. It's a game for our staff now to see how fast I can get rid of these guys - especially the energy marketers.

Ryan
 
I'm like wildflower only I lay the phone down and do other stuff , normally come back in 5 minutes and they are gone , most have the good sense not to callback , but occasionally will get one who does complaining that I'm wasting his/her time, the persistant ones I ask for the company information, etc and call the direct marketing council of Canada who will deal with them, give them a final warning that if they(company) calls back at any time in the future will be charged with harrassment. Actually got one guy fired a few years back when he cursed on one of the girls and called her a foul word.
 
Seems a group called NFBA (or similar) hits all our lines daily
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We get this company calling us also. If you hit "0" you get a real person and they will take you off thier calling list. Its been about 5 weeks and so far......

If someone does get through and has my name, whatever they're selling, my brother-in-law sells it, too. "You know how it is with family. Please take us off your call list."
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Oh oh, I have 5 sisters and now one has a NEW husband -who can't hold a JOb, since he will now have so many...... Thanks for that one!!!!! :)
 
The lesson in it for me is.........

..............realizing every person has a story and my husband made me realize my rudeness to them was uncalled for and I ashamedly say I used to be very rude to them. I decided he was right and now when they come in the store and like many of you it's after they walk through the door with the big "no soliciting" sign on it, I listen to what they have to say and politely and calmly say to them, "No thank you, we don't buy from street soliciters". I look at them in the eyes and smile and treat them with dignity and at the end of the day I have the same results as when I was rude except I think I have a little more self-respect. I think my husband made a good call on this one and I'm glad he called me on it.

When it comes to the phone solicitors I usually listen patiently to their script unless I am truly too busy to take the time. I then calmly say, no thank you and if they don't respect my answer I say it again. If they still ignore my answer I tell them I already gave them my answer and I am going to hang up now and I do.

These practices have made my stress level go way down in dealing with solicitors. I don't think they are going to go away anytime soon. We've even ended up getting into some conversations with a few of the guys selling junk door to door about other things. Like I said everyone has a story.
 
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You're right Patty. As I said earlier, it's a tough way to make a living. Even though what these people do is annoying, I have always credited them with working, and walking in to the lions den to do their job.

V
 
It never hurts to be polite, and we always try to take the high road in these situations. It is, however, rude (IMHO) for salespersons to ignore that sign on the door. That sign is there for a purpose, and it can be considered fair warning. I really do not mind the salespersons who ask if they may leave information for our consideration. It's the ones who go on and on and on and... well, you get the picture.
 
Connie said:
It is, however, rude (IMHO) for salespersons to ignore that sign on the door. That sign is there for a purpose, and it can be considered fair warning. I really do not mind the salespersons who ask if they may leave information for our consideration. It's the ones who go on and on and on and... well, you get the picture.
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My Dad was in sales, and of course I've been in sales (on the road) and was taught a different style I guess. The salesperson must ignore the sign... or starve. Cold calls are made by having the courage to look past the gatekeepers. ;) Mind you, I was never dragging my wares behind me and I was never scruffy looking, but it was still a very difficult job winning over the confidence of a potential client that they did need my services.

One of my step-children had to work for a summer going store to store dragging things with him... it was a lousy, rotten job to begin with, but I must admit I resented the treatment he was given by "professional" business people.

I understand your feelings, but when dealing with these folks, I always try to remember they are at least working. You know... having walked a mile... ;)

V
 
Have to agree with Patty and others - always polite but firm. Thank you, but no thank you. I did telemarketing during college, for oh, about two weeks. Couldn't take it. That was many moons ago, but I always remember that everyone has to make a paycheck somehow. I do have one kind of nasty lady, who keeps coming in every couple of months, trying to sell me meat. "you told me to stop back another time" which I did not. The last time she came in I told her I'd gone Vegan. Tried vegetarian, but she had gardenburgers!
tracy
 
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Had a Gund rep stop by on Valentine's Day last year. I told him that I simply could not talk to him and he refused to take no for an answer. "I will only take a couple of minutes", he said. I couldn't believe that answer. There were at least four people standing there, being patient, waiting for something to be wrapped up against the winter cold or such. It was obvious we were quite busy.

At that point, unless he was giving it away free, I wasn't buying. How rude can you be to go into a flower shop on Valentine's Day and try to sell them something??!!??

Thought that was quite nervy!

Smiles
 
DistinctiveFlorist said:
How rude can you be to go into a flower shop on Valentine's Day and try to sell them something??!!??

Thought that was quite nervy!

Smiles
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And stupid too!!!

V
 
I know that someone has to do this job, but plenty of people have no signs against solicitors on the door, so saying you have to look past the sign does not work for me. I did not have that sign on the door when I opened. I paid to have it put on the door, that means I am fed up with solicitors. Anyone who thinks I will change my mind after having done that, because what, they are better than the average, is out of their mind.

Also, there has to be much better training done to make the solicitors more presentable and easier to digest. They are rude, they dont care that you are talking to a customer, they are loud. And that is after they open the door that has a big FAT "no solicitors" sign on the door. They should know what to expect when they open that door, which should make them humble and courteous, and they are NOT.

A guy came in yesterday, loaded with plastic colorfull crap all over, in this bag, sticking out, in his arms, children's games and such. He started saying something, to which I replied, "Sorry, no soliciting in this store, please look at the door". His answer " Oh, I was not soliciting, I just wanted to see if you had... (looks around) ... batteries".

Oh, btw, we are a Comic book store :) :) :)
 
so very true,I must have hada 5o calls last week,trying to get me to switch credit card processing and another wanting me to advertize in the att and t yellow pages, havaent we heard that does work...have any of you had a good experience with the yellow page adds???
 
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