Things that really annoy you.

[Graham]

What really "gets my goat" is when I have just sat down to eat my tea and a salesman/woman knocks at the door and tries to sell me something I don't want. In spite of the fact that I have got a sign on the door saying I don't buy from doorstep salesmen.

I hate being unpleasant with folk and I know they are trying to earn a decent living but why don't they just read the sign and try somewhere else?

I opened the door to one chap and he started his patter and I just pointed at the sign and politely told him he was wasting his time and mine, he got really nasty and walked off after giving me a mouthful of abuse!

What really annoys you?

[dadsdahlia]

What really really really annoys me is when I hear the phone while at the bottom of our large garden, run to answer and find a recorded message from someone offering to sort out my debt problems, swap my energy supplier or 'fix my roof 'cos they are 'in the area'!
I try very hard to hang up without insulting them...oh and worst of all calls from Anglian windows make me want to scream!
dadsdahlia.

[janeyjane]

Hi

Likewise, 'cold callers' really wind me up and I have one of those signs too. The last one did the usual thing of trying to engage me in friendly conversation so I told him it was none of his business. He said, 'well, if you're going to be unpleasant, I'll just go away'. I simply said, 'fabulous, goodbye'. I think he finally realised his strategic mistake......

Jane

[paul]

Sept 4, 2009 17:26:28 GMT janeyjane said:

I think he finally realised his strategic mistake......

The last one who knocked on my door quickly realised his strategic mistake and made a very hasty strategic retreat.

[niloc]

If you want to get rid of telephone sales calls (and 'silent' calls, computer generated automatic calls) then try the Telephone Preference Service. Totally free and works for all UK generated mass calling agencies. I used this a few years ago and since then only a few American or Asian based calls have ever got through. The number to call is 0845 0700707 and it is a 24/7 automated service.

On a slightly different point can I make a plea for some people who knock on your door but are not trying to sell you anything. I worked part time for Market & Opinion Research (MORI)
for some years, often on social research projects which are used to determine policy by Charities, local government and national government departments. We all carried photo ID from the Market Research Society and we all had CRB checks for being in homes with young children or others at risk, and all research was guaranteed anonomous. We also worked to strict quotas of how many people we could interview by age, sex, and socio economic groups. The hardest catagory to fill was always people in full time work, so we invariably called just when you were having your dinner, a condition that seemed to span from 5pm to 9pm. So if one of these, genuine researchers, disturbs your evening, please be kind even if you cannot do the interview.

Colin

[Graham]

Sept 4, 2009 22:58:05 GMT niloc said:

On a slightly different point can I make a plea for some people who knock on your door but are not trying to sell you anything. I worked part time for Market & Opinion Research (MORI)
for some years, often on social research projects which are used to determine policy by Charities, local government and national government departments. We all carried photo ID from the Market Research Society and we all had CRB checks for being in homes with young children or others at risk, and all research was guaranteed anonomous. We also worked to strict quotas of how many people we could interview by age, sex, and socio economic groups. The hardest catagory to fill was always people in full time work, so we invariably called just when you were having your dinner, a condition that seemed to span from 5pm to 9pm. So if one of these, genuine researchers, disturbs your evening, please be kind even if you cannot do the interview.

Hi Colin

I always try to be courteous when I answer the door as I think perhaps they didn't see the sign but when I point out the sign some people still carry on and try to sell me something.

As regards surveys people selling things, often say they are carrying out a survey then it ends up they want to sell you something. So my sign includes people doing surveys, having said that I am sure that genuine market researchers like yourself would see the sign and respect it.

Graham

[jayjay]

We get a lot of door knockers/salemen around here. The ones that really annoy me are usually carrying a card saying they can't speak english/ other excuse for not speaking/ and just thrust a basket full of kitchen/household items under my nose.

I always say thank you but I'm not interested, even if I feel sorry for them, as I've bought items off them before and it was expensive rubbish.