Perspective from the other side: First and foremost, I hate telemarketers but I also have bills since my normal line of work isn't hiring me, but this is the only company where I got hired and was advised to leave for being "too sincere"... This is a sure sign our world is bound for perdition. My response? I filed complaints with the FCC, FTC and the state that very evening.
Like others said, they'll hide behind fake names and information, use high pressure sales tactics, refuse to honor the do-not-call list and threatened to fire anybody that pressed the "DNC" button, even having the nerves to claim that "the only reason someone will reject your call is if they're having a bad hair day and they'll be the sweetest angels the next morning". Sorry, I don't know who you're calling or what your clientele is, but I am NEVER happy with receiving a call from pushy salespeople twice, and I WILL get mad if it's the same company I requested to not contact me, regardless if I'm having the worst of days or the best day of my life... People that are angry that we're calling "again and again", often reminding us that they are on the national DNC list or requesting that we stop contacting them accounted for 75% of my calls, and the other 20% calling the bluff on their lousy, terribly written script saying "we contacted you before, you nicely told us you weren't looking for anything and told us to try again in the future"!, and only 5% that actually had an interest in remodeling their house, but almost all stop short of the actual order
They called and actually was using my dad's first name...like if he and they already knew each other. Funny, because I'm not sure dad even knows who I am sometimes, and doesn't know who my sister is (recognizes the face, but doesn't know the name...) I'm sooo glad that I have the caller ID now....just wish I knew how to stop them from calling--especially since I never pick up the phone, unless I know exactly who it is.
You know what lady, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I will AGAIN, pretend that I need work, I will get you to call me back from a real number and I will then REPOST YOUR INFO HERE AGAIN TO PROVE YOU ARE A LIAR>
I'll wait for your call. It will be in the next 3 weeks. Type to you then.
And I'm not sure what your insurance story has to do with anything. Maybe it's YOU.
Telemarketers regularly use auto dialers. They dial several numbers at once. When they think they have a live call, the dialer connects it to an available operator. Sometimes, answered calls beat the odds and they don't have an operator available... hence the pause, or no one on the line. When they get an answering machine, the dialer hangs up and schedules your call for another time.
Many of these phone spammers also block or spoof their caller id. You shouldn't do business with someone that can't be called back.
If you can't call a company back on the number they initially called you from... YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.
If you can't get a company to give you a legitimate name ... YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.
If you can't get a company to give you another phone number "just in case" ... YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.
If you can't get a contractor to give you a contractor's license number the first time you speak to them... YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. ( cslb.ca.gov Contractor's State License Board to check a contractor's license in CA )
If a company continually refuses to stop calling you when you tell them you are on the DO NOT CALL LIST... YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.
www.DoNotCall.gov < run by the Federal Trad Commission, who assured me that they look into all of these matters seriously. I do understand that when they catch these jerks, they hit them for $10,000 to $25,000 per call.