If you break down and pick up your phone during a call falling within the scope of the telephone canvassing, know that all is not lost. Here are our tips for ending the conversation as quickly as possible.
They say that with a little elegance and mischief, it is possible to get out of the most perilous situations. In case you have not followed our latest advice on the numbers to block to have peace of mind in the face of cold calling, and you have answered the call you did not want to receive, there are emergency exits to leave the call with talent. And why not consider embarrassing your interlocutor in turn, if you feel like it.
Easy answers: because you are more subtle than the one who approaches you
We know it’s tempting and it makes you itch. But hanging up within the first few seconds of realizing it’s a sales call is perhaps the worst thing you can do. If you do not block the number behind, you will be systematically called back, by the same person or a colleague, and with another number. If not right away, it will be in an hour, a day, or a month.
THE advice is to first wait for the salesperson to introduce himself, for him to explain precisely why he is calling you, and the subject he wishes to discuss with you. Only once this information has been obtained can you initiate the second.
A few standard sentences, once the conversation has started, can get you out of this mess. But not all guarantee the same effectiveness:
- “ Please add me to your do not contact list, and remove me from your files. » So, yes, you can try, but generally, remember that the person you have on the other end of the phone will generally not have the power to do so. The chances are low here.
- “ I want to speak to your manager. » Your success is possible, but in this game, you will give it time and your patience. This is not necessarily the best solution.
- “ Well no, you have the wrong number, I am not Mr. or Mrs. Tartempion. » Ah! Play the lying card to escape your tormentor. Yes, but that won’t stop your interlocutor from calling you back one day or another.
- “ I don’t have time, goodbye ”, and you hang up. Oops, big mistake. This is undoubtedly THE pretext that will most encourage the individual to call you back.
As you can see, some solutions are more useful than others. But as you will see, the best defense, as they say, remains the attack, and therefore the legal argument.
The 3 unstoppable arguments: the law is on your side
If you are ever bothered outside of normal hours, remind your contact and inform them that they incur an administrative fine of up to 375,000 euros in accordance with the provisions of article L.242-16 of the Code of Consumption will calm him down right away. As a reminder, you can only be contacted from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. only. Canvassing outside these hours, on weekends and public holidays is strictly prohibited.
If the cold calling is repetitive, don’t feel guilty and use your legal advantage: the threat of reporting. The SignalConso platform (which exists in web version and mobile application), managed by the Fraud Repression (DGCCRF), is very sensitive to what it calls “ abusive canvassing “. It allows you to report abusive calls you may have received directly to Bercy services.
Finally, if you still receive calls, we advise you to demand that your telephone number be deleted from the databases, on the grounds that you scrupulously refuse canvassing. Indicate in passing that you will send a complaint to the CNIL, the data policeman, if you are disturbed again. The National Commission for Information Technology and Liberties has already condemned several companies which did not respect their obligations to obtain consumer consent.
After our first file on the means to protect yourself from canvassing and this one giving you the keys in case of answering the call, you are now prepared against this practice which never ceases to exasperate.
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