This post is part of Just Jot it January, and the prompt word, “why,” comes to us from Willow. Check out her blog here!

Ninety percent of the phone calls I get are from people trying to sell something, convince me of something, or machines that just hang up.

And it’s frustrating.

Most of the time, if I don’t recognize the number on the screen, I pick up and say nothing. If a human says “Hello?” I’ll speak, but otherwise I listen until the caller (or machine) hangs up. Apparently (though to be honest I haven’t fact checked this), if there’s no response, they won’t call you back. And if I just let it ring, the answering service will pick up.

But then there are the ones who actually get through.

Like the machines that start talking immediately, telling you your bank account has been compromised without actually telling you which bank you deal with. I just hang up on those.

But the humans that get through? Especially the ones who know my name? Ugh.

“Is this Linda Hill?”

“Why are you asking?”

“I’m with so-and-so company and I’m calling to blah blah blah…”

“I’m not interested, thank you.”

“But this thing you can’t live without—”

“I’m not interested.”

“But—”

*click*

I’m sure they’re paid to not take no for an answer. But it’s not up to me to reward them for putting themselves in the position of being abused by their employers, knowing they’ll be abused by the people they’re calling.

I figure I’m at least saving them some time by hanging up on them.

How do you handle sales calls?

This ranty post is part of Just Jot it January! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link. It’s fun!

Thanks again to Willow for the prompt!