Even though I'm in the phone book, I generally don't hand my number out to third parties.
So I tend not to get cold-callers. And if I do get them, what I normally do is listen to (or at least pretend to listen to) their spiel, then when it's my turn to speak I usually respond with a simple but polite "no thank you" or something similar. After all, it's only taken about 30 seconds, they've got a crappy job to do, and by responding civilly I'm making it a little bit easier for both of us.

However, once in a blue moon you get an arrogant, pushy twat who won't take no for an answer and will stop at nothing till you've bought whatever useless junk or crackpot service their company is hawking, at gunpoint if necessary. I'm normally calm and rational, but this kind of thing really rubs me up the wrong way. Most of the time, I use the standard tactic I've been fobbed off with too many times before ("I'm really busy right now, I'll call you back [several hours later when I'll have forgotten about it]"); this usually guarantees no further response. But a few years ago, my mobile provider were trying to sell me an expensive contract I didn't want or need and they just wouldn't give up, or even let me get a word in edgeways. In the end, after about four such calls in which my responses started lukewarm and steadily froze over, I wound up gritting my teeth and butting into the lad's relentless stream of sales talk with "NoIdon'twantabloodycontractthankyoubye! *click*"

Cold-callers of the world, feel free to try and sell things, but if it's not my cup of tea please don't try and shove it down my throat. The same goes for fashion, religion and lifestyle choices.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Mon 7 Sep 2009, 17:46, 1 reply)

I disagree.
Cold callers should get a job in a factory, on a building site, or in a restaurant -- anything but sales. If you try to cold call me, I will treat you like a piece of thieving shit as I do any other salesman. The job of a "pro-active" sales force is to coerce people into buying -- a decent product practically sells itself.
Of course we need decenr shop assistants and the like -- but approaching people "cold" makes you a glorified mugger.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Mon 7 Sep 2009, 18:20, closed)