Tormenting Telemarketers - A Game You Can Play at Home!

    Everyone has gotten a call from a Telemarketer, the new Scourge of
the Telephone System.  Previously when the phone rang, you wondered
if it was someone you knew, or another schmuck with something to sell.
Well, the time has come to turn the tables.  We need to take control
of our own phones.  We need to take the "market" out of Telemarketing.
 
Premise: Telemarketers take the brute force approach to making sales.
If you talk to a whole bunch of people, someone will buy
what you are selling.

Counter-Tactic: Waste as much of their time as you can.  For each
minute that you waste means several potential customers that
will not be reached.  Make Telemarketing unprofitable. 
Hanging up only increases the changes for them to
make a sale.  Don't let this happen!

Hints: Most of the preliminary stuff is done by someone making
minimum wage who reads a script.  Let them finish.  It's
easy points, and you were watching Star Trek and weren't
using your phone anyway.  It's easy to keep them interested
using "attentive grunting", similar to when your mother calls.


Scoring:

  Basic Point System:
    For each minute spent on the phone               10 pts.
    Getting transferred to someone who makes
    more than minimum wage                   15 pts
    For each minute spent on the phone with
    person making more than minimum wage     25 pts

  Bonus Points:
    Getting them to repeat part of the "script"       5 pts/each
    Getting answers to stupid questions              15 pts/each
    Changing the subject                             50 pts/each
    Making the sales person angry                   175 pts
    Getting them to hang up on you                  500 pts
    Making the sales person use profanity           750 pts
    Get their boss on the phone, to complain
    that the salesman used profanity       1500 pts
    Getting their 1-800- number                      10 pts
    Posting their 1-800- number to alt.sex as
    a free "Phone Sex" line                  50 pts
    Checking the number a week later and it is
    busy or disconnected                   5000 pts

Example:
                 <Rrrrring!
Me: Yes?
Them: Hi, I'm with Fly-By-Night Carpet
Cleaning and we're in your area [...]
[start clock] [...] to know if you are interested?
Me: Sure.
Them: Well, we are currently offering [...]
[...] depending on the size of the rooms.
Me: Well, how much for the whole house?
[15 bonus pts!] Them: Let me transfer you to Mr. Dealclincher.
Me: Okay
[25 pts/min!] Them: [new voice] Sir?
Me: Yes?
Them: How large is your house?
Me: Oh, about 2,000 sq. ft.
Them: [...] Well, that would be about $xxx
[stupid ?] Me: Gee.  It won't hurt the floor, will it?
Them: Oh, no! We use a patented process [...]
[this usually takes some time!]
[...] and is completely safe.
[stupid ?] Me: Even with my pets?
Them: Oh, yes. The chemicals we use [...]
Me: Do you have to pre-treat, with the pets?
Them: Yes, and we do that with [...]
[repeat!] Me: But you said it would cost $xyx,
[note small misquote of price]
does that include treating for pets?
Them: [...]
[new subject] Me: Well, it is kind of dirty.  The guys were
over for the game.  Did you see the
Cowboys vs. the Rams?
Them: Yes.
Me: What a game!  That last touchdown pass!
Wasn't that a great play?   And ...
Them: Yes, well, back to your house, sir.
Me: Oh yes, what about moving the furniture?
Them: [...]
[new subject] Me: Do you clean furniture, too?  The guys
spilled some beer.  Have you smelled old
beer on furniture before?  Phew!  But what
a game!  I couldn't believe they couldn't
move the ball in the second quarter...
[...]
[angry???] Them: Ahem... Would you like us to come out?
Me: Well, when could you come out?
Them: How about next week?
Me: Hmmm...  Morning or afternoon?
Them: Either would be fine.
Me: Do you have anything the week after?
Them: Sure, can I put you down for Tuesday?
[Okay, now let's try for those last big bonus points:]
Me: Wait, I just remembered I have all
hardwood floors!  Neeever mind.
[Yes! 750 pts!] Them: Dammit!  
[Yes! 500 pts!] <click!

[Of course, your mileage will vary, but this phone call should
net a neat 1700-1800 points (and keep 2.7 other people from having
their contemplation of the tube interrupted).  As a Seattlite
(No, not like Sputnik), I am required by law to point out that the
PC (political correctitude) rating of this counter-tactic has not
yet been ascertained; so use at your own risk  -psl]

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