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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Editorial: Hang up on sales sharks who won't accept 'No'

By Dylan Thorne
Bay of Plenty Times·
9 Jul, 2016 02:00 AM2 mins to read

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There is a new door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesperson on the block.

But they come knocking through your computer and phone.

Overseas companies are increasingly using computer-generated "prizes" to hook in prospective customers, and following up with hard-sell techniques over the telephone.

In one case a Northlander clicked on a computer-generated prize box telling her she was a "winner", but she had to click now or lose the opportunity.

She then spoke with a salesman that made the old school vacuum cleaner salesman look like a saint. These conversations are often conducted with a congratulatory tone, "wow, you've won an amazing prize", "unbelievable" etc, to reinforce the amazing deal that the person is being offered. And then there is the small print - your accommodation is only discounted, you have to pay another $1200 to top up the cost, and you have to pay for your own travel expenses as well. And while you are here we will try to sell you a time-share option as well.

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At any given time, you can hang up. But it can be hard.

I turned down a domestic hotel discount offer this past week. It would have cost me $350, in return for a night in a five-star hotel, future hotel stay discounts and reduced prices on meals in the hotel's restaurant. The salesman was incredulous when I said "no thanks". He offered to improve it. I had to say "No thank you" and hang up.

Some people aren't comfortable doing this. I can only urge people to forgive themselves a moment of "rudeness" and hang up on a salesperson who refuses to take no for an answer. Sales is a time-honoured profession and a professional will back off when they sense that a person is not interested. And beware that indecision and confusion is blood in the water to an unethical sales shark.

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If the water that your salesperson is swimming in isn't crystal clear, no one will begrudge you hanging up. It is a big ocean - the shark will keep swimming.

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