Quote:
Originally Posted by Hack&Lube
My biggest problem when I get cold called by a vendor - especially if I have attended one of their events (like a free movie or something) - and they try to sell me something but it's not in my area of responsibility. Then they invariably ask for contact information for the people who do work in that area.
I don't want to pass on cold-callers onto my colleagues but when I'm on the phone, my scumbag brain can't think of an excuse fast enough to blow them off and I also don't want to lie and give them fake info in case it becomes a professional relationship in the future.
What do you guys do in this situation?
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Be nice, way to many people abuse these cold callers who are trying to do one of the toughest jobs out there. To be honest, just ask them to send you something about their services and their contact information and you'll send it to your colleague. If they're interested they'll reach out.
If they persist after that and ask for the contact information, just nicely tell them that your policy is laid out in the above.
To many people are hyper abusive to sales and cold call people, and snicker that sales people are scum etc. They fail to realize that these sales people tend to be plugged in all over the place as part of the networking, and you've just made your organization look like crap by being a jerk.
I remember cold calling one company and the lady that answered took great joy in insulting me and my profession. I was at a networking thing and a contact was looking for ideas for his company that revolved around products that this ladies company sold and it was no small number. I basically told him that I talked to a senior executive at that company and she was basically a bitch on wheels and he should go to their competition. He did and without knowing she lost a high 6 digit deal.