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#Post#: 56902--------------------------------------------------
Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: DaDancingPsych Date: September 4, 2020, 4:44 pm
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Early in the week, I saw a neighborhood Facebook post "warning"
everyone that the Verizon sales people were going door-to-door.
Some posters were complaining that solicitors are not welcome in
our neighborhood. Some were claiming that they had the proper
paperwork, so it was fine. (I honestly don't know.) Some were
claiming that they were sweet. Some were claiming that they were
pushy. I didn't think I had much of a opinion on the issue, but
appreciated the heads up that they were coming.
Wednesday, 2pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong. I'm still in my PJs
working from home. I grab a jacket on my way to the door because
I was not dressed properly to welcome guests. I peer out the
peep hole and my guess is that they are the Verizon sales
people. I'm not interested. I'm working. I'm not dress properly.
So why bother listening to a sales pitch in the middle of a
pandemic? I return to work and figured all was good.
Thursday, 2pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong. It felt like deja vu.
But this HAD to be a neighbor wanting to know if I could move my
car or to delivery my mail, right? Nope, same two people. Same
exact situation. It's not worth my time. They must have been
following up from the day before. I would have preferred if they
would have left some information, but fine. I can let people do
their job.
Friday, 2pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong. Ok, I know I'm going to
see the same two people. I am deciding that those claiming that
they are pushy might be accurate, so I simply go back to work.
Friday, 2:30pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong. I'm no longer feeling
generous. These two should have gotten the hint right?
Friday, 5:00pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong. I am done with work,
but still in my work PJ's. And these two uninvited individuals
are again standing at my door in the middle of pandemic. I'm
feeling harassed.
I hope that they are done for the evening. I hope that they are
done for the next few days. But how many times is too many times
for solicitors to ring? Because of the nature of the world, I
can't be the only one who doesn't want to be disrupted during
the day. If this wasn't 2020, I would not have been home at any
of these times, so maybe this happens all the time. Are their
business practices appropriate or am I being a fussy potential
customer?
UPDATE: Friday, 6:00pm-ish: Ding Dong, Ding Dong.
#Post#: 56906--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: oogyda Date: September 4, 2020, 5:07 pm
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I love that you have "work PJs".
I understand your annoyance, but I think if had answered the
door to (politely) say you are not interested, they would not
have continued to make the attempt. They don't know you have
been home all these times, so they don't know you may be
feeling "harrassed".
FTR: I dont believe a person "has" to answer a doorbell, a
ringing phone or a "hey you".
#Post#: 56908--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: Lula Date: September 4, 2020, 5:23 pm
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If you don't want to confront these people in person (and
neither would I), you could put a "no soliciting" poster on your
door.
#Post#: 56909--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: ZekailleTasker Date: September 4, 2020, 6:06 pm
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Dada, I feel your pain.
We have 2 competing cable companies in our area and if you are
with one, the other will send people to practically move in with
you until you agree to change to their plan. One of them was
knocking on doors here and everyone was going to the door and
saying no. You would think that might stop them, but the same
guy was back the next day and the next. Sometimes at noon,
sometimes at six p.m. sometimes early in the morning.
I'd had it and went to the door wrapped in a towel directly from
the shower. Scarred the poor fellow for life. "Uh--is this a
bad time?" "EVERY time is a bad time," I told him. Next day I
had to go out. Came home, he'd left a flyer on my door. I
tossed it. Same thing the next day. And the next.
To be honest, I feel for these guys because they need the job
and it's a thankless task, but holey moley, folks! Catch a
clue.
#Post#: 56913--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: Rose Red Date: September 4, 2020, 6:34 pm
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[quote author=Lula link=topic=1840.msg56908#msg56908
date=1599258208]
If you don't want to confront these people in person (and
neither would I), you could put a "no soliciting" poster on your
door.
[/quote]
I have one the says "No Soliciting. No Exceptions." Sure it
doesn't stop some people, but it's rare.
OP, do you have a sign up?
#Post#: 56916--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: DaDancingPsych Date: September 4, 2020, 8:30 pm
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Thanks everyone! It doesn't sound like anyone thus far feels
that the sales people's behavior is excessive. I would hope that
there is some point that we would find it tacky. None-the-less,
their tactics have made me less interested in their services.
::)
I totally agree that I have the power to put a stop to this...
or at least could try. It's possible that if I actually answered
that they would stop or slow down. (I say possible because one
of the original Facebook posts claimed that they were not taking
no's and kept returning. I don't have first-hand experience, but
I can honestly say that they are persistent.) But at this point,
I'm ok with my choices. If this continues into the weekend or
next week, I may take some action.
ZekailleTasker, if I do do anything, I am using your idea. Bath
towel it is! That's a funny story!!!
No Solicitation Signs: No, I do not have one. I always thought
them to be ineffective.* Actually, I would have to check with my
HOA if it's even allowed. They are pretty strict with signage;
we are not allowed political signs, for sale/rent signs, or yard
signs of any type. I suppose a creative door wreath might be a
loophole! However, our community has a no solicitation sign at
its entrance that they would have had to pass. However,
apparently they have a solicitation permit from the township. I
am not sure how that works, but that may void all signage.
Work PJ's: Thanks oogyda! My collection of work PJ's came about
by accident. I bought some PJ's / lounge cloths earlier in the
year for a trip that I took. I loved them so much that I bought
a few extra pairs. I had no idea that I would spend so much time
at home during 2020 and that they would serve as my main mode of
dress! The first post-pandemic clothing that I will need to buy
will be replacement (work) PJ's!!!
*I was actually speaking to someone who did door-to-door sales
and she told me that her job was to ignore no soliciatation
signs. Now, she was not the pushy, rule breaking type. She would
take a no politely. However, she told me that she doesn't
hesitate to ignore the signs.
#Post#: 56917--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: Rose Red Date: September 4, 2020, 9:45 pm
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[quote author=DaDancingPsych link=topic=1840.msg56916#msg56916
date=1599269438]
*I was actually speaking to someone who did door-to-door sales
and she told me that her job was to ignore no soliciatation
signs. Now, she was not the pushy, rule breaking type. She would
take a no politely. However, she told me that she doesn't
hesitate to ignore the signs.
[/quote]
By ignoring signs, she *is* the pushy rule breaking type.
I politely point out the sign. Once.
I have anxiety. The doorbell makes me panic for a second even
when I'm expecting someone. I have no problem shutting the door
in a stranger's face without a word. I have done it a few times
in the past.
#Post#: 56921--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: LifeOnPluto Date: September 5, 2020, 1:26 am
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[quote author=oogyda link=topic=1840.msg56906#msg56906
date=1599257221]
I love that you have "work PJs".
I understand your annoyance, but I think if had answered the
door to (politely) say you are not interested, they would not
have continued to make the attempt. They don't know you have
been home all these times, so they don't know you may be
feeling "harrassed".
FTR: I dont believe a person "has" to answer a doorbell, a
ringing phone or a "hey you".
[/quote]
I tend to agree with this. Coming by six times in three days
seems pretty pushy and excessive. But if you had briefly
answered the door in the first place and declined their sales
pitch, they (hopefully!) would have gotten the message that you
weren't interested, and not come back.
#Post#: 56929--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: DaDancingPsych Date: September 5, 2020, 6:47 am
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[quote author=Rose Red link=topic=1840.msg56917#msg56917
date=1599273950]
[quote author=DaDancingPsych link=topic=1840.msg56916#msg56916
date=1599269438]
*I was actually speaking to someone who did door-to-door sales
and she told me that her job was to ignore no soliciatation
signs. Now, she was not the pushy, rule breaking type. She would
take a no politely. However, she told me that she doesn't
hesitate to ignore the signs.
[/quote]
By ignoring signs, she *is* the pushy rule breaking type.
[/quote]
I can understand by only knowing this one thing about her why
you would conclude that she was pushy. I don't think she liked
ignoring the signs, but she knew it was part of the job. But the
way she did the selling was very different from some. There were
sales people who would make any promise to get the sale (even if
they knew they could follow through). And she was always careful
to sell the right product to the right person. Either way, I
don't think defending my friend's character is necessary for
this thread. My point was that just by hanging a sign does not
guarantee that the sales calls would end. And my sense (and I
could be completely wrong) is that these two Verizon sales
people would not change their behavior due to a sign.
#Post#: 56931--------------------------------------------------
Re: Too Many Ding Dongs?
By: Rose Red Date: September 5, 2020, 7:13 am
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^ But you don't know if a sign will help or not. Try it once. If
it works, great. If not, at least you know. Just because your
friend ignores it doesn't mean everyone will. I only had maybe 2
or 3 sales people ring my doorbell in the 10 years after I out
up my sign. And those were the roofing people who may be
insurance scammers. The legitimate companies leave flyers which
I much prefer.
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