1

I sent this to him as a response to being contacted a couple times a week:

“I’m pretty handy at finding my way around a web site. I’m also good at determining what our company needs without being prompted by a vendor. When we need something, I’ll contact you. I don’t want to be rude, but you don’t need to call me and let me know how you can help. We’re not going to spend money without a need and when the need arises, I’ll request a quote. I’m sure you are pressured to keep in contact, but it’s not going to help you in this case. You can let your supervisor know that you did all you can do by making the first contact. Now that I have your information, you will be included in my future requests.”

How do you all handle these situations? Just keep saying no thank you? Or tell them to back off?

36 Spice ups
2

Your reply looks OK to me. Yep, that’s pretty much what I do.

14 Spice ups
3

I typically either ignore the call (especially if I don’t know the area code) or I say No thank you not interested

4

It is not over the line, if that’s what you are asking, but more aggressive than I’d be unless the person was my Tuesday regular or something.

If a vendor calls once and seems OK with the idea of emailing me in the future the first call is fine.

Subsequent calls are not.

5

That was actually very gentle. He’s probably heard much worse.

15 Spice ups
6

I’m a bit more snarky. I usually end up asking them for a direct number to call them several times a week to offer my services as an IT professional.

Why, yes. I do not have many friends. How did you know?

9 Spice ups
7

Seems fine to me. What I’ll usually do is have them send me some information to an email address I have setup for just this type of stuff. When our company has a need for something, I’ll go through that email account and see if anything jives with that need.

2 Spice ups
8

I have said/emailed people much worse than that. They are usually the ones that email/call more than once a week though. If they are badgering or just don’t get the point, being blunt with them is probably your best bet.

2 Spice ups
9

Yeah i’d say you did a great job… mine would be more harshly worded.

10

If that was the first time they contacted you, then yes, your response would have been over the line. But several times a week is a bit much. The guy who handles ordering stuff here gets annoyed if they do a status call more than once a week…that seems to be a bit more normal.

11

I actually had a vendor I contacted about a solution for an issue we “may” encounter in the future. I initiated the contact, and when funding was refused for the project, I notified the vendor via email, and told them the project is cancelled.
After that, I started getting numerous emails and calls with “Updated Special Pricing”. I ignored all of them, the project was cancelled. Next thing I know, I find an email in my Inbox, that was addressed to myself, my boss, (a VP), the CFO, and absolutely every management person that could be found on our website. The email was rude, condescending, and downright obnoxious. This person actually YELLED at me using Caps in the email, and insulting me for not responding to the numerous emails and or phone calls. Needless to say, this definitely illicited a response from me, to all the management I could find on their website, with her email attached.

I wonder if she has made a different career choice?

2 Spice ups
12

It has pretty much got to the point with my office that having caller ID, I don’t answer the phone unless I recognize the number. I receive anywhere from just a few to a few dozen calls a day from vendors trying to sell me something.

I’m not sure where the practice went from an organization developing a need for a product to where a vendor developed the need for you. What I really love is when I actually make the mistake of answering the phone, telling the vendor we don’t need X,Y or Z and then they call my boss, or even worse contact our elected officials. Nothing makes me happier…

With that said, we all have to make a living… But if I don’t call you back, take a hint…

13

I always like to be as diplomatic as possible. So, short and polite, I use something along the lines of “Thank you for contacting me, however, I am not in need of your services at this time”.

You’ll go into a “cold” rather than “warm” lead bracket, and it should be months till you hear back from them. Then, maybe at that time, your need requirements may have changed, and you’ll appreciate the follow up… 6-9 months later, not every 2 weeks.

14

Since attending a few conferences last fall I’ve had a lot of aggressive sales people calling and emailing, and I recently started sending them emails similar to yours. I haven’t heard back from any of them since sending the emails, so I guess they worked. Either that or they put me on their followup lists and I’ll get another call in a month lol.

15

I’m not allowed to purchase anything, we have a pruchasing department that must do all the bidding and buying. I simply tell the guy or gal on the phone that they need to contact the purchasing manager and then I give them

The managers office number

His office E-mail address

His two personal e-mail addresses

His cell phone number

and his home phone number.

Can you tell I don’t like the purchasing manager? :slight_smile:

1 Spice up
16

Could be worse. My favorite call was someone offering small business database and programming services. My reply was “But that’s my job…”

3 Spice ups
17

Sorry cannot talk right now. good bye click. (this is reserved for the toner sales people)

otherwise you did the PC thing.

also sometimes i let them talk and zone out doing my work, ask them to repeat what they just said because i missed it, zone out again and ask a question that was just told to me by the sales person, to prove that i am not listening to them.

18

Does “take me off your list” still work anymore?

But twice a week? I say your response is justified.

19

I’d say that’s polite. In fact I’m going to copy it for when I need to deal with vendors who want to be my best friend.

20

just ignore the phone call