Constant sales calls - NTL

galah

Hi all,

quick question, since the askcomreq site is not clear on this issue:

I am an NTL customer (not very happy with them, long story), and I have been telling them for more than 2 years that I do not want to receive telesales cold calls from them. They keep ringing me on my mobile regardless.

It amounts to at least one call a month, and every time, I tell them not to ring me again, since I am absolutely not interested in any of their crappy products (bar the digital tele, which can just about tolerate).

Who do I complain to (since clearly telling them does not work)?

Cheers
galah

dahamsta

http://www.dataprotection.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/guidance/unwanted_marketing_consumer_guide.htm&CatID=18&m=r

ircoha

unless u need them to be able to call u on the mobile just call up and change ur contact details....
as an existing customer it is difficult to stop this as it cannot be proved as a cold call: they will argue that it is a customer service call: eg asking are u happy with the service etc and even if u say no they will still push the product.

Its called cross selling:
best example I know of is:
a parrot, on a Saturday morning, in a pharmacy has just sold a pack of san-towels to a man.
the cash desk is in the gardening dept which is also manned by the parrot, who asks the customer does he want to buy a lawnmower.
The already blushing customer asks why?
the parrot explains: as the customer's weekend is messed up, why not cut the grass:)

jhegarty

Change you phone number on their records to their own head office phone number... worked a treat for a company that was bothering me with similar calls...

galah

nice suggestion.
I'll do that.
(and complain to the data protection people anyway ;-))

jor el

ircoha wrote: »

unless u need them to be able to call u on the mobile just call up and change ur contact details....
as an existing customer it is difficult to stop this as it cannot be proved as a cold call: they will argue that it is a customer service call: eg asking are u happy with the service etc and even if u say no they will still push the product.

They still need your authorisation to contact you though. It probably falls under Comreg's remit, but you just know that's a waste of time. The Data Protection Commissioner's office is just about the only agency in this country that does do their job. If NTL are misusing the information they have on you, then that's the way to go.

BurnsCarpenter

Not a Comreg issue.
Call your own phone provider and ask that your number be placed on the opt out list of the National Directory Database.
After 28 days, any company cold calling you is in breach of data protection legislation.

dade

sorry for the hijack. i keep getting their fliers in the door. 3 of them in the last 3 days. I'm an ex customer (canceled in mid 06) and get on average two a month from them. I'm sick writing to them asking to be taken from their database. so final letter going out today and if it happens again gonna get on to data protection

kramerica

ircoha wrote: »

a parrot, on a Saturday morning, in a pharmacy has just sold a pack of san-towels to a man.
the cash desk is in the gardening dept which is also manned by the parrot, who asks the customer does he want to buy a lawnmower.
The already blushing customer asks why?
the parrot explains: as the customer's weekend is messed up, why not cut the grass:)

Why a parrot???

foggy_lad

you should probably send a letter giving your telephone number and asking to be opted out of any further calls as telling them over the phone is useless they will ignore it as you have no record of telling them!

MOH

dade wrote: »

sorry for the hijack. i keep getting their fliers in the door. 3 of them in the last 3 days. I'm an ex customer (canceled in mid 06) and get on average two a month from them. I'm sick writing to them asking to be taken from their database. so final letter going out today and if it happens again gonna get on to data protection

I complained about that before, they told me to take it up with An Post.

I've a letter to a director typed up, just need to get around to sending it.

dade

MOH wrote: »

I complained about that before, they told me to take it up with An Post.

how can they blame an post? i mean OK the postie delivers the things but only if it's in his bag so if their marketeers don't put a sticker on one with your address then there shouldn't be an issue. I think it's just NTL being a shower of w'nkers as usual. course I've gotten marketing crap from sky even though I'm already subscribed to them. so I've come to the conclusion that marketeers are as dumb as ****

seamus

Yeah, they were trying to call me about twice a week for a month.

They'd always ring at the same time of day, and the number would always be withheld, so after the first two calls, I just hung up on the call as soon as it rang. They stopped.

NUTLEY BOY

kramerica wrote: »

Why a parrot???

Indeed, and to whom do you complain if the parrot dies ?

MOH

dade wrote: »

how can they blame an post? i mean OK the postie delivers the things but only if it's in his bag so if their marketeers don't put a sticker on one with your address then there shouldn't be an issue. I think it's just NTL being a shower of w'nkers as usual. course I've gotten marketing crap from sky even though I'm already subscribed to them. so I've come to the conclusion that marketeers are as dumb as ****

Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction. (They said something like "I'll pass your request on to our sales department, but to be honest you'll probably have more success if you take it up with an post". )

sunny2004

NUTLEY BOY wrote: »

Indeed, and to whom do you complain if the parrot dies ?

In the short term why not ask them to hold and put the phone down for a few minutes !