Okay, now they're actually running after people....

[Dreamstalker]

We recently got a new phone number, so I could possibly start giving the old one. If they are using the data to "determine store placement" as they claim (if that's true, why isn't there a TRU closer to town?) it'll give the same geographic data but be useless for phonespam. Except I can only do that for ~30 days before it's reassigned...

Or I give one of my old dorm phone numbers, which in all likelihood doesn't exist anymore.

[LadyAndreca]

There's always the Rejection Hotline. I put that in my cell phone's address book, then use the excuse "give me a second, I never call myself, you know?"

There's two K-marts around here. One is super-shabby and usually horribly messy, and I almost never go there, but it's right by work. The other is near my inlaws' house, and they just made a HUGE effort to remodel it, because it's a decently wealthy town and they were losing customers to stores several towns away. I have to admit, it looks like a whole new store now, though they've got a severe employee shortage. Usually they've only got one cashier, and the FES covering the service desk themselves.

[lordlundar]

There should be a 12-step program for these idiots...

I know!

Dumf**k-anon!


"Hi. I'm Pointy and I'm a dumbf**k."

With at least 3 steps being "ram your head into a wall until the idea is forgotten.

There's always the Rejection Hotline. I put that in my cell phone's address book, then use the excuse "give me a second, I never call myself, you know?"

Oh I so want them to get some Canadian lines in place. (yes, they have a Canad selection, but no listings)

I've never understood this concept myself. "Hey, we need more people to sign up for our card! Let's pester people who know it's a bad idea in the vain hope they'll break down and sign up!" then later they can't figure out why their numbers are dropping and people are writing everywhere about the harassment being the reason.

[Moon]

Instead of giving a random made-up number (which could actually belong to a real person), you might find the number to an old-fashioned dial-up ISP and give them the access number. They go to telemarket to it and just get a bunch of beeps and boops. Many telemarketing computers are smart enough to kill it before it gets to the agent, and for those unlucky agents who it does get through to, the experienced ones can enter the delete code quickly (as they're used to entering the answering machine code quickly anyway.) Having recently done a market research job, modems and fax machines do show up on the dialer from time to time, and while there may be an initial shock if their volume is turned up too high, they only hear it for a second before hitting the code to dump it from the list (business in our case.) In most cases it's not loud enough to cause any discomfort, let alone damage.

Of course the old movie-phone trick works best... they just get an automated system and the number is often easy to remember especially if you know how to convert letters to the appropriate numbers.

[Dreamstalker]

Wish I'd remembered the rejection hotline when dealing with the creepazoid....

On the subject of tones, I've been known to prematurely "kill" answering machines while leaving a message; all I can suss out is that it must be a specific tone/frequency that usually signals the end of a call.

I like that dialup number idea...I think we still have some written down somewhere. I've heard of some people recording the disconnected-line tone (which automatically kicks out most robodialers) with the real message after it.

[raine_naoe]

I have had to ask for a phone number for a legitimate reason before. Sometimes when a customer pays with a check the cash register will make us enter a phone number, and not everybody's check has their number on it.

but yea, the whole coupon thing is stupid.

When I worked at Bass Pro Shops they ranked us depending on a number of factors, two of which were number of credit card apps, and number of phone specials we sold. my Q/A was just about as good as it could get, but my apps and specials were really low, so I was near the bottom of the list when lay-offs came around.

[Mytical]

I know it is evil, but I used to write the numbers of telemarketers down, and when asked for a phone number .. I'd put one of those as my phone number . Now I just use a fax number. Let them call and get the horrible screech in their ear. See if I care.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Okay. Went back today and refused to play. Ended badly. Here's what I sent just now.

So, thought I'd give you guys one last ditch try today. Decided I'm just going to decline all the game playing, and try to pay your clerk for goods. I didn't get my goods, and you all didn't get my money. But I guess that's cool, you all appear to be in a place financially where you can turn down money. Our last exchange I posted on a message board...it was met with quite a few people saying "Kmart? Really? How are they still in business?"

I know, right?

Clerk asked if I wished to pay with my store card. Logic would dictate that if I did, I would not be holding out my Visa card, but okay. Whatever. Told her no. Then of course she had to ask if I wanted one. No again, thanks.

Then she had to ask (I say "had" to because I know she's been instructed to by your idiotic store policy. I'm not even blaming her for this.) if I knew it was free. I don't care if it's free, thanks, I have heard the pitch many times. Let's just proceed, shall we?

Survey came, I simply said I don't wish to participate in a survey, I just want to pay. Clerk filled out the survey herself. I'm willing to bet it didn't reflect reality.

Still waiting to pay, card in hand. Tides wax and wane, cities rise and fall.

Then it asks for my zip code.

Well, you know what? I have dyscalculia. I don't know my zip code. That's not anyone's business, and I don't appreciate being put on the spot and embarrassed every single time I set foot in your store. Your clerk thought that was funny. In fact, she laughed in my face. That was a nice, classy touch to an otherwise excruciating encounter. Wow. She then said "Well, where do you live?" It's not anyone's business where I live.

So anyways, she calls the manager over to "explain to me why I need to give my zip code." Who then tells me it's "for my protection."

Really?

A few points to ponder about that:

1. Why'd the clerk ask for my ID when I handed her my card? If the purpose of the zip is to ID the card, why ask for ID? I gave the ID without complaint, so why would you need both that and the zip?

2. Why do other stores take my card without any foolishness? Some of them do ask, but when I decline the info, they shrug and move on.

3. Explain to me why, on every other occasion I've been in your store, do random numbers, strings of fives, or simply saying, "I don't have that info" result in your clerks shrugging and moving on? Isn't that a massive security breech? If you simply MUST have the number otherwise I am "unprotected", then how many times have you all compromised my security by not insisting on that info as was done today?

Well, you should be overjoyed that the dilligence of your staff made certain that I did not make a purchase without taking a survey or divulging personal info for your marketing department. Your merchandise is safely secured in your store, and my money has not contaminated your piggy bank.

It's a sad, sad state of affairs when it's less of a hassle going to Walmart. I'm just saying.

Good luck. Enjoy this awesome economy.

RK


EDIT: They sent me another form letter, so I made up one of my own and sent it back. I think it's safe to say I am officially a sucky customer at this point. Here's my form letter:

[Kogarashi]

You're not paying with AmEx, are you? I know that's the only time I had to ask for a zipcode when cashiering at Walmart, and that's because the pinpads would not let the payment go through unless the zipcode matched the card's billing address. But then, it was only AmEx, and it was entered much like a debit's PIN, so as far as I'm aware, it's not info that the big W sees.

Beyond that, yeah, I hated when they pushed for us to pitch the store credit card. Luckily, our employment didn't seem to hinge on the pitch. ::sigh of relief::

[Chromatix]

I'm pretty sure she said she was holding out a Visa. So not Amex.

I'd like to contrast that with the very large computer retail establishment just behind my office. They do not employ salesmen, at least not on the shop floor.

They have cashiers at checkouts, cashiers/warehouse gophers at the warehouse counter (because not everything is on the shelves), a customer service desk in the middle of the floor where you can ask for help (and they are able to create orders in the warehouse system), a couple of specialist desks for cameras/phones/audio-video, and a separate returns department.

None of them will pester you about anything.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yes, that's correct. Visa Card, followed photo ID.

Maybe they figure the sooner that squalid flea market goes the way of the dodo, the sooner they can all start collecting unemployment and playing WoW all day.

[Andara Bledin]

I know when you're paying with a credit card, sometimes they use it to cut down on fraud. They make sure the zip you enter matches the zip on the billing address. But if you were paying cash, then no, they don't need it.

With some credit card providers, if you don't have a matching ZIP, the charge won't go through. I've run into that at least once.

I ask once, and only once. I just want to go to work, do my job, be friendly, help customers and go home. Now I have to stress over this stuff.

First off, to

Second, most of us don't mind the 'ask once because it's mandatory then never mention it again' approach. Because we know you don't have any choice in the matter.

Pestering customers about it is simply Not Done.

Can we clone your corporate decision-makers? They seem to have a clue about how not to annoy the customer into going to the competition in the hopes of escaping the harassment.

There's always the Rejection Hotline.

Oooh... There's lots of fun you could do with those, and not just the rejection one.

I'd like to contrast that with the very large computer retail establishment just behind my office. They do not employ salesmen, at least not on the shop floor.

They have cashiers at checkouts, cashiers/warehouse gophers at the warehouse counter (because not everything is on the shelves), a customer service desk in the middle of the floor where you can ask for help (and they are able to create orders in the warehouse system), a couple of specialist desks for cameras/phones/audio-video, and a separate returns department.

None of them will pester you about anything.

That sounds a little bit like Fry's Electronics, actually.

I often forget how nice it is to be able to shop in peace.

My local grocery (Food 4 Less, a Kroger brand) is a "discount" grocery place, and they have no pestering, either. Get in, get my stuff, pay, get out.

^-.-^

[Falor]

My local grocery (Food 4 Less, a Kroger brand) is a "discount" grocery place, and they have no pestering, either. Get in, get my stuff, pay, get out.

^-.-^

If that's the case then I'm jealous of their cashiers. I surge-check for Kroger and my division has this darling little beep when certain people's loyalty cards are scanned prompting us to tell them that "they're invited to apply for the 123 Rewards MC!"

Whatever. I usually just mention something to the point that "That beep means corporate thinks you need another credit card," and move on with the transaction. I've had maybe three people act like they wanted more info, and somewhere around half who chuckled with me about how wrong they are about their needing another credit card.

[Dreamstalker]

With some credit card providers, if you don't have a matching ZIP, the charge won't go through. I've run into that at least once.

Newegg does that. Even if I have all the info they need as well as authorization to use the card (had to get a new part for my computer, dad said I could use the credit card info he had given me for tuition), the shipping and billing address need to match. Not sure how they handle gift shipments.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I realize they do that some places, and they claimed to do it at this place. However, I know for a fact that it will go through without it. So when they said it wouldn't, that was horseshit.

If they'd actually started with that and not acted like shits about it, I might have given it (or simply made one up..I've entered in a string of fives before. It's clearly not a zip code. However, it works.). However, by the time we even go to that point of the transaction, I was so irritated with all the foolishness, I just decided enough was enough.