AI sales calls now in NZ ? Or have I just been left out ? :)

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xpd

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#217934 19-Jul-2017 09:08

Had a call yesterday at work (anonymous number), answered it, and a pleasant lady on the other end announced who she was and where she was calling from etc. Basically selling insurance. Anyway they wanted to setup appointment time to come in to see me/us - I said no, cant guarantee we're in the office etc. But she kept pushing and basically cutting me off.

After a few moments I had a suspicion I wasnt talking to a real person........ ended up hanging up.

Suspect it was a robot caller along these lines.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/10/meet-the-robot-telemarketer-who-denies-shes-a-robot/

Why do I think this ?

Kept cutting me off after I gave a positive or negative response. eg: "yes, thats..." (cut off with another question) but if I started with "in the current position, yes" (then would cut off)

Wouldn't take no for an answer.

Accent was a little odd.

Company does not exist. (Thats if I got the spelling correct anyway)

Anyone else suspect theyve had one of these sort of AI and relatively convincing robot calls in NZ ?

XPD / Gavin

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#1825392 19-Jul-2017 17:05

Guessing it was for life insurance? Due to the ridiculously high commissions on life policies.

If you get called back, say something like - yes I'll call my insurance broker right now to discuss that. If it really is a robot that probably won't be in its scripted answers. Assuming it is listening for the word Yes.

I say a similar thing to telemarketers who try to sell me SEO or Web design services. I just say Thanks, I'll tell my Web designer.

mattwnz

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#1825403 19-Jul-2017 17:30

I let any calls where the number in't know, roll over to voicemail. That will then filter out the call. There are far too many automated dialer scam calls these days, and NZ telcos haven't yet implemented any captcha type system to protect people from these yet, like they do overseas.

Fred99

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#1825509 19-Jul-2017 21:02

If the call centre employee was following the script - they'd do the same.

You need to try to "engage" with these people, turn it and ask them open questions, about the company, then hone in on them, then get more and more personal - compliment them, ask them questions, make it a conversation about them. For example - they're hawking life insurance, ask them what insurance they have for their family -then ask about their family, their kids, wife/husband. Then booyah - you know more about them than they do about you - you've made a telephone friend.

It's a great game - if you've got time to waste. Find out as much as you can about them and disclose as little as possible about yourself.

Then I usually top it off - if I can work it - to let them to ask about me. I volunteer information - after saying how much I love my family making up about my 6 kids and one on the way - that I'm waiting for diagnostic/prognostic stuff from my specialist about a lump I'd noticed on a testicle, a few deep breaths then go quiet and wait to hear what this new friend I've made on the telephone has to say.