I answer umpteen calls a week at work that are telemarketer/unsolicited calls. Many, thankfully, are pre-recorded messages and I hang up gleefully on them. No feelings to hurt. Sometimes it’s live calls. I try to be as gentle but forthright as I can with them. I try to be as truthful as I can without giving them what they want (to talk to my boss(es) who do not want/have time to talk to them). If they are trying to sell something and I tell them we are not interested and they keep trying to sell, I don’t feel a bit bad about hanging up on them. 🙂

I spoke with a restaurateur a while back. We were talking business (he is our GL insurance auditor and a very nice guy) and he said he told his restaurant manager that if she lets anyone (on an unsolicited sales call) past her and back to his office, she’s fired. I thought that may be a bit harsh but point well made.

Anyhow, here’s how a conversation went the other day ….

Caller: I’m Rob ______ with ____ Financial Investments. Is Stan in?

Me: No he’s not. Can I take a message?

Caller: I have a 2 o’clock appointment with him and am running late. I forgot my cell this morning and don’t have his number. Can you give that to me?

Me (Stan’s in another state. Lol): You have a 2 o’clock appt with Stan?

Caller: Yes.

Me: I don’t think he has a 2 o’clock appt here today.

Caller: Well, he said to give him a call after lunch. Can you give me his cell number?

Me: No, I can’t give out his number. You can leave a message for him and I can pass along to him.

Caller: Will you actually give it to him?

Me (shucks, why not?): Sure, I’ll pass it along to him.

Click, click …. dial tone.

 

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I saw this rather stunning (shocking? maybe it shouldn’t be??) article a few years ago online and I saved a screen shot of it.

 

 

 

I believe there are times it’s possible to tell a partial truth but in a way that you can get others to believe a lie. So are you then lying?? In essence, if that’s your intention.

 

A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.  Proverbs 21:6