Thursday, May 7, 2009
Pet Peeve
Adam and I seem to share one common weakness--we have a hard time being rude and upfront when it comes to door to door salespeople. Unfortunately no matter how many times we try to say "No" nicely, their super salesman training kicks in and we are made to feel like real smucks for rejecting them. "But, it's not about the magazines, its about supporting people just like myself trying to make a better life. Would it be important to you to help someone down on their luck be successful in this life?" No, because I am a smuck. The bottom line is I don't want your $50 magazine subscription. Period. After 20 minutes of trying to say no politely and being unsuccessful I feel drained and they are mad that I took 20 minutes of their time. It is a no win situation. We currently live in a neighborhood that seems to be a mecca for door to door sales. There are 2 possible solutions. Unfortunately, a "No Solicitation" sign doesn't really fit the decor so the only other means whereby I can avoid such uncomfortable encounters is to train my children to STOP yelling at the top of their lungs when someone comes to the door. "MMMMOOOOOMMMMM, someone is at the door!!!!!!" It would be so much easier to quietly look through the peep hole and not open the door if an unknown is standing on my porch with a polo type shirt and a clipboard. So, the first agenda item for our next family meeting will be "When you hear the doorbell ring please freeze until otherwise directed." I'll let you know how it goes.
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11 comments:
We have to do that with the missionaries!
I know that sounds terrible, but they come by the house several nights each week because we are one of only two member families in the village and the eight o'clock hour is their least productive time. It seems like they are always looking to hang at our place til they get to go home.
I hate to admit this, but I'm starting to turn out the lights really early and Jeff and I sit in dark silence til their 9 pm curfew.
I started trying this line on the phone and I'm pretty sure it would work at the door also (if your kids forget the new rule that is.)
Yes, we are on a no-calling list, but we still get calls about supporting veterans and police officers and the Salvation Army...all good causes of course. I tell them as quickly as they will let me, "My husband I have a strict rule that we do not do business over the phone. Do you have a website I can look at instead?" They give me the website, or say they do not have one, and it ends the call immediately. Every time. No arguing.
I'm thinking you could say, "My husband and I have a strict rule that we do not do ANY business over the phone or at the door. Do you have a website I can look at instead?" I tell you, it works.
Ooh, love the idea. Thanks, Linn, you may have saved our lives.
Lib, we had an embarrassing situation with the missionaries one time. They would track out our house every few months or so and one time I just didn't answer the door because I wasn't in the mood to explain, yet again, that we were already members and my husband was the ward mission leader at that! The next time they came around I had a plumber working on our kitchen sink and the door was open so they could totally see through the storm door and into the house and Britton yelled at the top of his lungs, "Don't open the door! It's the missionaries!" Totally embarrassing.
I don't answer the door and I just use the peephole and tell the girls to be quiet! It has worked so far. I can't wait to see how it works for your family! :)
Loved your missionary story! haha!
I have my kids trained (except for Abby). I'm very much a peep-holer/caller ID-er. It gets trickier in the summer when the door is open and the kids are in the yard. I'll have to try the "do you have a website?" line.
Ah ha, love it! I don't do well with salespeople either - I try to avoid at all costs, but Bryson loves to look out the window when the doorbell rings too. Libbie's comment cracked me up too!
Just don't answer the door who cares if they can hear your kids. That's my theory. Just because someone rings your doorbell you are under no obligation to answer it. You could yell through the door about your policy of not buying anything by a door salesman. If the guy thinks your rude...maybe then he won't come back. Now-a-days who knows what the guy will do once you open the door. I guess it's probably safer where you live but I'm always paranoid.
You should set up a neighborhood watch calling tree system. When the first person spots a salesman coming, have them call their neighbor and then they call their neighbor, etc. to pass the word along to hide.
I have to admit in the past year I have given in to a magazine subscription, and this week I bought a bottle of cleaner. I also had a Jehovah Witness lady come 3 times, until I had to tell her I really wasn't interested. I am too nice.
I am totally laughing because this sounds like us. Salespeople are attracted to our neighborhood as well. Once, the young salespeople explained that the magazine subscription was ONLY $10 and when I continued to say "no" I overheard them say, "Man is she CHEAP" as they walked away. Of course I wanted to run after them and explain that $10 here and $10 there adds up and I DON'T WANT YOUR DUMB MAGAZINES!! I closed the door instead and scolded the kids for yelling when the doorbell rang. I think I'll start the neighborhood watch calling tree system.
We have problems around here with "salespeople" breaking in if they think you are not home. They tell us to definitly make noise when someone knocks. (It doesn't mean that you have to answer the door). Maybe just talk through the door & don't worry about if the kids are making noise. (by the way, until this came out in the news, I did the whole everbody be quiet routine and would peak through the window until they were gone!)
You could be like the Chinese and yell through the door to tell them that you are not home. While knocking doors in Taiwan this was a common response. People loved to tell us that no one was home.
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