Influx of door-to-door sociopaths

The other evening, at dinner-time, I opened the door to a salesguy. He gave me a warm smile. He offered me a pamphlet before he even introduced himself. (I didn't accept it. I know that trick. If you can put something to read into a customer's hands right away, she'll listen to you longer.)

He started in on his sales pitch, not telling me who he was or which company he represented. I had to read the company's name upside-down on his clipboard. "We don't need your security service, we have one." I told him. (It's called Daisy, but he doesn't have to know that.) "Terrific!" he replied. "But I'm here to do you a favor!" Ooh, really? Tell me more, I believe you ...

He went on to say that his company will start hitting the neighborhood in a few weeks. In the meantime, he wants to set up a sign on our lawn. This will get the neighbors used to the company name. The company, in its generosity, will pay us for posting the sign.

Now, doesn't that strike you as the worst kind of deception? A sign on the front lawn implies the homeowner likes and/or is making use of the company's services. Neither would apply in this case. Even for money, I wouldn't make an implied claim like that to my neighbors.

So I said no. And then, no thank you. Then I just closed the door. He kept up the steady stream of memorized lines to "overcome objections", until the door was closed. I heard his parting shot: "Bitch. Don't you close the door on me." I looked out the peep-hole; he was flipping me off, the little shithead!

Sadly, I believe that since the Do Not Call Registry went into effect, and free-range telemarketing effectively got legislated out of existence, we'll begin to see a lot more direct-sales creeps like this one in our neighborhoods.

Comments

[jo]

Aaaargh! I've had him come to my door too! And a bunch of horrible frat boys have hit the neighborhood selling magazines. I've taken to lecturing them about finding "real jobs" and how confronting people and not taking no for an answer is rude. They aren't very happy about my words of wisdom. Little shits.

[Melissa]

And you didn't let Daisy have a piece of his ass??? I'd have been on the horn to the company complaining loudly about the rude SOB and threatening to press charges against the idiot and the company for tresspassing and harassment.

[pam]

Good thought. Next time, I'll take their info, on the off-chance I let them talk to me for more than five seconds.

Do those "No Solicitors" signs at the door get taken seriously? I've never needed one before. Advice?

[Karen]

Sounds as though it's (he's) going around: http://www.peskyapostrophe.com/index.php/weblog/swing_away/
SHEESH

[Hula Doula]

WOE! That's harrassment. I have a Do not bother trying to sell me crap on my door. The little kids in the neighborhood know that doesn't apply to them. Dang I'm a softie for the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and School Fund Raisers!!!

[pam]

Thanks for the link, Karen. That's downright freaky. Lots of bloggers have seen this guy. I think their unprofessional attitudes are the tip-off that this is a scam.

Hula Doula, I can't pass up the kids and their fundraisers either!