[Eril-l] Policy for saying "polite no" to overzealous cold-calling/emailing sales reps, and random LibGuide recommendations?

Fri Nov 1 10:05:17 PDT 2019

I'd like to follow up on this thread with a related question:

For those of you who work in academic libraries with a lot of student
employees, do you give them any training on how to handle these types of
calls (what to say or *not* to say, when to transfer the call or not, etc.)?

We've found that some companies who can't get us to answer the phone
personally will try to call our circulation desk or even the campus
switchboard and ask to be transferred. In these cases, our caller ID will
indicate the call is coming from on-campus, and we're more likely to answer
the phone.

On Fri, Nov 1, 2019 at 12:57 PM Arndt,Theresa <arndtt at dickinson.edu> wrote:

> My “policy” is I don’t answer the phone unless the caller ID indicates
> it’s someone I actually want to talk to at that time.  They will leave a
> message.  If it’s not a sales call or sales email I’m interested in, I just
> delete it unless I already have a relationship with the vendor/sales rep.
> If I already have a relationship, I will respond that we’re not interested
> but thanks for the information.
>
>
>
> I think it’s the FTC that recently reported that by next year 50 percent
> of our phone calls will be spam or scams.   I do not feel bad about
> screening, even though I really am a polite person and I am always very
> nice to the vendors/reps with whom we do business.
>
>
>
> (Have gotten 4 spam voicemails already today!)
>
>
>
> -- Theresa
>
>
>
> Theresa Arndt
>
> Library & Information Services
>
> Dickinson College
>
> Carlisle, PA
>
> 717-245-1750
>
> arndtt at dickinson.edu
>
>
>
> *From:* Eril-l <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org> *On Behalf Of *Matthew
> J. Gallagher
> *Sent:* Friday, November 01, 2019 11:42 AM
> *To:* eril-l at lists.eril-l.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Eril-l] Policy for saying "polite no" to overzealous
> cold-calling/emailing sales reps, and random LibGuide recommendations?
>
>
>
> *Caution:*This email originated from outside of the College. *Do not*
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
> the content is safe. Report anything suspicious to the HelpDesk.
>
>
>
> Hi Diane,
>
>
>
> I have a ‘no cold-call’ policy that I really like and have implemented
> over the last couple years. Having to answer the phone can really disrupt
> my train of thought when I am deep in specific types of work, so I do not
> answer my phone from external callers unless I have scheduled it with them.
> I typically have my ringer muted as well.
>
>
>
> I promise that vendors will reach out via email if you continue to ignore
> their calls. When they do email, I tell them about my policy, instruct them
> to communicate via email, and they typically respect it.  If you don’t
> require the services of any specific vendor and they persist, simply mark
> their correspondence as junk so you don’t have to worry about ignoring
> them.
>
>
>
> I’m sure the above may sound a bit callous to some, but I’m busy and don’t
> have the time for all the niceties if I am not interested in a
> product/offer.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> Matt Gallagher
>
> Assistant Professor, Information Science
>
> Collection Management & Metadata Librarian
>
> University of the Sciences
>
> 600 S. 43rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
>
> Ph: (215) 596-8963
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Eril-l [mailto:eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org
> <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org>] *On Behalf Of *Beth M. Johns
> *Sent:* Friday, November 1, 2019 11:41 AM
> *To:* Diane Westerfield <dwesterfield at coloradocollege.edu>;
> eril-l at lists.eril-l.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Eril-l] Policy for saying "polite no" to overzealous
> cold-calling/emailing sales reps, and random LibGuide recommendations?
>
>
>
> *CAUTION:** This email originated from outside the organization. Do not
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
> the content is safe.*
>
>
>
> Most of the time, ignoring works. Otherwise, I just state "we are not
> interested, please do not contact me again."
>
>
>
> Then if by phone, I just hang up.
>
>
>
> I seem to recall that about a year ago we were having a discussion about
> an overzealous company that went so far as to report a librarian to his or
> her dean???  I don't think that happens often though.
>
>
>
> Beth
>
>
>
> Beth M. Johns, MLIS
>
> E-Resources Librarian
>
> Saginaw Valley State University
>
> Melvin J. Zahnow Library
>
> pronouns: she/her/hers
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Eril-l <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org> on behalf of Diane
> Westerfield <dwesterfield at coloradocollege.edu>
> *Sent:* Friday, November 1, 2019 11:22 AM
> *To:* eril-l at lists.eril-l.org <eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
> *Subject:* [Eril-l] Policy for saying "polite no" to overzealous
> cold-calling/emailing sales reps, and random LibGuide recommendations?
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Has anyone come up with a written policy that they send to overzealous
> sales reps of companies you don’t have any products from, and to the random
> people trying to get you to put their never-heard-of-before company on your
> LibGuides? Then you can send a polite “We’re not interested” and just spam
> them back every time with that policy. If they manage to get you on the
> phone, I suppose you could read them the policy, say “No thanks” and hang
> up.
>
>
>
> Or do you just ignore them? That’s what I do, but sometimes they get
> overly persistent.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Diane Westerfield, Electronic Resources & Serials Librarian
>
> Colorado College, Tutt Library
>
> diane.westerfield at coloradocollege.edu
>
> (719) 389-6661
> _______________________________________________
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>

-- 
Thomas Waters, MA, MLIS
Technical Services Librarian
Assistant Professor
Trustee Library of Brenau University

500 Washington Street SE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-718-5303
twaters1 at brenau.edu

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