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Post by Jaga on Dec 29, 2005 19:56:44 GMT -7
I remember when I was still in Poland - every telephone call was welcomed... I mean - we liked when somebody - usually a friend called us. Then I came to the US and I started disliking the phones because so many advertizers or different sort solicitors called. So, I may be not a very nice person when I answer Still, a couple of years ago this was a first time that I heard that somebody does not answer the phone at all but she records the messages on the answering machine and calls back if needed. I thought that this person is just nuts but now, more than 50% of my friends do not answer the phones regularily, checking their caller ID or waiting for somebody to leave the message. My inlaws do not answer their phones unless they know who the person is. Do people in Poland still answer the phones? My family does, but I wonder - whether advertizers did not start calling already...
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nancy
European
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Post by nancy on Dec 29, 2005 20:01:02 GMT -7
Still, a couple of years ago this was a first time that I heard that somebody does not answer the phone at all but she records the messages on the answering machine and calls back if needed. I thought that this person is just nuts LOL, Jaga, are you talking about me?? ;D One time Jaga had to telephone me twice (once to leave the message that it was her calling me, then the second time so I would pick up the phone). Now she emails me first to tell me to answer the phone !! ;D ;D
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Dec 30, 2005 1:17:31 GMT -7
Do people in Poland still answer the phones? My family does, but I wonder - whether advertizers did not start calling already... People in Poland still answer calls. The phone advertizers are quite rare, they call once a month or so. It isn`t a big problem. Most of these calls are made by reps of Polish Phone Company which tries to sell new cheaper products and services to customers. A bigger problem is when you try to call some institution to get information. Mostly you must wait a long time because the line is engaged. Sometimes you can never get through.
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Post by Jaga on Dec 30, 2005 9:35:15 GMT -7
Nancy, no, I did not talk about you, but later I thought about you also, you are one of these people who do not anwer unknown callers also Pawian, I heard that because of the phone monopoly people in Poland use much more cellphones. How is it with the telephones - do you still have to pay for every three minutes even in the local distance?
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Dec 30, 2005 11:11:25 GMT -7
. How is it with the telephones - do you still have to pay for every three minutes even in the local distance? It is still so but is going to change in two days - from January 1 the billing will be per second, not 3 minutes. That is a new product which Polish Phone Company sold to me on the phone a few days ago ha ha ha ha. They have to do it because cell phone calls have become not only very popular, but first of all quite cheap. There has been a war between major cell operators and the prices went down significantly. The monopolistic Polish Phone Company must cut down on prices to remain in the market.
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Post by pieter on Dec 30, 2005 16:19:00 GMT -7
Jaga,
In the Netherlands I got very angry at that callcenters, those marketing buro's that call you on the strangest hours, in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. I find that they invade my privacy and found out that there is an special number you can call so that these agencies do not call you any more. There is a sort of sign on your number that you do not want to receive commercial or public question list phone calls. My problem was that I was to polite and answere all these calls, although I was irritated. later on I said directly, no, I don't want this phonecall, or emediately cancelled the call.
Pieter
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nancy
European
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Post by nancy on Dec 30, 2005 16:33:28 GMT -7
Pieter, and the next step is, you get caller ID and answer only those calls from people you recognize!
We also have a national "no call" registry, and it works well, although there are exceptions - charities can call, and business that you have done some business with. Again , caller ID comes in handy.
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Pawian
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Post by Pawian on Dec 31, 2005 1:39:44 GMT -7
Pieter, and the next step is, you get caller ID and answer only those calls from people you recognize! But it is impossible to get all caller IDs. Sometimes a stranger calls who needs to say sth important. Not answering the phone you create some sort of self-imposed prison in your house. You must be really very desperate. I hope it won`t be so bad in Poland in future.
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Post by leslie on Dec 31, 2005 3:54:14 GMT -7
One piece of advice I have been given in the UK is, when you receive a call with a witheld or international number, you answer it and all you can hear are voices and music in the background, and for as long as you hold nobody speaks - do not put the phone down; they are paying for the call and the longer they are on the more they are paying. It is doubtful whether you will receive further calls from this source. Leslie
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forza
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Post by forza on Dec 31, 2005 3:57:09 GMT -7
It's hard to get information over the phone in Poland although it is getting better I admit. People tend to have no time to talk to you over the phone, they rush the conversation as if it was not possible to get things done over the phone. I often have an impression that someone over there is ready to hung up on me and would certainly have no time to answer more then 2 question at a time. I recall calling once the information about local number and receiving 3 times the different and always wrong number for which I was charged separately - I could have written a complain and be charged back but it had to be ...written Anyway each time dialing that number I would be connected to the same lady who'd loose her patience on me not believing I was dialing each time the very different number! I'm not kidding here. It was one of those Twilight Zone moments!
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nancy
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Post by nancy on Dec 31, 2005 9:03:54 GMT -7
Pieter, and the next step is, you get caller ID and answer only those calls from people you recognize! But it is impossible to get all caller IDs. Sometimes a stranger calls who needs to say sth important. Not answering the phone you create some sort of self-imposed prison in your house. You must be really very desperate. I hope it won`t be so bad in Poland in future. For me the prison was when I had to answer each phone call and could not be free in my own home to spend my time the way I preferred and to get my work done, but was at the mercy of whomever wanted me to talk to them. I work from home (my paying job is via computer) so when we were getting more than 25 calls a day from telemarketers, I just could not take the time to answer all those calls (nor did I want to). Also, a number of calls come at dinner time so it is very disruptive. We also get a huge number of calls from people who have the wrong number - over the years they have thought we were the local shopping center, the local MacDonalds, a big department store, etc. I too hope for Poland's sake it never gets that bad there. Of course, now people have cell phones and they talk on them constantly, mostly saying nothing from what I can tell. My husband calls to tell me he is walking to his car after work ... ha ha . (Yes, I always answer his calls!)
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forza
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Post by forza on Dec 31, 2005 10:54:56 GMT -7
The cell phones are annoyance of the time! I am having a lunch quite regularly with a high school buddy and I always enjoy his company but it all can be spoiled by the phone ringing. The same was during my last train trip to Warsaw where I couldn't take a nap because of the cell phones. So rude!
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