Answering sales calls can be incredibly exhausting.

If you don’t take as much time as possible and refuse firmly, your time will be stolen more and more.

In this article, we will introduce tips and effective phrases for refusing sales calls to companies.

If you have trouble answering sales calls, please try the methods introduced in this article.

How to identify sales calls

If you think “something is wrong” the moment you pick up the phone, isn’t it likely that it was a sales call?

Sales calls have easy-to-understand features, and if you can recognize them as sales calls at an early stage, you won’t have to waste your time.

Let’s check how to identify sales calls.

I don’t know the name of the person in charge

In most cases, the person on the other end of the sales call does not know the person in charge.

I’m calling based on the call list, so I don’t even know the name of the person in charge, or even the official name of the department.

• “Is the president here?”
• Call with a rough description of the work in charge, such as “Is there a person in charge of the system?”
• Even though there is no general affairs department, you say a general department name, “Is there anyone from the general affairs department?”

It is safe to say that such a case is almost a sales call.

don’t talk about business

Sales calls cannot be identified as sales until the person in charge takes them over.

Therefore, even if the receptionist tries to ask you what you have to do, they try to connect you to the person in charge while avoiding it with vague words.

• About your current business system
• Recruitment of new graduates for the next fiscal year

Even if you make an abstract expression like this, there is a high possibility that it is a business.

noisy surroundings

There is also a call center that specializes in making sales calls.

If the surroundings are noisy and noisy, it may be originating from a department specializing in such sales calls.

Tips for rejecting sales calls

Once they know it’s a sales call, they just turn it down… but they’re also professionals, so they won’t back down easily.

In order not to be exhausted by answering sales calls, let’s learn how to decline skillfully.

don’t let it last as long as possible

In the case of a sales call, the other party talks one-sidedly and does not give you a chance to refuse.

However, if you get caught up in the opponent’s pace, it’s a point that the other side thinks.

Eventually, my heart breaks and I have no choice but to send materials and make appointments.

The longer you wait to respond to a sales call, the harder it will be to decline, so try to decline as early as possible.

Decline clearly without ambiguity

In Japanese, there is an aspect that it is considered a virtue to vague things that are difficult to say.

For example, instead of refusing a customer’s request on the spot, I say, “I’ll consider it,” and take it home.

However, if you give vague responses to sales calls, the other party will think that there is a possibility and will call you many times.

Clearly state that you do not need it on the sales call.

do not excuse absence

We do not recommend using the absence of the person in charge as an excuse for not being able to refuse.

Saying you are away gives the other person a reason to call you again.

If you don’t want to accept the offer, you can save both of us time by simply saying no.

politely decline

Even if you’re tired of persistent sales calls, it’s NG to use harsh words or shout.

Responding without courtesy is only negative for the company.

When declining a sales call, try to be polite, avoiding attitudes and expressions that make the other party uncomfortable.

Effective phrases for sales calls

Here are some useful phrases to turn down the sales call in one go without prolonging the call.

[For first responders] Phrases to refuse as soon as you know it’s sales

• “I’m sorry, but I’m asking you to refuse.”
• “We cannot take sales calls.”
• “We are refraining from new transactions.”

This phrase is used to turn down the call without passing it on to the person in charge when answering the phone and discovering it is a sales call.

First responders are not in a position to judge whether a product is good or bad by listening to the content.

That’s why even before asking

• I have been instructed to refuse by my boss
• As a company, we are unable to act as an intermediary.

The refusal is common.

[For the person in charge] Phrases for asking and refusing a request

• “We are not considering it at this time.”
• “There is a company with which we already have a relationship.”
• “We will contact you if necessary, so there is no need to call us again.”

This phrase is used when you are the person in charge and refuse after listening to the request.

If you decline because it is not in your future plans or because you are doing business with another company, you can decline without denying the other party’s products or services.

In addition, even if you decline the sales call, they may still call you regularly, so it is also effective to tell them that you do not need to contact them in the future .

Business etiquette is required even when refusing

Even if it is a sales call, the other party is not calling to harass you, but is calling for work.

There was no connection this time, but there is a possibility that a business connection will be created on another occasion with the other party of the sales call.

If you don’t have good manners here, you may lose future business opportunities.

As a company, a minimum level of business etiquette is required for dealing with sales calls and nuisance calls.

Leave the response to AI What is “Canario”?

No matter how troublesome a sales call may be, as a company, we must respond politely as a customer.

Of course, it’s best not to call, but even if you reject calls, you can’t completely prevent them.

For companies looking for a way to avoid having to deal with sales calls, we recommend introducing an automatic answering service .

In “Canario” provided by NEC Networks & System Integration, AI is in charge of the primary response to telephone calls.

You can get a stress-free environment because there is no need for employees to answer sales calls or annoying calls.

Calls with a person in charge will be forwarded by voice recognition of the name, so you will be able to concentrate on responding to really important calls.

In addition to “Canario”

• Answer company calls without being in the office
• When there is no response, convert the message into text and send a message
• Overtime and holiday correspondence is also OK

There are many benefits that reduce the burden of answering the phone.

Article Summary

A brief summary of how to successfully decline a sales call is as follows:

• decline early
• clearly refuse
• politely decline

It can be summarized into three, but skill is required to practice this in response to sales calls.

Therefore, it is also recommended to create a mechanism that automates the primary response of the phone so that you do not have to answer the sales call.