Chep

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Meanest Thing You Have Ever Said To A Rude Prospect?

Curious how other savages have responded when you get a complete a$$hole on the phone who no matter how kind you are only wants to belittle you?

I have told prospects off before

Attached poll

I could never Yes, they were being extremely rude and unprofessional

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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45 comments

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SellerBeware

Opinionated

VP Inside Sales

Prospect called one of my reps a b*tch and told her to jump out the window just for making a cold call; I saw red and grabbed the phone and exploded on the guy. Full scale, in your face, war paint style. This was late one night in the office about 8pm, saw some new people on the other side of the office taking videos of me haha. Prospect actually cried a bit at one point and we did business with them later that year

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

You sir have my respect

Bejblount

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

I wish I had you as a boss. Fuck yeah

Thebigtabowski

Wow this is one of the greatest things I’ve read lol

thegentleninja

Praised Answer

SDR

Kill them with kindness... No matter how rude they get WE ARE THE PROFESSIONALS so we keep it proper and most times when the conversation keeps on after 30 minutes they usually apologize to me then share what is happening in their life outside work. So let them vent, empathize, and charge them higher :)

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

🤝 you are a kinder person than I if you stay on the line for 30 minutes😂

thegentleninja

Praised Answer

SDR

Yea sometimes listening to someone vent can highlight key details of what they are also experiencing at work and since they are at a high-level emotional state just ride it asking subtle questions then eventually at a 30-minute mark they will apologize to you.

Rayne27

BDR

You must be from the Hospitality industry lol

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Think of how many dials... 30 mins.

mevrouw

Director of Customer Success

No. We are both people, if someone is rude, I call them out on it. It is not professional, and they are simply doing it out of some sort of perceived "power" in the relationship. There is a respectful way to say whatever it is they are trying to say.

InQ5WeTrust

Arsonist

No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL

Over email, not phone, but does responding in haiku to a prospect who questioned how you got their details count?

Dear prospect of mine,
Though your responses are rare,
Your details are not.

This was after a few expletives and adverbs in his reply.

Literally googled his name and his email came up.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Hahaha, love it

InQ5WeTrust

Arsonist

No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL

No reprisal on that one either.

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Didn't realize how vital Haiku's are in sales until just now🤣

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Haiku is the best

To infuriate the worst

Never ever stop selling

AlecBaldwinsHairline

Valued Contributor

Head of Sales Development

I used to get a lot of rude prospects because I was in the logistics industry, and it's a bunch of old crusty dudes.

I would leverage our company and their expertise to combat their "experience" vs our best practices.

But really using it to help them see the light. Cloud software scares you? Who do you think in an ideal world your customer is more comfortable having store their data, a warehouse with no IT manager, or a software company with 10 years of experience lol.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Woah! Logistics, bunch of legacy boomers who won't retire.

The stereotype for me. No/low education white guy. "Self made" (X to Doubt) About 5'5" tall. Over weight. White Hair.

Bejblount

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

They literally smell like the hotdogs they nuked for lunch that day.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Forgot they're on their 2nd or third marriage too, and chain smoke.

MrNiche

Valued Contributor

Senior Account Executive

I sell fleet management technology to the logistics industry. Can confirm these guys have some creative ways of telling reps to fuck off. Bunch of 60 something year olds with flip phones who don't understand the ROI tech can deliver.

Pushing back and being a bit of a dick is a great way to challenge someone being an asshole.

I'm just glad I'm not a freight broker. Those guys take some real digs.

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

Wish there was a third choice. I haven't yet, but definitely would if they were being an ass.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

@HarryCaray see my response below. I think you'd get a kick outta it.

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

fucking hilarious. Would love to know how that turned out.

Bittersweet0326

Politicker

Digital Business Associate

I've fired customers for being rude. I don't mind if you are having a bad day but if it's consistent and obvious...I'm out or the price just went up.

iwannl

Head of Sales

I've done that too. My team was trying to help a customer fix a problem for weeks. The customer was abusive and rude (calling my team members serious names) every single step of the way.
When the customer crossed the line one too many times for me, I took up the phone to call his boss and tell him that we would be cancelling our contract with them.

First the boss got a bit annoyed, but then I explained to him how we were actually helping to solve a problem that had nothing to do with our software (even though they initially think it did) but rather with the lack of skills on the team and the questionable leadership they were under and that we really didn't need to do that.

Their attitude changed very quickly, I can tell you that :-). We even got them to be one of our reference customers and the boss man introduced me to several of his peers (out of respect, he said). Earned we some commissions down the road!

Never ever let yourself or your team be abused, it's very ok to set boundaries and communicate them. Be firm and stand your ground in a (kind and) respectful way with the customer. You will also get the eternal gratitude from your team for it as a bonus.

Bittersweet0326

Politicker

Digital Business Associate

That is great! In my experience when you stand up for yourself and don't take their crap, you actually gain more respect.

Bejblount

Fire Starter

Senior Account Executive

Guy picked up and said, "I don't want to buy anything you're fucking selling!" and hung up.

I dialed again and said, "Sorry sir, I think our connection cut out. Anyways, I am calling because I have a purple truck and I'll be in your parking lot next Tuesday at 2. I thought you'd want to see it."

He started laughing so hard it took him 3 minutes to calm down enough to tell me that he had never heard that and he would meet with me no matter what I was selling.

I didn't sell the account but he was a really cool connection for me. People get really sick of shitty prospecting calls.

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

That is awesome and not where I thought this story was going🤣

eman

Politicker

Account Executive

I was selling professional services at the time, had a client get pissed that the cost went up after HE extended the project another YEAR (double the original time he/we had agreed to). He chewed me out for a few minutes and I let him know that he was being ignorant if he thought that I could eat the cost of my deployed resources. He ended up paying.

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Respect for listening and hitting him with the facts

Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

Director Sales and Market Development

Sorry you seem to be having a rough day, maybe we can reconnect when your life gets better

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

I didn't "say" anything.

Walked into client office one morning and the mean gatekeeper up front bitched me out because I didn't bring donuts.

I showed up the next appointment with bran muffins and apple juice.

Don't f*ck with the fox 🦊

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Lol. Timmies Bran... The best eff you.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

I thought it was pretty clever 😏

AlexT

Politicker

Account Executive

Step 1: "I understand, yes, of course, Mr. customer, anything you want" (fake smile)

Step 2: Slowly hang up

Step 3: Leave the sales floor

Step 4: Curse for 3 minutes

Step 5: Dial the next one

GRIFFindor

Opinionated

Sales Nerd

"Look lady!"

Chep

WR Officer

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

"Look Person" 🤣

DrSmallprint

Politicker

Account Executive

"Ive been called worse things by better people"

BlueJays2591

Politicker

Federal Business Dev Director

Be kind but condescending. professionally tell them to F off.

Ace

Arsonist

CEO

The biggest comeback is ignorance. Just ignore them and walk away.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

I’m always friendly even bit the biggest assholes. It like a superpower if you don’t give a fuck.

wormcatcher

Good Citizen

Fractional CRO

I want to see the breakdown of this by gender and race...because a woman of color telling someone off for being rude is FAR riskier than a white man so I'm betting the numbers would be WAY different.

GCK1890

Opinionated

Solutions Engineer

I understand it's a Monday but there's no need to use profanity sir.

sellingsellssold

Politicker

SDR

Always kill them with kindness, old school way.

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

Never did, hopefully won't too🤞

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Chep

Meanest Thing You Have Ever Said To A Rude Prospect?

I have told prospects off before

45 comments

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