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...and he wouldn't go!
Some lady called and convinced LOML she was with some state department offering to 'lower your energy bills', and this salesman shows up at the door yesterday at 7pm with a card claiming he was an 'Environmental Specialist'.
It took me 20 minutes to figure out that the 'State Energy' on the card was gratuitous and had nothing to do with the state, and another 20 minutes to find out what exactly he was selling. When it came to giving out true information it was like pulling teeth, but otherwise he was very gabby talking everything from the super-bowl to Egypt to education in China
!
Bottomline - he wanted me buy a solar water-heating system that would 'eliminate the enormous billl you pay FPL'. Of course he would not tell me the cost till he had me with my credit card out and installation scheduled; I mean, he tried
. The cost was a mere $12,999, and if I worked with him quickly, he could get me $2000 off.
I was polite when I said I'd sleep over it and call him in a day or two, so he told me he could persuade his boss to reduce the price somewhat; what about this device 'KVAR' that would shut off power completely from all devices when they were switched off ($1650)? Or how about this air-cleaner device that would keep the air inside nice and aromatic <"I'm sure you noticed your air here is a bit musty">? Oh, we don't use the AC? That's okay, it just needs the fan to run. How about I sign up right now and he could throw in that KVAR and the air-freshener for free? How about if the price dropped to $8000? Ok, final, rock bottom price - $5,999! How about that! Still no, looks like we a referee now; <calling out loudly> 'Madam, we need you here, could you please come over and look at these great prices?'
As you can imagine, I was getting irritated by the minute, and by this last I got up and asked him to leave. "Oh, by 'we are done here' do you mean we have a deal? Lets shake!" My daughters had snuck up and were watching, so I did not want to give them the idea that this guy had got under my skin, so I was smiling when I kept repeating he needed to go, but barely so.
Then he goes over all his above offers once again, then asks what could he offer so I'd sign up, and is surprised when I ask him if he had a problem hearing me, or reading my lips - "Sir, I get a feeling you are trying for a better price, so why don't you go right ahead and name your price?". Then, "...oh, my back! I am not sure I can stand up right now; it's killing me..."
Finally when I get him to the door, he says, "so the Mrs is going to cook some home-made food now? Maybe you could invite me....?" When I bid him goodnight instead, he moans, "Ok, so I better get home and buy some frozen dinner and pop it into the the microwave....", then glancing at my face to see if that had softened me, "So do you want to talk prices now?"
So that was 90 minutes of my life I'm not getting back, but in hindsight it was pretty funny. I wonder if that solar water-heater idea is worth my while looking up.
It took me 20 minutes to figure out that the 'State Energy' on the card was gratuitous and had nothing to do with the state, and another 20 minutes to find out what exactly he was selling. When it came to giving out true information it was like pulling teeth, but otherwise he was very gabby talking everything from the super-bowl to Egypt to education in China
!Bottomline - he wanted me buy a solar water-heating system that would 'eliminate the enormous billl you pay FPL'. Of course he would not tell me the cost till he had me with my credit card out and installation scheduled; I mean, he tried
. The cost was a mere $12,999, and if I worked with him quickly, he could get me $2000 off. I was polite when I said I'd sleep over it and call him in a day or two, so he told me he could persuade his boss to reduce the price somewhat; what about this device 'KVAR' that would shut off power completely from all devices when they were switched off ($1650)? Or how about this air-cleaner device that would keep the air inside nice and aromatic <"I'm sure you noticed your air here is a bit musty">? Oh, we don't use the AC? That's okay, it just needs the fan to run. How about I sign up right now and he could throw in that KVAR and the air-freshener for free? How about if the price dropped to $8000? Ok, final, rock bottom price - $5,999! How about that! Still no, looks like we a referee now; <calling out loudly> 'Madam, we need you here, could you please come over and look at these great prices?'
As you can imagine, I was getting irritated by the minute, and by this last I got up and asked him to leave. "Oh, by 'we are done here' do you mean we have a deal? Lets shake!" My daughters had snuck up and were watching, so I did not want to give them the idea that this guy had got under my skin, so I was smiling when I kept repeating he needed to go, but barely so.
Then he goes over all his above offers once again, then asks what could he offer so I'd sign up, and is surprised when I ask him if he had a problem hearing me, or reading my lips - "Sir, I get a feeling you are trying for a better price, so why don't you go right ahead and name your price?". Then, "...oh, my back! I am not sure I can stand up right now; it's killing me..."
Finally when I get him to the door, he says, "so the Mrs is going to cook some home-made food now? Maybe you could invite me....?" When I bid him goodnight instead, he moans, "Ok, so I better get home and buy some frozen dinner and pop it into the the microwave....", then glancing at my face to see if that had softened me, "So do you want to talk prices now?"
So that was 90 minutes of my life I'm not getting back, but in hindsight it was pretty funny. I wonder if that solar water-heater idea is worth my while looking up.
. Like my wife says, how do these companies find such like-minded employees? I am not sure it's easy to train just anybody to be such a single-minded nuisance 
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