Midnight calls, free ‘gifts’: 6 high-pressure sales tactics UAE residents should watch out for – News

Some Tips on How to Withstand the Annoyance of a High-Pressure Salesperson

Have you ever been harassed by an aggressive salesperson? The kind of person who wouldn’t refuse to answer? Ever had a telemarketing agent call you in the middle of an important meeting, and your sudden hang up didn’t stop them from cold calling? Such a person, nothing seems to stop.

Sometimes, you may find them extremely annoying but don’t know what to do with them. Here are some tips to help you deal with high-pressure salespeople.

Buying a home can be a daunting experience. Unfortunately, some realtors exacerbate this feeling. Ask anyone who has been to an open house and they will tell you how they get flooded with requests from numerous agents, bombarding them with invitations to attend the launch and tour the building.

While some buyers may appreciate the extra attention, others find the constant phone calls and emails annoying and intrusive.

One potential homebuyer recounted how a real estate agent recently messaged him after midnight asking about his interest in a property. “He made it look like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that couldn’t wait until the morning,” the man said.

“Real estate agents should remember that their primary role is to provide guidance and support to their clients, not force them into decisions they are not happy with,” said Bradley Norris, managing director of Dubai-based Sycamore Real Estate

IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember that pushy realtors will talk you into buying a home over budget because they are focused on the commission check and not on your needs. The higher the price, the higher the commission.

Unexpected phone calls promising gift baskets are all too common in Dubai, but residents have the hard way to discover that many of them are simply a ploy to lure them into high-pressure sales pitches for timeshare packages. In order to claim the prize, you will need to visit the hotel with your family and attend a short presentation.

Unfortunately, these demos drag on for hours and invariably contain misselling, resulting in many residents falling prey to the company’s promises. These include lifetime memberships that promise access to the world’s top resorts and hotels, free gym memberships and concert tickets, among other perks.

However, these promises always fall through, leaving residents with nothing but regrets.

It is also not uncommon for sales agents to open lines of credit or sign contracts under duress without customers’ knowledge or consent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Beware of phone calls telling you that you have won a hamper and will need to go with your family to the hotel to pick it up.

Outsourced banking agents are often like eager beavers, constantly looking for new clients to sign up for credit cards and bank loans. Since they aren’t technically on the bank’s payroll, they probably don’t care much about the bank’s reputation or customer satisfaction. Their main goal is to sell as many credit cards and loans as possible in order to earn a commission.

These agents may coldly call people and insist on selling their product even if the potential client isn’t interested. Some may not take rejection and may continue to call people with balance transfer requests or ask for referrals, forcing you to share the names and contact information of family and friends who may be interested in banking products.

Important: As a consumer, you have the right to decline offers and say no to any referral requests. Always remember that you are in control of your financial decisions and should feel empowered to make the choices that are best for you. Don’t feel pressured to make a decision on the spot – take your time to evaluate offers and make a choice that meets your financial goals.

Next on our list are EdTech telemarketers who use predatory tactics to force parents to enroll their children in online courses. Sales executives at these companies are under intense pressure from their bosses to close deals at any cost, even if it means resorting to mis-selling and deceit.

A parent in Dubai recounted her experience working at a leading edtech company where representatives would keep calling her 12-year-old son to sign up for classes. “Every time he called, I told them I wasn’t interested, but the calls never stopped. Eventually, I had to block the number. But it didn’t end there because he started calling from another number,” she said. explain.

In addition to unethical tactics, EdTech telemarketers often use FOMO (fear of missing out) to lure parents into enrolling their children in online courses. They create a false sense of urgency, and if they don’t sign up right away, they risk losing an opportunity that could change their child’s life.

Agents were also accused of hard-selling products to parents who couldn’t afford them, and refusing to unsubscribe even after repeated requests. Many of these courses appear as free trials or trial packages, but in reality they require parents to sign up for duplicate Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) authorizations or activate auto-debit without their knowledge.

Important: Be cautious when sharing your credit card details with online education providers, and always read the fine print before signing up.

If you invest in stocks, forex or cryptocurrencies, who hasn’t received a call promising a windfall? Saying no to these sales agents is not easy, many residents agree. Tell them you are busy and they will ask when you can call back. If you tell them you’re not interested at all, they’ll question your intelligence with a cold calling script with overly technical jargon. One sales agent might say, “Sir, you haven’t noticed the recent market volatility following the collapse of Bank of America.” Another might mention terms like “dividends,” “derivatives,” or “crypto wallet,” leaving potential investors in the dark. Investors feel overwhelmed. But it doesn’t stop there. Some of these sales agents may insist on meeting with you in person to share their company’s investment forecasts, which are often exaggerated or misleading. They may even send them , promises to help you make money, but in reality, they are only interested in closing deals to earn a commission or bonus. Once you engage with these sales agents, they will hunt you down with follow-up calls to force you to invest.

Important note: Investing should be a well-researched decision, not a quick fix for a potential windfall. Fraudulent companies may trick you into believing they are regulated when in fact they are not. So, do your due diligence and don’t let pushy sales agents dictate your financial future.

We’ve all met those perfume sellers lurking around the mall, ready to pounce on unsuspecting shoppers with sprays and scent sticks. Don’t get us started on their persuasive sales tactics. No matter what time of year it is, they always seem to have some sort of one-off special – three or four bottles of fragrance for the price of one. Just when you think you’ve resisted their siren call, they throw in air fresheners and car fragrances to sweeten the deal. Like they know exactly how to push our buttons. Let’s give credit where it’s due. These people are like Jedi masters of persuasion. It’s not easy to walk away from them without feeling a little tempted.

Important note: If you like these fragrances, buy them, not just because you’re afraid of missing out on limited-time deals. Remember, the offer is still available if you decide to visit the location later this year or even the following year.

Disclaimer: The lists of salespeople mentioned in this article are not meant to ridicule any profession or suggest aggressive sales tactics to all individuals working in these fields. We recognize the professionalism and integrity with which many salespeople perform their work, and we respect their efforts to provide valuable products and services. However, the purpose of this article is to highlight some practices that some consumers find offensive and to encourage more ethical sales practices. We encourage readers to be vigilant when dealing with such salespeople and to carefully evaluate any offers or proposals they receive.