Retirement from business issues .001 percent unresolved.

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Retirement from business issues .001 percent unresolved.

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Spouse had a home-based collectible business for 28 years until one year ago and the phone # remains unchanged. I answer the phone on 99 percent of calls. Through me (or so they'd like it), three clients in particular badger him (age 76, getting more confused by the month) to "sell me just one more item, it's only one, and I'll pay highest price, aw come on now." They don't get by me because he's stated to them and to me that he's retired. I can't be home 100 percent of the time; he's resisting changing the phone #. Out of 11 phone calls on this topic last year, about 3 times he's given in to clients he's known for 20 years or more and regretted it.

They're avid collectors from all across the country; many know each other and pass along information among themselves, so they realize he's retired with still a large inventory. What is an effective way to tell them to buzz off? Appeals to their sense of appropriateness or kindness don't cut it with these bozos.

Elder Abuse

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Add a second home phone # (your cell phone?) and set the business phone to automatically go to voice mail so you can more easily monitor calls. But all those items will need to be dealt with eventually so you both should sit down to figure out how you want to go about it and begin the process.

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Fine idea to send the business phone # to my cell; he's slowly working towards the notion of selling out because he's cataloguing everything.

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Update: 2019 began with no calls from former clients in January, let's hope that keeps up.

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Can you tell them he gifted the business to a relative? You passed on their phone numbers & if the new owner wants he will contact them. Also how about blocking those persistent phone numbers. I do this on moms phone at no extra charge.

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Excellent idea re blocking - it's likely Comcast can do that if I ask them. The gifting fib could work; what would be first rate is to eliminate the old phone #, but he's clinging to it. Thanks.

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Great!

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Have thought about listing the items on EBay?

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Thanks for the swift reply. I have considered it; he still wants his inventory and maybe will in future sell out to ebay or a mainstream dealer.

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You can buy a phone which has the capability of blocking numbers. I have one and I can block 15 calls using the phone’s block feature on the device. New home phones are not too expensive (not a smartphone like an IPhone or Galaxy) just a regular phone for your home.
Not sure if Comcast will do this for you but it’s worth a try. If not, buying a new phone with block feature is an option. Be sure to read the box the phone comes in for that feature. I got mine at Walmart.

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Thanks and good idea re the simpler phone - it needs to be simple because he had a nice, rather complex phone that upped the volume so he could hear better which confused him.

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Answering machine. Turn off the ringer on the phone. Let the machine pick up all calls.

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Yes to this; unfortunately, Spouse saw the TV announce the name of the caller and wanted to know more because the name rang a small bell with him, but not his bad relationship with her. It was a lucky thing that he was able to be misdirected onto another topic.

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You could probably stop the dead beat customer with your new payment plan. 100% down- nothing left to pay. No exceptions.

Also, I would do a 500% mark up on items that she wants.

Between having to pay up front and through the roof she may get the point and go away.

I found that the least desirable clients are always the hardest to get rid of. We actually funded a large portion of our retirement by implementing the above. Yeah, I am willing to deal with you for 100k profit above and beyond my standard profit margin.

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A good war strategy, I'll think it over! She is polite enough and a stereotypical New York City person in her pushiness. I realize it's not true of all NYC citizens, but she has her goals set in stone.

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For blocking computer generated random calls to our landline, we've discovered nomorobo.com. it blocks a lot of the calls; phone gives a single ring, then blocked. Works for android and iPhones too. It's free, just go to the website and enter the numbers

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Thanks!

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Do not call list is a joke. You are on for five years and have to be added again.

They allow Charities, politicians, people u have done business with you, surveys...everyone u are trying to block.

Robo calls are illegal. Hard to pin down because they are able to show numbers not theirs.

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Yes, it's frustrating.

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Retirement from business issues .001 percent unresolved.

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