Smitty
Silver Meritorious Patron
comment to gomorrhan
My very favorite tactic is to pick up the receiver, take the call, and when it's someone I don't want to hear from, put it down without hanging up, and go about my business. Every once in a while (say, every five minutes or so) I go back and see if they're still there. If they are, I tell them I have nothing but respect for their dedication, and could they just hang on for a few more minutes while I go to the bathroom, etc. The goal is to keep them on for as long as possible without getting a product and without having anyone to talk to.