How I made a door-to-door alarm salesman vanish. What do you do?
Posted on July 7th, 2009 – 10:43 AMBy James Shiffer
It was a sultry summer evening in south Minneapolis. I was helping my son and his friend from across the street look for bugs underneath rocks in my front yard. A young man with a stubbly beard walked up my steps and crossed my lawn.
“Is this your home?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered, antennae twitching. I noticed his gray tennis shirt had a corporate logo on it, and that he held a binder in his hands.
“How long have you lived here?”
“Who are you?” I said. I’m sure he could almost taste the hostility in the air, but he kept smiling. He said he was selling alarm systems for Pinnacle Security and that in this neighborhood –
I cut him off. “Do you have a city solicitor license?”
Mr. Pinnacle Security, who still hadn’t told me his name, opened his binder and out came the scripted response, “Yes, I know that the city of Minneapolis requires a license for soliciting, just like many cities…” He flipped through his binder, “Okay here’s the one for Blaine.” He flipped back and forth a few times. “It must have slipped out,” he said, his grin never waning.
“You know, it’s illegal to go door-to-door in Minneapolis without a solicitor’s license,” I said. “I could call the cops on you right now.”
“But I’m in a good mood,” I lied.
“I’ll make sure I get the license before I do any more soliciting,” he lied.
Then he shook my hand and moved rapidly off my lawn and down the street.
Having blogged about fast-talking door-to-door alarm salesman before, I feel some pity for those who wander onto my property. I would gladly install an alarm system that would repel alarm system peddlers, who come around much more often than burglars. I find it unlikely that Pinnacle Security will offer that product any time soon.
I did check with the city of Minneapolis’s business licensing department (612 673-2080) and found that Pinnacle Security does have a valid solicitor’s license. The company’s web site allows you to look up an individual rep’s identification number to confirm that he or she works for the company. As the web site describes it:
Any legitimate door-to-door representative of Pinnacle Security will be happy to show you his employee ID number. You can look up their license status and verify their identity from this page. It’s just another way Pinnacle Security watches out for you.
Now I know - demand an ID number, in addition to the solicitor license. Whistleblower learns more every day about how to defend his home from the marketers laying siege to it.
So how do you deal with door-to-door solicitations?
49 Responses to “How I made a door-to-door alarm salesman vanish. What do you do?”
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July 7th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
No question about it - some door-to-door salespeople are bothersome and pushy. I might also add that some are not bothersome and pushy, and are trying to make a living in tough times, doing a job that’s incredibly difficult, basically 12 hours a day of cold calling, running the risk of dog bites every minute of the day.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
If I’m inside, it’s simple, I don’t even answer the door. That’s what windows and peepholes are for. If I’m outside, then I’m not the homeowner, and I have no idea when they’ll be back.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Get over it. The economy is bad, these people are trying to make a living. Just politely tell them you are not interested.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I live on Xerxes S. and I think the same rep came to my house. Very nice, but extreeeeeeeeeeamly pushy.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Tim H:
Actually, in Crystal, even religious types have to register:
Non-profit organizations and free expression exemption. Any organization, society, association, or corporation with a non-profit status approved by the state or federal government desiring to solicit or to have solicited in its name money, donations of money or property, or financial assistance of any kind or desiring to sell or distribute any item of literature of merchandise for which a fee is charged or solicited from persons other than members of such organizations for a charitable, religious, patriotic, or philanthropic purpose by going from house to house, door to door, business to business, street to street, or other type of place to place, or when such activity is for the purpose of exercising that person’s state or federal constitutional rights relating to the free exercise of religion or speech, is exempt from the licensing requirements of subsection 1160.03, provided there is a registration filed in writing on a form to be provided by the city clerk which contains the following information:
a) Organization’s name and specific cause for which exemption is sought;
b) Names and addresses of the officers and directors of the organization;
c) Period during which solicitation is to be conducted;
d) Whether or not any commission, fee, wages, or emoluments are to be expended in connection with such solicitation and the amount thereof; and
e) Names and addresses of all persons involved in canvassing efforts.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I tell people that no matter how much I may love their product, I will never buy anything from a door-to-door salesperson. I’d love to see a “Do not knock” law go in to effect someday.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I agree that the bible thumpers are the worst! Anyone know if you can use the solicitor license angle on them in Dakota county?
July 7th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Does anyone know if a solicitor’s license is required in St. Paul? As a city resident, that would be to know.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I have a homemade no solicitors sign that explicitly says no religious sects or politicians. Its most funny to watch the religious people. They start up the drive all calm and collected. See the sign and they damn near run back down the drive.
Also have a no handbilling sign. City told me I had to have the no handbilling sign if I didn’t want people leaving fliers on my door. Works for the most part. For those it doesn’t, I scan the flier and email it to a guy at the city. He calls the company and reiterates the city’s posted no handbilling rules.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
@The gentleman who was washing his rv when the salesman came on to him, did you ‘accidentally’ soak him? I would have.