Cold call from 'Studio London'

[IDB1]

Just had a call from these people, out of the blue.. the lad on the phone sounded surprised I'd not heard of them and didn't know what they wanted..

Tried tellling me I'd been specially selected (with a guest) to go to their studio (in London) for a photoshoot and make-over..

Quickly got him off the phone, possibly a little abrupt

A quick Google reveals

I just want to warn other people about this. And hopefully, when people search google with 02075800818 or 02075803229, or Studio London, this thread should come up, and hopefully allow others to avoid this company.

Basically, Studio London cold call you (from one of the numbers above) and either tell you a friend has referred you, or you have won a competition for a free photo shoot worth £150. They tell you you get champagne, canapes, your hair and makeup done by professionals, then get your photos taken in their modern studio, all making it sound fairly attractive. Albeit, it is not something that I would book for myself, but I booked it for something for the Mrs to enjoy. You have to pay an £80 deposit to confirm your place. When you cancel or re-arrrange your booking, the deposit becomes non-refundable.

You spend your day on a glorified conveyor belt, but spend most of it waiting around in the dingy studio along with ten or twenty other people. The whole process takes between 4 to 6 hours, of which 3 or 4 is spent waiting like lemmings.

After the cheap makeup and hair styling with amateurs, and the photo shoot, you go through for your private viewing session. This is where they ask you to 'recommend' people, so you fill out a form giving them the numbers of your friends. Don't do this! This is how they get their numbers for cold calling, and you don't want to inflict this on your friends. For the viewing session you sit in a private room, and you go through your photos one by one. The employee sat with you will try to give you the hard sell routine and they'll inform you of all their packages, while slipping in that each print costs £70. At the end, when you've narrowed it down to a few goods photos, they'll pretend to be doing you a favour and drop it down to £50. Wow, thanks mate.

I highly recommend you avoid this company, and if you want some professional photos, go to a more boutique and professional outfit than Studio London who are ripoff merchants considering the poor service that they provide.

Just in case anyone else gets the same thing and (heaven forbid) is tempted

 

[suburbanreuben]

"Waiting like lemmings"?
I thought they had a reputation for being impetuous little rodents.

 

[cyfa2809]

my best line yet is 'theyre on holiday'
'how long for?'
'erm a few months, maybe a couple years'
'ok cheers'

 

[mikee]

when i put your name down ian i thought you'd appreciate it

i dunno some people

 

[Tad]

I got cold called by some idiot trying to cancel all my debt...

He asked me if I was a homeowner, I got all "how very dare you" and accused him of being homeownerphobic, it did make me laugh

Keep them on the phone as long as possible and waste as much of their time as you can, toy with them, it's great fun.

 

[IDB1]

I used to keep cold-callers on the phone as long as poss. . .

It's not that often anyone gets me on the phone now and, when they do, I usually just want them gone el pronto

 

[cyfa2809]

reminds me of this

http://www.419eater.com/index.php

some great fun to be had there, now i just sit, waiting to scam the scammers :twisted: :twisted:

 

[gibbleking]

reminds me of this

http://www.419eater.com/index.php

some great fun to be had there, now i just sit, waiting to scam the scammers :twisted: :twisted:

one of my all time fav websites..
the best being how they scammed a scammer into giving him a free holiday and flights...fabulous..

 

[marin man]

I have seen a little pic of you Ian you really should have gone mate

 

[IDB1]

I have seen a little pic of you Ian you really should have gone mate