Sometimes it's the truth, sometimes it's the politest available exit, and from the outside they're indistinguishable. Either way the call isn't dead: you're talking to someone who knows exactly who decides and what that person worries about.

The instinct to apologize and ask for a transfer wastes the moment. Nobody transfers a cold call. What they will do, if you make it easy, is tell you about the real buyer.

Take the pressure off first: “That's fine, I'm not selling you anything today.” The deflection was armor; once you're not a threat, the conversation opens back up.

Then recruit them as a scout: “If this landed anywhere here, who'd own it? What would they want to know?” You're not asking for an intro, which costs them something. You're asking for a map, which costs nothing and flatters what they know.

Close by earning the name's use: “If I mention you and I spoke, fair or no?” A borrowed name turns the next cold call warm, and asking permission is what keeps it honest.

“You'd have to talk to my boss.” An opening, not a wall. Ask what the boss would push back on; you just got the first objection in advance.

“Send it over and I'll forward it.” A forward is where decks go to die. Trade: ask one question first, so the forward travels with a sentence of context from them.

“We have a committee for that.” Committee means process. Ask when it meets and what gets things onto its agenda; that's the buying process, told for free.