# Dear Abby agrees with The Dope on survey phone callers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 7, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574 "2013-08-07T11:09:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/1 "2013-08-07T11:09:49Z")
I can’t help but feel this is worth sharing with The Dope.
Call Center worker writes, asking callees to show a little respect.
Dear Abby tells HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED (barely politely) to go to hell. 😃
[Harried Phone Survey Taker Pleads For A Little Respect](http://news.yahoo.com/harried-phone-survey-taker-pleads-little-respect-050036732.html)
> [@](#):
>
> DEAR HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED: I am not excusing poor manners, and I do sympathize with your position. But when companies make these incessant calls, they are entering people’s homes without being invited, and it can make some of them very angry, particularly if they have been interrupted while eating, working, napping or caregiving.
>
> The people you call might be less hostile if they hadn’t been called repeatedly and asked to participate in these surveys after they had refused four, five or six times and had asked not to be called again. They might be more polite if they hadn’t registered on a “Do Not Call” list that was ignored.
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/2 "2013-08-07T11:34:00Z")
Isn’t she dead?
AAaaaaaah!
---
### Author:  [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/3 "2013-08-07T12:18:48Z")
I think someone should commission a telephone survey to find out how people feel about this.
---
### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/4 "2013-08-07T12:38:42Z")
Yikes. A five second Google search would have shown her that the national “do not call” registry only applies to telemarketers, not surveys. Regardless of how you feel about surveys, that’s some pretty impressive misinformattion for her to throw out in a nationally syndicated newspaper column.
---
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/5 "2013-08-07T13:44:33Z")
I’m surprised, since most people like to answer phone surveys. A few slimeballs try to get around the DNC rules by pretending to give a survey and then switching to a sales pitch, but I get one or two legitimate surveys a month.
---
### Author:  [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/6 "2013-08-07T14:40:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> I’m surprised, since most people like to answer phone surveys.
They do?
Once in a while I give in. I will begrudgingly answer short political surveys, but anything longer than a minute and I start to wonder why I am giving my time away free to some company that is being paid to collect the data.
---
### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/7 "2013-08-07T14:59:45Z")
Isn’t caller ID in every home/phone by now? Why does anybody bother to pick up the phone if it’s not somebody you know?
Let it go to voice mail if you’re not sure. Else hit the red button - Buh-bye.
---
### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/8 "2013-08-07T15:35:30Z")
I hate phone surveys, because whenever I have, in a moment of weakness, agreed to do one I find that they are political phone calls disguised as surveys.
“Do you think Proposition XYZ will end civilized life as we know it?”
“no”
“Would you change your mind if you knew that 4 out of 5 of your neighbors think it will end civilized life as we know it?”
“no”
“Were you aware that the only person in the world who supports Proposition XYZ is a pedophile rapist who murdered his own grandmother?”
“no”
“Does that knowledge influence your opinion about Proposition XYZ?”
“no”
Rinse and repeat about whatever axe they are trying to grind rather than finding out what people really think.
Roddy
---
### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/9 "2013-08-07T15:44:24Z")
I don’t mind surveys, usually. I do mind being lied to.
> [@](#):
>
> Phone: _ring ring_
>
> Me: Hello?
>
> Chirpy Operator: Would you like to take a brief survey?
>
> Me: Sure.
>
> Chirpy Operator: Are you a licensed driver over 18?
>
> Me: Yes.
>
> CO: Have you had any accidents or filed any claims in the last five years?
>
> Me: No.
>
> CO: Would you be interested in reducing your insurance rates by up to 15%?
>
> Me: _click_
constitutes being lied to.
Regards,
Shodan
---
### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/10 "2013-08-07T15:51:48Z")
I hate being lied to as well:
CO: “Would you be willing to take a _brief_ survey?”
Me: “Sure”
Fifteen minutes into what was as far as I can tell a real survey, and not a sales pitch…
Me: “We’ve been at this fifteen minutes, are we nearly done?”
CO: “I’m sorry sir, I don’t know how many more questions there are. It’s all done on my computer.”
Me: “I’m willing to answer three more questions, then we’re done.”
Three questions later…
Co: “Now sir, what would you say is your”
Me: “That’s it. Put me on your Do Not Call list. Goodbye.”
---
### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/11 "2013-08-07T16:29:19Z")
> [@pravnik](#):
>
> Yikes. A five second Google search would have shown her that the national “do not call” registry only applies to telemarketers, not surveys. Regardless of how you feel about surveys, that’s some pretty impressive misinformattion for her to throw out in a nationally syndicated newspaper column.
Clearly Abby didn’t buy the line HAPPY was trying to feed her about it being a “survey.”
---
### Author:  [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/12 "2013-08-07T16:32:12Z")
I agree with some of the other posters. If it actually was a brief survey, then I would take it. But it never seems to be.
I would define “brief” to be less than 3 minutes.
It seems that they have concluded that if they can ever get anyone to agree to actually take the survey, they need to extract as much information out of them is possible. Basically, just keep asking questions until they hang up.
---
### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/13 "2013-08-07T17:37:25Z")
> [@kunilou](#):
>
> Clearly Abby didn’t buy the line HAPPY was trying to feed her about it being a “survey.”
Possibly, but people who do opinion surveys do exist, and that was what “Happy” claimed he was, why would she have reason to disbelieve him? Even if she didn’t believe him for some reason, why didn’t she call him out on it? “Yeah, you _say_ you do opinion surveys, you’re actually a telemarketer, aren’t you? I bet you’re a pickpocket, too! Abby has a nose for telemarketers and pickpockets!” The far simpler explanation is that she just didn’t bother fact checking.
---
### Author:  [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/14 "2013-08-07T18:15:16Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> Isn’t caller ID in every home/phone by now? Why does anybody bother to pick up the phone if it’s not somebody you know?
>
> Let it go to voice mail if you’re not sure. Else hit the red button - Buh-bye.
I don’t have caller ID- and I’m job hunting, so just letting it ring isn’t a very good option.
There’s plenty of reasons, even in this day and age, why people could not have the number of an important call: workmen and delivery people don’t always call from the company main number; friends and family borrow phones or call from a helpful shop because they’ve had their bag stolen and need help- all kinds of stuff. I’m not going to ignore mine ringing just because it might be someone who wants to get something out of me, and I don’t see why I should have to. No call should be no call.
---
### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/15 "2013-08-07T18:20:07Z")
My impression is that Abby Dearest simply didn’t consider any distinction between telemarketers and phone surveyors (as opposed to **kunilou** ’s idea that she didn’t believe him); similar to the several responses above pointing out that most surveys are just (barely) disguised sales or political pitches. Her response focuses on the nuisance caused by uninvited callers.
The exemption for surveyors exists so that the Do Not Call laws will be compatible with First Amendment free speech rights (so far, so good . . . ) but it creates a loophole big enough to drive an entire telemarketing industry through. Said industry has abused this to such extremes that the (relatively few) honest players can’t or won’t self-police their own industry, and the whole telemarketing industry has been tarred by the abuses of the many.
Myself, I let them all go to my answering machine as **QuickSilver** suggests. But even then, I’ve gotten so much junk phone calls at times (mixture of telemarketing, “surveys”, and undeterrable bill collectors looking for somebody else) that it’s become a nuisance just to have to sit there, even at my leisure, and delete my way through them all.
ETA: I should add, though, that for me, the Do Not Call list has improved the situation by orders of magnitude. I only get a small fraction of the number of junk calls that I used to get several years ago before I signed up.
---
### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/16 "2013-08-07T18:29:28Z")
You’re doing it wrong.
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
>
> I hate phone surveys, because whenever I have, in a moment of weakness, agreed to do one I find that they are political phone calls disguised as surveys.
>
> “Do you think Proposition XYZ will end civilized life as we know it?”
> “no”
> “Would you change your mind if you knew that 4 out of 5 of your neighbors think it will end civilized life as we know it?”
> “no”
> “Were you aware that the only person in the world who supports Proposition XYZ is a pedophile rapist who murdered his own grandmother?”
> “no”
The proper response is:
“And your point is?” with an evil chuckle.
or even better
“Now there are two.”
If democrats call in this way, I quickly tell them they are wonderful, good luck, and hang up. When Republicans used to call I had a great time telling them why they sucked. I’m sure it never made it into their “survey” but it was fun.
---
### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/17 "2013-08-07T18:31:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> I don’t mind surveys, usually. I do mind being lied to.
> constitutes being lied to.
>
> Regards,
> Shodan
I’ve never gotten one of these. I have gotten surveys which are clearly done by one store or brand, which I can tell by them asking questions about this store or brand despite me saying I have nothing to do with it. But even then they never try to sell me anything. And I enjoy bad mouthing their store.
---
### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/18 "2013-08-07T18:56:05Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#):
>
> Isn’t she dead?
>
> AAaaaaaah!
Her daughter writes it now, I believe.
> [@pravnik](#):
>
> Yikes. A five second Google search would have shown her that the national “do not call” registry only applies to telemarketers, not surveys. Regardless of how you feel about surveys, that’s some pretty impressive misinformattion for her to throw out in a nationally syndicated newspaper column.
It’s about time for them to do so, then.
> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> I’m surprised, since most people like to answer phone surveys.
Since _when_?
As for Caller ID, they often show up as “unavailable”, or whatever, so that’s the only way to screen it. Unfortunately, every now and then, it’s been family members and friends who have ended up leaving voice mail.
The biggest, suckiest things out there are robocalls. THOSE should be illegal.
---
### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/19 "2013-08-07T19:09:15Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> I don’t mind surveys, usually. I do mind being lied to.
(professional market researcher here)
What you describe is not a survey, or a market research study. It’s what we, in the industry, call “sugging” ( **S** elling **U** nder the **G** uise of research). It’s unethical, and it makes it harder for us to do our jobs.
That said, relatively few market research companies (political pollsters are a notable exception) do “cold call” surveys at all anymore; too many people (though not everyone) have Caller ID now, and just don’t answer an unknown number, or they’re uninterested in participating.
As **pravnik** has already noted, the Do Not Call Registry does not apply to legitimate market research organizations.
---
### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574/20 "2013-08-07T19:15:53Z")
> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> My impression is that Abby Dearest simply didn’t consider any distinction between telemarketers and phone surveyors (as opposed to **kunilou** ’s idea that she didn’t believe him); similar to the several responses above pointing out that most surveys are just (barely) disguised sales or political pitches. Her response focuses on the nuisance caused by uninvited callers.
An understandable sentiment; she could have said “you should understand how unpopular uninvited calls are by considering the popularity of the Do Not Call registry for telemarkerters,” but what she said is that he and his surveying kind are ignoring the “Do Not Call” registry that doesn’t apply to surveys. That’s just flat out rookie-mistake-about-the-law wrong.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-abby-agrees-with-the-dope-on-survey-phone-callers/665574.md?page=2)