# I am a telefundraiser
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [December 14, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734 "2002-12-14T15:41:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/1 "2002-12-14T15:41:20Z")
I just got a job calling people – preferably during dinner time – to ask them for money. It feels a little odd. But I’m calling on behalf of good things like PBS or the Sierra Club, not scummy things like unsecured credit cards, time-shares or CDs not available in any stores, so at least I feel like I’m using my powers for good instead of evil.
Last night was my first night on the phones. I successfully brought in my first donation, which has me pretty stoked. Forty bucks. She initially offered 35, then added five more with no prompting whatsoever. Then I had to sit through several minutes during which she talked about why she doesn’t believe in credit cards. Such are the hazards of this job.
I was also told to drop dead by this old guy.
I wasn’t really offended; it was more funny than anything. Thing is, he told me to drop dead because I had called him while he was watching a good TV show. That’s an attitude I can definitely respect! 😛
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### Author:  [@ILENSER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ILENSER)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/2 "2002-12-14T16:09:56Z")
I gave at the office 🙂
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### Author:  [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/3 "2002-12-14T17:12:26Z")
Congrats! Don’t let the abuse get to you… Ignore that stuff, and focus on the cool people. That’s my advice. Stay strong!!
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/4 "2002-12-14T18:20:45Z")
Abuse? Calling during dinner is abuse. Interupting a movie is abuse. Barging into your home uninvited is abuse.
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/5 "2002-12-14T18:36:33Z")
2003 will be, to the best of my knowledge, the centenary of telemarketing:
> [@](#):
>
> _Western Electrician_, September 12, 1903, page 203:
>
> **Advertising by Telephone.**
>
> A use of the telephone in the smaller cities which may be capable of extension if tactfully managed is indicated in the following interview with the manager of the dry-goods department of a store in Fairmont, Minn., printed in the Chicago Dry Goods Reporter:
> “Every town has a class of trade that thinks the home stocks are hardly good enough, and when they want their choicest merchandise they get aboard the train and visit the nearest metropolis. Several times in the past we have planned special sales in order to catch this very class of people–the bon ton–but have always suffered defeat in a greater or less degree. Not so long ago we arranged to have a representative of a high-class manufacturer of suits and waists visit our store for a short period. We asked him to bring a line of first-class goods, which even the swell trade could not find occasion to find fault with. When he arrived we telephoned every woman in town whose trade we had had trouble in winning for their best apparel. They listened to our argument, and in nearly every case promised us over the telephone to look over the line of samples. Women enjoy seeing nice things, and after we had notified them they seemed willing enough to pay our store a visit and examine what we had to show. The result of our efforts was to sell more to the bon-ton trade than we had ever been able to at any past time. We attribute success to the telephone, as we were able to talk personally with the lady we wanted to visit the store, and she could not well do otherwise than consent to at least see what was being shown. After we had them in the store they found it a hard proposition to do anything else than buy if they were in need of garments. By the old way of advertising we could not secure an acceptance of our invitation to look over the line. Letters required physical effort to answer. Personal visits by us to the home of the desired customer were hardly possible. Sending clerks or errand boys does not result in so much effective returns. The object is to secure a positive acceptance or declination from the lady herself by one of the firm. The telephone does this in a more successful manner than any other plan we have ever tried.”
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/6 "2002-12-14T18:37:37Z")
Since you are using your powers to annoy me with unwanted phone calls, I’m afraid you are using them for evil, after all.
Sorry, but if I give your organization money that will encourage other organizations to call me, asking for money. So don’t call me.
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/7 "2002-12-14T19:35:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by El\_Kabong \*
> \*\*Sorry, but if I give your organization money that will encourage other organizations to call me, asking for money. So don’t call me. \*\*
Well, you know, I don’t get to pick.
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### Author:  [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/8 "2002-12-14T19:44:12Z")
When you call me, I WILL say “oh shit” and hang up on you, I suggest getting a real job.
unclviny
(who does not do business with telemarketers, collection agencies or spammers)
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/9 "2002-12-14T20:20:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by unclviny \*
> \*\*When you call me, I WILL say “oh shit” and hang up on you, I suggest getting a real job.
> \*\*
What a great idea! That’s exactly what I was thinking over the course of the past few months as I churned out resumes in vain.
Say what you will, but when I was running out of savings and desperate for a job, who pulled my ass out of the fire? The telefundraisers. Not the “legitimate” businesses. Wasn’t good enough for them.
I hope I get the opportunity to call people during dinner whose companies wouldn’t give me the time of day.
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### Author:  [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/10 "2002-12-14T21:16:00Z")
Fair enough, but keep looking (I don’t want you joining “the dark side” permanently)
unclviny
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/11 "2002-12-14T21:27:06Z")
I used to donate to our local PBS stations (we have two in the are) regularly…until they started telephoning me. Since they didn’t remove my name from their lists after three (3) separate requests, I quit donating to them.
Yeah, it’s for a good cause, but that doesn’t mean that I like it, or will support those who use this method.
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### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/12 "2002-12-14T21:31:44Z")
Oh **Snooooopy** , hasn’t anybody warned you?
On this board, you can admit to having a more-than-just-friends relationship with your Rottweiler. You can 'fess up to dealing drugs to little kids. Shit, you can even admit to liking Barry Manilow, or worse (not that it gets much worse than _that_).
But all these ‘indiscretions’ pale into insignificance compared to the wrath that will now be heaped upon you as a **telefundraiser.**
There is only one unpardonable sin here at the SDMB…and you’ve committed it!! 😃😃😃
(Psst…I’m one too…but I learned my lesson earlier this year. There are some things you just DON’T tell).
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### Author:  [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/13 "2002-12-14T21:55:33Z")
As a telephone worker (no, not sex) I have a rant all worked up for the pit some day soon. Yep, it’s a rant about the people who answer the phone to me 😉 I am waiting for an especially shitty day at work before dropping it into the pit. Keep an eye out for it kambukta and Snoooopy!
You heard it here first kids!
[sub]Hi there, I am calling to let you know about an upcoming Pit-thread. This train wreck will only be available for a short period of time, so I am sure you would like to ensure your front row lawn chair as soon as possible. Can you give me your credit card number please?[/sub]
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### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/14 "2002-12-14T22:24:27Z")
I’ll be there **Iteki** if for no other reason than to help you reassemble after the board tears you to bits.
Are you sure you’re feeling brave (or masochistic) enough?? 😃
(Oh, and I can give you a better deal on the deck chairs than Iteki…and we take AmEx as well!)
😛
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### Author:  [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/15 "2002-12-14T22:27:28Z")
Good luck, Snooooooooooop. Don’t let them break you.
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### Author:  [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/16 "2002-12-14T22:32:54Z")
Here’s another “no” vote from someone who’s actually stopped supporting some worthwhile nonprofits because they persist in engaging in telephone solicitation. One caller for my local PBS station actually accused _me_ of being abusive when I explained to him that I refuse to donate to any organization that uses telemarketing. This, after he interrupted my dinner.
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/17 "2002-12-15T06:59:10Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kambuckta \*
> \*\*There is only one unpardonable sin here at the SDMB…and you’ve committed it!! 😃😃😃
> \*\*
But … but … but I’m still better than a troll … right?
Right?
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### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2002, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/18 "2002-12-15T07:06:27Z")
Wrong. Sorry. Trolls don’t ring at dinnertime. We Telemarketers/fundraisers/canvassers are _far_ worse than your average troll. Trolls might take up bandwidth, but according to the general population, we use _oxygen_ to which we are not entitled.
😃
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/19 "2002-12-15T17:52:48Z")
The next time a telemarketer calls me, I will have to greet him or her with a show of solidarity – “Hello, my fellow phone soldier!” or something like that.
But I won’t be shelling out any money. Telemarketers never have anything I want to buy.
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### Author:  [@Swinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swinger)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-a-telefundraiser/142734/20 "2002-12-15T18:15:27Z")
At my house, telemarketers are almost always just hung up on without a word. I have no sympathy or tolerance for people who waste my time calling me trying to get me to part with my money. Even if they’re “just doing their job”, and especially when they call at 9 in the morning on a Saturday, or while I’m trying to eat. Its annoying and inconsiderate, and a piss-poor way to try to get on my good side.
No offense meant to **Snooooopy** or **kambuckta** …I’m sure you’re good people, and you are, after all, just doing your job. 😉
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