in defense of telemarketers

The BBQ Pit
1

In this thread, Angel of the Lord had people jumping all over her for being a telemarketer. Rather than hijack that thread further, here’s a new one.

I was a goddamn telemarketer for awhile (yes, that’s what I told people when they asked me what I did), trying to sell what I thought was a quality product (TurboTax, BTW–and we only called previous purchasers who had given the company their phone number, so :p). I was still called all sorts of names, some even more creative than what I’ve seen here. I had goobers waste my time gabbing at me for a half hour, and not buying (there goes that $2.50!), and others shout “you are invading my privacy!” So I know how it goes. Once we started selling things that were a scam, I got the hell out. If the product you sell is one you believe in, then you’re providing people with a service they might not otherwise get. Sure, it’s capitalistic. I see no problem with that. As long as you’re good at what you do and you do it with integrity, you hold your head up high, no matter what it is.
For y’all who don’t like telemarketers, fine. But they are trying to do an honest job (most of them), and they get enough shit from people. They don’t need more. As for the “privacy” issue, I’d like to lead you in a few verses of “Oh my god, that’s total bullshit.” If you’re watching TV and a commercial comes on, do you: a) watch patiently until your show comes back; b) change the channel to something else until the commercial break is over or c) call the TV station and cuss them out for wasting your time and invading your privacy?
Before you say, “oh, but it’s totally different!” remember, both commercials and telemarketing are interruptions into what you are (or are not) doing at the moment. They’re both trying to sell you something that you probably don’t need. You’re not under any obligation to listen to the pitch. Just think of telemarketers as “advertisers that provide one-on-one service.”

They’re marketing under the same assumption that everyone who markets to the masses does: that the majority of people don’t know what they want until they’re told. And don’t try to tell me that’s not true–Movies, TV, Fashion…damn near all consumer goods are hyped up so that the masses will think they want it. That’s what advertising is all about.

And telemarketing is just highly-concentrated advertising.
And if you don’t want them to call you, don’t give your number out anywhere. Online, when you return warranty cards, anywhere. And when you do get a call, tell them to remove you from their list. By law, they’re required to, though it usually takes 6-8 weeks.

2

Ahem. Shields up, everybody.

3

No shit. Your phone number is public information, so it’s up to you to make sure that people can’t get their hands on it. I pay for an unlisted number, and have gotten maybe five telemarketing calls in the past year.

4

Well, I guess I’d better back myself up here.

To the brain trust who “researched my neighborhood” and decied that “my house would be the perfect one to show an amazing new vinyl siding”. Oh, you mean my BRICK house?

To Capital One, how many times must I tell you I don’t want your fucking credit card? I tried asking nicely and I’ve tried being a complete bastard,. You don’t take the hint, therefore I will continue to hurl vile insults at your drones.

To the Columbia House DVD Club, see above.

To the window company, see above.

To the magazine subscription people, see above.

Do you see a fucking trend here?

THERE IS NO “DO NOT CALL” LIST

GO AWAY!!

GET A REAL JOB!!
Be a whore, then I would have MORE respect for you.

5

Sorry. no dice. I have a phone for my convenience, not yours. Listed/unlisted for my convenience, not yours. If I’m interested in a product, I’ll come to you. You’re free to assume that if I haven’t done so, I’m not interested.

And, of course you were one of the ‘nice’ ones, that only called when some one put themselves on a list etc.

I run a business. Our number has to be published for our business to remain in business. I get 20 calls per week from people trying to sell bogus copier products, phone services etc. Have I asked to not be called absolutely every mother fucking time.

They’re costing me time and effort, preventing me from working, even if it was ‘only’ for a second.

you don’t have that right.

And, for those poor folks home from work 'cause they’re ill, or work midnights, there’s the never ending fucking stream of them.

and many won’t take no for an answer “come on, who doesnt’ want to save money on their phone service”.

so, if you choose an occupation where you make your living by intruding on other people w/o their permission, deal with the fact that many will consider you vermin.

6

Ok, I don’t particularly LIKE telemarketers. In the other thread I mentioned that I have call ID, as well as forced display (or whatever your local phone company calls it), both of which I pay for. I am on quite a few DNC lists as well.

However, my dislike of being phoned at home by a person selling a product in no way entitles me to be an ignorant shit. If you don’t want any, say you don’t want any and hang up. Period. Swearing, cussing, calling people stupid, telling them to get a real job - come on people - can we grow up a bit here?

Frankly I think that some people are ignorant to telemarketers because they can be. If you want to judge a society, see how they treat their weakest member. I think telemarketers count on that score. They have no power. They have no prestege. Nobody particularly likes them. I don’t think that being civil when you say no should be such a huge frikin’ trial.

Ok, that being said, blessedwolf, I don’t think you can complain about people keeping a telemarketer on the phone and then not buying. Number 1 - you phoned them. Number 2 - they have the right to get more information about your product before they decide if they want it or not. Number 3 - You can’t complain when people aren’t civil, and then complain when they are as well - perhaps the 1/2 hour chatter just has trouble saying no, and it takes that long to get the nerve up.

Fin.

7

Really? Someone did that?

HAHAHAHAHA! Cripes, if you’re going to lie, at least make it a good one!

Telemarketers, get it through your head. You’re no better than door-door salesman, only its a lazier job since they don’t make you get off your ass. Therefore it is even more annoying.

And no, its not the same as TV. My TV is for entertainment and I know it is subsidised in large part by commercials. I also know when my show is going to be on and I will adjust my schedual if necesarry to watch it. I do not know that the phone call at 6, just as I sit down for dinner is someone with a FANTASTIC OFFER I CANNOT REFUSE!!

Fuck off already. I’ll be polite enough on the phone but if you persist I’ll hang up in your ear. And yes, I am glad you have a job, albeit a shitty one.

8

Uh… I mis-spelled “schedule” on purpose, just so you know…

[sub]yeah, my spelling sucks.[/sub]

9

On the other hand when a commercial comes on the television, one does not have to run in from the front yard or to jump out of bed in a panic or to leave a damp trail from the tub in order to deal with it. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

I try not to be totally rude to telemarketers. I have a lot more fun messing with their minds. One time this guy kept repeating that he was not selling anything and that it was just a courtesy call. When I found out he really WAS selling something, I figured I could screw with him with a guiltless conscience!

Me: Your company has called me three times in the last 2 weeks. If you keep calling me I am considering taking legal action.

Telemarketer: Oh you can’t do that. You haven’t said The Words.

Me: (Puzzled) Excuse me? The Words?

TM: That’s right. You have to request to be put on our do-not-call list.

Me: Well I don’t want to be on any more of your lists.

TM: (kind of smugly) Then we can call you as many times as we want without reprisal.

Me: Ah, but that would not be courteous, would it? I mean, this is a courtesy call, isn’t it?

TM: (hangs up)

True story :slight_smile:

10

alice I generally am polite. However, when I’ve said “no, please take me off your call list” and they keep at it, they’ve earned my wrath.

When they call my business and lie through their fucking teeth, saying ‘yea, I’m your copier supply guy and I’m at the warehouse and the price of toner is going to go up like double and …’, and I ask “what kind of copier do I have?” and they reply “don’t you know?” and I say “yes, but I want to see if **you ** do?” and they call me a bitch? this is ok?

Polite is a two way street. When you’ve come uninvited to my home, or have interrupted my work schedule for your purposes, not mine, you’ve already come down hard on the ‘less than perfectly polite’ side of the street. So, while it’s not my personal style to cuss 'em out, I don’t have a problem w/Snookie who does.

11

I generally use that time to go to the bathroom, get a snack, read my mail or email, brush the cat, and so on. Can I do that during the telemarketer’s sales pitch?

12

The difference is, you see commercials on TV when you’re already watching TV. You don’t get telemarketers on the phone when you’re already on the phone. You’re usually doing something else.

My boss once tried to get me to do sales calls. I left 30 long messages on my home answering machine and told him I had no takers.

13

Don’t get me wrong: I’m just as annoyed by telemarketers as the next guy. But you’re wrong, wring, technically.

Can you think of any other human activity that more people want outlawed than telemarketing? And you know why it hasn’t been outlawed? Because it’s covered by the First Amendment.

So, he has the legal right, wring, if not the, um, moral right, or whatever covers common courtesy.

14

Of course not.

But if it’s not ok for them to rude, why does it make it ok for you*? Because they started it? Ya know, in every situation someone has to be the bigger person. Apparently, it’s not going to be these telemarketers, so who does that leave?

Just my 2 cents. (Where is that blasted cents key?!?!)

*Not YOU per say, more of the collective “I’m rude to telemarketers” you

15

OK, I see two distinct chains of thought here.

  1. The phone exists for the convenience of the owner.

  2. Many feel obligated (esp. those such as Wring who are referring to a business line) to answer any incoming calls, thus being inconvenienced by telemarketers.

Wring, in a business situation I see your point. The convenience of a phone is overridden by your companies commitment to the public it serves (in whatever capacity it does so). However, in my home with my happy little unlisted number, I lean more towards #1 then #2. The phone is for my convenience, and I don’t go running in from the yard, or leap out of the bath, or otherwise discomfort myself to answer it. If I’m about to put on a really good movie, I might even turn down the ringer. I have another convenience in the form of an answering machine, but that’s beside the point.

If they have wasted my time by calling me, I’ve shown complicity by answering the damn thing in the first place. Having just sat down to a nice hot meal, do I really need to ruin it by getting up? If it’s good news, I’m sure Publisher’s Clearing House will call back. If not, it’s not like I’d know I missed it. If it’s bad news, well, I should at least have one last good meal in me if the rest of my evening is going to be that bad. If someone I love is in trouble, I’d expect them to call again until I did pick up (assuming I didn’t hear it on the answering machine as it recorded). Even telemarketers with only a quarter of a brain won’t typically do that, and I’d happily report them to my state Attorney General if they did.

What I will not do is fail to avail myself of any reasonable means to discourage telemarketers. I don’t feel upset in doing so, I’m avoiding sales pitches and other marketing tactics from the moment I wake up in the morning. Radio, TV, Magazines, Billboards, it goes on and on. I could get depressed about the pervasiveness of it all if I thought too much about it, but overall I think I’ve struck a balance in my life of what I can tolerate versus those luxuries I don’t wish to live without. I’m not giving up my email, web surfing, television, or telephone. I will make each of those devices as private as I can with the most minimal amount of effort, and I will accept the remaining interruptions as the price we must pay for their continued existence. Because each of those mediums failed to subsist on a direct provider-customer relationship a long time ago. We pay for a good deal of our lives in advertising, or we don’t receive the benefits of the products they represent.
I’m shutting up now, since I’ve wander way the hell off the sidelines now.

inkblot

16

Rudeness can be a tactical decision. Wring is not just being inconvenienced, he’s defending the profitability of his business from lost time and revenue to outright fraud (depending on the kind of call he gets, from the different ones he’s described). In that situation, he’s empowered to employ whatever means he feels necessary to drive his point home. In the case of attempted fraud he describes, I think he’s handling it quite efficiently. Instead of arguing with them, or trying to reason with someone using deception, he quickly forces their hand and moves on.

I know you’re speaking of the more collective “you” here, but the point is, we’re all in different situations. I just outlined how I feel about things in a post above, but it doesn’t apply to anyone else in this thread. Nor should it. How important I view my phone in my life applies to me, and if others find it a useful guide, great, that’s why I posted. But others have equally legitimate views, and different situations to work from. If you’re a medical professional, your phone is a lot more important than mine in case of medical emergency, and you don’t need to waste time with telemarketers. When my wife worked for a hospital, they called home before they paged her, so she had to answer the phone. That extra time counted. Now, she’s working for a private practice and doesn’t take call. So, we can afford to be more relaxed.

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the whole “someone needs to be a bigger person” part. Maybe I can, let’s try: In my mind, rudeness is justified towards those I feel deserve it. Arbitrary, but there it is. To be rude is a tactic I may employ in anger, but will always be tempered in cause. If I feel the most effective way to deal with a market is rudely, and I feel so inclined, I shall and I shall not feel belittled by it.

Looking at this, I think I’m employing an “ends justify the means” defense. I’m interested to hear your, and other’s, opinion on this.

inkblot, enjoying the debate born from a rant.

17

Rudeness can be a tactical decision. Wring is not just being inconvenienced, he’s defending the profitability of his business from lost time and revenue to outright fraud (depending on the kind of call he gets, from the different ones he’s described). In that situation, he’s empowered to employ whatever means he feels necessary to drive his point home. In the case of attempted fraud he describes, I think he’s handling it quite efficiently. Instead of arguing with them, or trying to reason with someone using deception, he quickly forces their hand and moves on.

I know you’re speaking of the more collective “you” here, but the point is, we’re all in different situations. I just outlined how I feel about things in a post above, but it doesn’t apply to anyone else in this thread. Nor should it. How important I view my phone in my life applies to me, and if others find it a useful guide, great, that’s why I posted. But others have equally legitimate views, and different situations to work from. If you’re a medical professional, your phone is a lot more important than mine in case of medical emergency, and you don’t need to waste time with telemarketers. When my wife worked for a hospital, they called home before they paged her, so she had to answer the phone. That extra time counted. Now, she’s working for a private practice and doesn’t take call. So, we can afford to be more relaxed.

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the whole “someone needs to be a bigger person” part. Maybe I can, let’s try: In my mind, rudeness is justified towards those I feel deserve it. Arbitrary, but there it is. To be rude is a tactic I may employ in anger, but will always be tempered in cause. If I feel the most effective way to deal with a market is rudely, and I feel so inclined, I shall and I shall not feel belittled by it.

Looking at this, I think I’m employing an “ends justify the means” defense. I’m interested to hear your, and other’s, opinion on this.

inkblot, enjoying the debate born from a rant.

18

Or a service they might not otherwise want - and if they want/need it, I’m sure they will seek it out. :rolleyes:

Telemarketing being protected under " Freedom of Speech" - yep that’s what the Founding Fathers were concerned with protecting.

I would accept telemarketing as being legitimate if I didn’t have to pay $15.00 a month for phone service. I understand that Junk Mail is the price of having the USPS deliver to my home, Spam is the price of a Hotmail account.

As for the “don’t ever give your number out” excuse, I don’t. There are code dialers, computers, etc. This is a lame argument. “Oh, see you gave your bank your phone number so you MUST have wanted us to try to sell you our fine product”.

19

Here’s my big question:

If your time is so valuable as to merit not being disturbed, then why do you bother spending so much time with the people who disturbed you? This is a sign of weak character, and significant stupidity, regardless of intent. I pity all who attempt to harass telemarketers. Hanging up is the logical choice.

20

But they called you at home, damn it! If someone comes into your house uninvited, they can’t have any expectation of courteous treatment from you. They have to be polite (as polite someone can be whilst invading your life for no good reason) and professional because they are the ones getting paid for the exchange. I have to be pleasant and considerate all damn day - at work, with family, with friends…why do I have to grit my teeth and grudgingly accept the intrusions of strangers when I have my jammies on and the phone rings right at the good part of Buffy and it’s some annoying jerk trying to sell my some useless crap I don’t need?

**

There doesn’t have to be a bigger person in this situation because they don’t have to fucking call me in the first place!! This is not an interaction between two interested parties trying to reach an amicable solution. I don’t want a goddamn thing from this person except for them to leave me the hell alone.