# in defense of telemarketers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 13, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942 "2002-06-13T22:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/61 "2002-06-14T15:31:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blessedwolf \* > \*_But one thing about the DNC list–it’s not universal. There’s no single list that you can get on keeping all telemarketers from getting your number. Most telemarketing companies are hired out by clients who want their product sold “directly” and are given their phone lists **by that company.** _ They’re programmed into a computer, called at random, and there you go. If you ask to be taken off the list, you get taken off _that_ list. I wish there were another way, and there’s legislation in the works to make it so. For each company that calls, there’s a new DNC list to get put on to. \*\* That to me is the biggest part of the problem. There are so many lists out there that no matter how many times I ask to be put on the DNC list I still seem to get the same number of calls. They might just be from different people. That and the fact that they have six weeks to remove you from the list when you ask. > [@](#): > > \*\* > > And is answering the phone _really_ that inconvenient? We’re not Pavlov’s dogs, people–if the bell rings, we don’t need to salivate–many of you have said “the phone is there for my convenience, and nobody else’s.” I agree with that, which is why when mine rings, I don’t rush to answer it unless I’m expecting a call. If I’m outside, or in the bathroom, or fixing dinner, I let it ring; I take my time, I screen my calls, because there’s a chance I don’t want to talk to whomever is calling. If it’s really important, they’ll leave a message–I can’t be the only one with voice mail. \*\* I don’t rush when the phone rings. But, as pointed out earlier in this thread there are people who do have to answer the phone every time it rings. And there are people who are trying to sleep, etc. during the day but can’t turn off their phone. Even when I can choose not to answer my phone it still disturbs me. > [@](#): > > \*\* > For all of you saying you get three, four, a hundred and eleventy-'leven calls a day, how many of those are from people who are actually polite? I get calls a lot also (there’s no insider group–even ex-telemarketers are not immune), and the vast majority of the people I am forced to take a minute and a half of my precious time for _won’t even rebut_ when I tell them I’m not interested. Hell, I was the nicest telemarketer a lot of people spoke to,\*\* but part of my job was to take a standard rejection and have be able to refute it. > Sure, there are a lot of rude telemarketers out there. But you don’t have to deal with them. “I’m not interested, thanks. \” is effective, and takes no more than seven seconds, even if you talk slowly. \*\* Sure, many of the telemarketers are polite. But if you are getting four calls a day then odds are you run into the rude ones quite often. And even if they are polite it is hard not to get angry when it is the same person calling three days in a row even after you have asked to be taken off the list. Also, it takes more the seven seconds to ask to be taken off the list as many to the telemarketers insist you have to be transferred to a supervisor or listen to three minute explanation in order to be removed from the list. Once again, it isn’t that I hate the people who have to make the calls specifically. I hate the companies that hire them. Unfortunately the only company person I get to talk to is the one who calls my house. I would never make a personal insult but I have been quite rude in the past and I am sure that I will be again. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/62 "2002-06-14T15:55:16Z")
I do not understand all the anger directed towards telemarketers. Here is a synopsis of every telemarketing call that comes into my house: Caller: Hello Im Joe Schmo yadda yadda yadda… Me: Thank you but I am not interested End of call :15 seconds. BIG DEAL. It seems to me that you people get way too uptight about a few calls. There are better things to get upset about. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/63 "2002-06-14T16:37:00Z")
When I was very young, fresh out of high school, I had a door-to-door job–I was the proverbial milkman, and that wasn’t too bad since I dealt with established customers. Once a week, though, I was required to go door-to-door solicting new business and that was a heart breaking experience. I hadn’t known people could be so rude. Later, I worked in retail, selling on a commission basis. I encountered people who would waste my time deliberately because they were early for a luncheon appointment, or were just killing time in general. I lost a lot of sales and therefore income to people like that. But, I was invariably polite. I was raised to be polite. I value politeness. Fifty years later, I am still polite, even to telemarketers. A simple “I am not interested, thanks,” followed by hanging up the phone does it for me. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/64 "2002-06-14T16:44:02Z")
**pez** - did you fucking read the complaints? Call after call. they’d call back after we told them to not call. they’d interrupt sleep, even after being told not to call. they’d interrupt my business, tying up my time and phone line, preventing me from conducting **my** business and for more than the ‘fifteen’ seconds you talk about. they’d lie they’d scam In one case, the MF called **back** a few moments later to say “well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…” after being told that they were waking up a midnight sleeper. rude begets rude. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/65 "2002-06-14T17:33:49Z")
Yup, **blessedwolf**. You’re a whore. You’re a parasite. You’re a Nazi. You’re the moral equivalent of a murderer and a rapist. You’re going to hell. Everyone calling you names is going to Heaven. Because, of course, they’re right and you’re wrong. And none of them are behaving like assholes. Because anyone calling someone else nasty hateful names must be doing so for a reason. And the reason is, undoubtedly, because they hold the moral highground. So just accept it. You might as well just die right now. Go on. I’m sure lots of folks in this here thread will help you tie the rope. Because you’re a whore. And a parasite. And you don’t deserve to live. Big kiss. ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/66 "2002-06-14T17:53:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Angel of the Lord \* > \*\*To all rude telemarketers out there: screw you. You called the person; you disturbed them; you should at LEAST be polite to them. Don’t swear at them, don’t hang up on them, don’t lie to them, don’t badger them, and if they’ve said they’re not interested (or, if you’re required to rebutt, if they say it twice), say “thank you for your time and have a nice day” and hang the hell up. > > Telemarketers have no right to be rude. Not for an unprovoked reason, and not for a provoked reason. > \*\* **Angel of the Lord** , I’m sure you’re a nice person and that you mean well. But there is \*\*no such thing \*\* as a telemarketer who is not rude. You are a rude telemarketer. It doesn’t matter how polite and professional your manner. Every time you disturb some total stranger at home, you are _being rude_. I appreciate that you don’t get short with the people you call, and I’m sure you get a lot of shit. But you get paid to harass people, and that is the Dog’s honest truth. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/67 "2002-06-14T17:53:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andros \* > \*\*Yup, **blessedwolf**. > > Because you’re a whore. > > \ > > Big kiss. \*\* That’ll be $5, big guy. And I didn’t even have to pick up the phone! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/68 "2002-06-14T18:32:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pezpunk \* > I do not understand all the anger directed towards telemarketers. Here is a synopsis of every telemarketing call that comes into my house: > > Caller: Hello Im Joe Schmo yadda yadda yadda… > Me: Thank you but I am not interested > End of call > > :15 seconds. BIG DEAL. It seems to me that you people get way too uptight about a few calls. There are better things to get upset about. Pezpunk, obviously you don’t understand how often these calls come. Just publish your phone number on the thread and I’ll give you a demonstration of auto-dialling. (Unlike telemarketers, I’ll stop after a while). I sometimes visit my local court and regularly hear the excuse ‘I needed the money; I couldn’t get a regular job; I was desperate; I had no qualifications.’ Of course these people were muggers / burglars, which I suppose is a step down from telemarketing. Telemarketing is **not** a career. Only desperate, unqualified people do it, and usually not for long. Finally here in the UK we pay a license fee not to watch commercials. If only telemarketers could be abolished in the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/69 "2002-06-14T19:20:46Z")
To whoever it was that asked if people actually buy things from telemarketers: Yep. They do. I’ve gotten 5 sales so far in as many days, and I’m one of the worst people doing it because A.) I’m a trainee and B.) I won’t annoy someone into buying it by not shutting up like some of the people on the floor. I could have had six, but when I was starting to confirm the last sale, I realized that the person didn’t really understand English (even though he said he did) and was basically saying “Okay” to everything I said. People DO buy stuff sold over the phone. So, no, not everyone who is called by a telemarketer is annoyed. Many are, a few aren’t, and some saints are downright pleasant and chatty even when they don’t buy anything. On basic politeness: IMHO, if someone is rude to you, it’s marginally okay to be rude back _in kind_. Jesus to Pete, when I get someone on the phone at 11 AM their time on a Wednesday afternoon, I don’t say “Well, you must not have a real job; otherwise, you’d be at work now you lazy fuck.” This is not only because the statement might not be accurate, but also because saying something like that would be impolite in the extreme. What on Earth does being impolite get you that being polite does not? And what on Earth does insulting someone get you that a curt request or spiel towards the company does not? You don’t call people cunts just because they called you! At least wait until they won’t let you hang up, or insult you, or do something that indicates that they, personally, are a cunt. The laws of common decency do not COMPLETELY go out the window when you’re talking to a telemarketer, or a door-knocker, or a survey person at the mall, or someone standing at an intersection asking for Kiwanis donations, or anyone. Also, **throatshot** , having someone strange in your home isn’t really comparable to telemarketing. The main gripe about telemarketing is annoyance. The main gripe about having strange people entering your domicile is personal safety/theft of belongings. A telemarketer might annoy the pee outta you, but they aren’t going to kill you. **glee** , sadly enough, for some people telemarketing _is_ a career. I feel very, very bad for them. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/70 "2002-06-14T19:42:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by glee \* > \*\* > > Pezpunk, > obviously you don’t understand how often these calls come. Just publish your phone number on the thread and I’ll give you a demonstration of auto-dialling. (Unlike telemarketers, I’ll stop after a while). > \*\* Obviously you assume that I don’t have a home phone? As stated previously I do get telemarketing calls. I guess suppose I just have a higher tolerance in regards to sales calls than most people. And **Wring** do I have to make my comments that specific as to say > [@](#): > > I do not understand all the anger **(everyone with the exception of Wring who has a valid complaint)** directed towards telemarketers. I read all the comments. ALL the comments. Do you really think I should individually address your situation in any thread you and I both participate in? I think my comments were pretty general as they were meant to be. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/71 "2002-06-14T20:16:33Z")
when you say “I don’t understand all the anger directed at telemarketers”, silly me, I thought you meant “I don’t understand all the anger directed at telemarketers” instead of “I don’t understand why(what to me is ) a minor annoyance would garner this level of anger”. So, yes, unless you \*\*don’t \*\* mean ‘all’, my recomondation would be to not use the word ‘all’. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/72 "2002-06-14T20:20:45Z")
:shrug: I understand some of the anger. I don’t understand all of the anger. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/73 "2002-06-14T20:29:34Z")
Geez **wring**. Nitpick much? Are you saying that if I said > [@](#): > > I do not understand anger directed towards telemarketers. That would somehow change everything? If so, you have bigger problems than telemarketers taking up your time. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/74 "2002-06-14T20:37:28Z")
geez **pez** you drop in a thread where people are complaining about specific wrongs and then make a statement like “I don’t understand all this anger” and you bitch at me 'cause I interpreted it to mean “I don’t understand all this anger” ? **andros** ’s statement was clear, yours was not. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/75 "2002-06-14T21:04:49Z")
an example of why I hate telemarketers: my mom’s friend’s mom is rather senile. She buys stuff from telemarketers. worthless stuff. Stuff that my mom’s friend has to return, etc. so, She has a really hard time: does she remove the phone from her mother’s house? She has LONG talks with her mom about this. Tries to get her to stop, the mom agrees, until the next time. To all the telelmarketers who think they are selling a swell product, etc, how can you sleep with yourselves knowing that you are selling stuff (possibly) to people who are not all there mentally? I also HATE telemarketers: TM: hi, this is Joan BunnyLove calling in regards to Bad News Baboon’s chase master card. me: (thought running in my head:OH MY GOD! did someone steal my card?!!) yes, this is me. TM:well, chase has a swell product we’d like to sell you! The worst by far, was Texaco. So I called them up and said if I received just one more call from their marketing agents, i would cancel my account. so far, it has worked. I also resent the fact that I have to pay for a private number, caller id etc to avoid telemarketers. I also hate the constant hang ups on my answering machine from telemarketers. The more I get the fewer space there is for legitamate calls to leave a message. and Pez, sweetie, normally I am really nice and hang up. end of story. But Mr Baboon’s grandma has been really sick as of late. I hate having to drop EVERYTHING I am doing to answer the phone or to run to the ID machine just to hear: Hello this is Joan Bunnylove calling about aluminum siding! ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/76 "2002-06-14T21:21:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \* > \*\ ***pez** - did you fucking read the complaints? > \*\* **wring** you sweet little thing you. I would never bitch at you, my little bundle of cheer. I expressed my opinion about the subject. I believe that is the point of the message board yes/no? As evident by your response to my original post, you belived I was speaking directly to you and came back with the above quoted gem. Now let’s please get over this. I really don’t wish to waste anymore of your time. I know, because I have read your post, that you have much more important business to attend to. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/77 "2002-06-14T21:45:53Z")
hey **pez** no problem, I’ll just have to remember that I shouldn’t assume you meant what you posted. I’m sure it won’t be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/78 "2002-06-14T22:20:42Z")
Hell, I consider it a public service if I keep a telemarketer on the line for a while. I let them go through their entire script before I say no. The more time they spend with me, the less time they’ll have to bother others, and the less money they’ll make. The only thing that might stop telemarketing is making it a money loser for the telemarketing company. ---
**Author:** ![PosterChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/79 "2002-06-14T22:52:24Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by_ \*\* Angel of the Lord\*\* > I’ve gotten 5 sales so far in as many days, and I’m one of the worst people doing it because A.) I’m a trainee and B.) I won’t annoy someone into buying it by not shutting up like some of the people on the floor. I could have had six, but when I was starting to confirm the last sale, I realized that the person didn’t really understand English (even though he said he did) and was basically saying “Okay” to everything I said. I agree that both sides can take it too far, but unfortunately, I get more of the trained who try to “annoy someone into buying” than the trainee who is polite. It’s too bad telemarketing rewards rudeness so the ones who do it the best (and I’d guess, the longest) are the rudest. I’m sorry that good people are forced to do that kind of work (and glad to hear that most people who want to, get out). To all the posters who say I shouldn’t answer the phone because it might be a telemarketer (even those who used stronger language about Pavlov and us being human beings, etc.) if I’m home why should I have to wait for the answering machine to answer to screen out the annoyances. Why don’t they just **not block caller ID**? They block it so they can get to those people who **don’t** want to talk to them. They start out being underhanded, not polite. PC P.S.- It’s nice to know there are people like \*\* Angel of the Lord\*\* who are considerate. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942/80 "2002-06-14T23:03:32Z")
Tars Tarkas steps up to defend telemarketers: Greeting friends, many dicuraging things have been said here about telemarketers, and i for one would li- RING RING!!! Excuse me, Hello? No, i don’t want to change my long distance. Now, back to what i was saying– RING RING!!! Wait— Hello? No, i don’t need aluminum siding, i live in an apartment! Now, back to telem- RING RING!!! Hello? No, I don’t need a home morgage, i live in an apartment!!! Now, back to– RING RING!!! Hello??? No, i told you a minute ago i lived in an apartment! I don’t need siding!!! back to– RING RING!!! HELLO??? No, i don’t want credit protection!!! stop calling me!!! Now back to– RING RING!!! Hello? Please hold for an important message ::click:: Now, as i was RING RING!!! Dammit!!! Hello??? No, I don’t need another credit card!!! Now, as i– RING RING!!! Hello? I TOLD YOU I DON"T NEED SIDING, NEVER CALL ME AGAIN!!! now back to– RING RING!!! Hello? You have been specially chosen to win a trip to Florida I don’t want your trip, but it’s not like you care, as you are a FREAKIN’ MACHINE!!! Now– RING RING!!! MOTHER FUCK!!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT??? NO, I LIKFE IN A FUCKING APARTMENT AS I TOLD YOU TWICE TODAY!!! CALL AGAIN AND I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND SKIN YOU ALIVE!!! Now, as for people who abuse telemarketers— RING RING!!! FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU—, Oh, hi MOM! Telemarketers suck!!! [sub]thank you and have a pleasent (no telemarketer) tomorrow[/sub] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-telemarketers/113942.md?page=5)