# Telemarketing: how do you react? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2001, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181 "2001-07-29T22:26:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/81 "2001-09-23T05:44:24Z")
Hi, me again! It occurs to me that I really oughta mention a couple of other things I run into. Something I really worry about is the way some kids answer the phone. I’m on the 9:00-1:00 shift. Quite often, I get children who are obviosly home alone. Parents, please be aware of how your kids answer the phone. I know there is a set of supposedly safe stock answers. “My Mom is busy” or in the other room or worse, the shower. Come on! I know darn well you’re not in the shower at 11:30 AM! I actually got one kid who told me her parents were BOTH in the shower! Mid-morning! Since we run an evening shift, I usually ask if it’s better to call later. The thing is, I only want to clean your carpet. There are a lot of weirdos out there who may well be trolling for vulnerable kids. It would be a lot better to get call display and post a list of numbers that the kid is allowed to answer. Any kid too young to read it has no business being alone anyway! Another one is answering machines. Some of the older ladies out there put on messages in their own voices. If I were a burgler, I would DEFINATELY want to check out those ones! My assumption would be that since you are the one on the machine, there is either no man there or he is incapacitated. Some of the voices sound extremely shaky. Please, get your son or a neighbour with a nice strong male voice to put on your message. Second best would be one of those pre-recorded messages. BTW, since I’m calling previous customers, do put your last name on the machine. If the number has been re-assigned recently, this is particularly important. I only want to speak to the person on my call-back sheet. If I know I have a wrong number, I’ll just cross it off. BTW, TitoBenito, If I pulled any of that, my supervisor would kick my butt out so hard, I’d arrive home airmail! ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/82 "2001-09-23T07:00:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zoogirl \* > **I know darn well you’re not in the shower at 11:30 AM! I actually got one kid who told me her parents were BOTH in the shower! Mid-morning!** Um, my husband just got back from a long business trip late last night. We both slept in a bit, and at 11:30 AM, as far as our kids were concerned, we were both in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/83 "2001-09-23T13:26:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sparta \* > …The surveys that I have done are often informative and useful, and often they are on behalf of a company where you are already their client (ie. your bank, your investment advisor, etc…). Many of the other surveys _are_ actually quite interesting, if you bother to find out what it’s about before rudely hanging up… Some people seem to be missing the point here. I don’t care how informative and useful YOU may feel your work is, I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU AND I DON’T WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PROJECT! And that is MY choice to make, not yours! You have interrupted whatever it was I was doing without warning; you have intruded into my schedule and you want something from me, usually without paying for it. If it happened only once a year, I might be more tolerant, but several times a day is not reasonable. And no, paying me $20 for 40 minutes of my time is NOT adequate compensation, but a salary cut for some of us. If you want to pay my usual consulting fee and make an appointment like everybody else, I will consider you as a client, but not otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/84 "2001-09-23T19:23:36Z")
> [@](#): > > My mom has on her answering machine “If you are soliciting, put us on your DNC list.” Doesn’t work. We need a person. We will call back. **rayniday**? Don’t know if this is your company policy (to ignore being told DNC on an answering machine) or just yours, but a piece of advice - If you called me, got that message, and still had the f\*\*\*ing gall to bother me, all obligations of civility are (as far as Shodan is concerned) gone, and you will get the best I can give - and I and my roommate used to play a game where we kept score on how many telemarketers we could get to cry or curse us out. I won. Don’t bother me. The first time, I interrupt your spiel (NOT waiting for a pause) with “No thanks and don’t call me again.” The next time, you will NOT be happy when you hang up. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![asphodel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@asphodel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asphodel)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/85 "2001-09-24T00:35:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Musicat \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by sparta \* > > …The surveys that I have done are often informative and useful, and often they are on behalf of a company where you are already their client (ie. your bank, your investment advisor, etc…). Many of the other surveys _are_ actually quite interesting, if you bother to find out what it’s about before rudely hanging up… > > Some people seem to be missing the point here. I don’t care how informative and useful YOU may feel your work is, I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU AND I DON’T WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PROJECT! And that is MY choice to make, not yours! > \*\* Gee Musicat, I hope that actually **reading** the rest of my post wouldn’t have put you out too much. Such as where I said: > [@](#): > > Just answer, say “not interested” or whatever, and I will not call you back - it’s a waste of my time. If doing a survey is a complete waste of your time, then just say so - really, and this bears repeating **If you don’t want to do the survey, say “No thanks.” - It is _absolutely_ YOUR choice.** Really, this is _all_ that is necessary with any real survey firm. Here in Canada, all telephone research firms and all of their surveys are listed in a central registry. If they are a legitimate firm, they will tell you this - they _have to_ if you ask them. Then you can phone a 1-800 number for confirmation. I’m truly sorry that telemarketers trying to sell you crap phone several times a day, but this has _absolutely nothing_ to do with me. As I said in my original post - I hate telemarketers as well. ---
**Author:** ![rayniday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecc23a/32.png) [@rayniday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayniday)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/86 "2001-09-24T02:18:27Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Shodan \* \*\* > [@](#): > > and I and my roommate used to play a game where we kept score on how many telemarketers we could get to cry or curse us out. > \*\* You think I’m HAPPY doing this??? You think I actually LIKE calling people up and and having them curse me out and yell at me??? **YOU THINK I ACTUALLY LIKE INTERRUPTING YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING AND READING OFF A SCRIPT???** I hate it! I do cry. Very easily. I’m so STRESSED right now, that your post will probably do it to me, once I get offline. In fact, I’m tearing up now. I’m trying to make money so I don’t have to stay there forever. I’d much rather be in New York. I’m a psych major, and once I graduate, I’m gonna be in the business of helping those people. And if I have to go through Hell to do it, (and trust me, I AM), and if I have to interrupt you in the middle of sex or a football game or washing dishes, then so be it. Forgive the harshness. I just got done working a 9 hour shift, and like I said, the stress is getting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/87 "2001-09-24T13:09:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sparta \* > I’m truly sorry that telemarketers trying to sell you crap phone several times a day, but this has _absolutely nothing_ to do with me. As I said in my original post - I hate telemarketers as well. Anyone who attempts to interrupt what I am doing to get something from me that I don’t want to give is an equal annoyance, whether they are a telemarketer or a surveyist. The distinction may be important to you but not to me. The result is the same: an invasion of my time & space. Junk mail (paper or email) is much less intrusive since I can choose to peruse it when I want, and the outside of an envelope or the header in an email can be a big clue to the actual message. In contrast, an anonymous phone call with the typical opening line, “How are you today?” followed by a sales pitch requires more of my time and cannot as easily be dismissed. It’s all about the concept known as privacy. It may not be a rational emotion, but it is a treasured one to many. ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/88 "2001-09-24T21:04:38Z")
[Here](http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/consumer_news/unsolici.html) are the FCC regulations regarding telemarketing calls. I wish I had seen this earlier — I wouldn’t have erased a recorded tele-spam message I found on my answering machine the other day until I had had a chance to play it for the fine folks at the state attorney general’s office. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/89 "2001-09-24T22:04:33Z")
> [@](#): > > * * * > > I am a telepoller this summer before I go back to college, beats flipping burgers. The “not interested” doesn’t work with us. I am required to put down “respondent not available” for everything except if a person asks us not to call again. > > When people are really rude and shout “fvk off” or try to be real smart I put them down for call back. i think its really funny when people yell at me, it is actually one of the good things about my job. Co-workers and I get kicks out of swapping stories about the people we call. It is kind of like being payed to make prank calls. > PS: the best thing to say you work for a PR/Marketing firm. We will never call again. \*\* Well, you could put down “Do not call back” if a person says “not interested”. You CHOOSE not to. And when people are rude, and you put them down for call back, you are just harassing your fellow workers (who have to call them back). I’ll bet your co-workers would be steamed if they found out you put a person down for call back who was a jerk. Also, I doubt if your company appreciates that, either. And the person you called hates it, obviously. You probably should just get another job where you don’t have to deal with people. ---
**Author:** ![Darqangelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@Darqangelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darqangelle)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/90 "2001-09-26T12:04:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Musicat \* > **Junk mail (paper or email) is much less intrusive…In contrast, an anonymous phone call with the typical opening line, “How are you today?” followed by a sales pitch requires more of my time and cannot as easily be dismissed.** “Easily dismissed”? “No thank you, I’m not interested.” Let’s time that, shall we? 6 seconds by my watch. Oh… My… God… you just had six seconds of your life taken away! Six entire seconds!! How will you ever reclaim that valuable time? (Sure as heck not by reading THIS post, that’s for sure!) I mean really, come on. I can get miffed as much as anyone against people who are trying to sell you stuff and being rude about it or even with their timing, and maybe it hasn’t occured in my life quite as often as it seems to happen to many who have posted here (perhaps because I switched to wireless communication years ago and as a result, disappeared from directory listings), but I cannot believe that telemarketers (and surveyors) are THAT much of a hassle that you have to shout out about “privacy intrusion”. These people are just people like you or I trying to make a buck. Is it any less appropriate when your MIL or friend calls at an inappropriate time? What do you say then? 1)“Geez, you caught me at a bad time, can you call back in 10 minutes?” 2)“Rats, just on my way out the door. I can’t make it tonight, sorry. I have to hurry, I’ll call you back.” 3)“Uhm… I’m uhhh…” “-busy?” “REAL busy.” “Call me later. Bye.” So why’s it so hard to just say to the telewhatever- “Sorry, I’m going to interrupt here and say that I’m not interested(in completing your survey).”? I mean really, what else were you going to do with that six seconds? Oh, right… throwing out junk mail. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![greenlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@greenlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenlady)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/91 "2001-09-26T12:31:08Z")
My 3 year old handles these calls for us. I must say he does an outstanding job. He takes no crap, but says his piece and hangs up promptly. ---
**Author:** ![kentsubra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kentsubra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kentsubra)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/92 "2001-09-27T00:28:50Z")
I ask them to send in writing whatever it is they want to talk about, and I’ll look at it. That usually works quite well, since handling mail is something we are all much better at (throw them out with them pesky bills). ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/93 "2001-09-27T02:14:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darqangelle \* > \*\*“Easily dismissed”? > > “No thank you, I’m not interested.” > > Let’s time that, shall we? > > 6 seconds by my watch. > \*\* From my experience, you’re starting your stopwatch WAY too late. Here’s how a call typically goes for me: The phone rings; I am interrupted from what I’m doing. “Hello? Is this Mr. or Mrs. Mangled-Pronunciation-of-Last Name?” “May I ask who is calling?” “This is a courtesy call from the Blowme Corporation. We’d like to tell you about…” “I’m sorry. I don’t respond to telephone solicitations. Please place my number on your ‘do not call list.’” “Oh, but this isn’t a solicitation. This is a _COURTESY_ call. We…” “I’m sorry. I do not respond to telephone solicitations. Please place my number on your ‘do not call list.’” “But we’re not trying to sell you…” “I’m sorry. I do not respond to telephone solicitations. Can I have your name and phone number?” \<\<\\>\> That’s more than 6 seconds. Also, I average at least 10-12 calls per week where the phone rings, I go to answer it, and the call clicks off in my ear because an auto-dialer has already connected to another call before I picked up, which you did not include as a factor in your timing. 6 seconds or 60, telemarketing calls inconvenience me. I pay for telephone service so that I can contact people I wish to contact, and so that people I wish to talk to can call me. I do not pay for this service so that some crotchsniffing corporation can utilize the service I pay for for their marketing purposes. I should not be forced to purchase extra services from the phone company to prescreen or block their unwanted marketing calls. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/94 "2001-09-27T09:34:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darqangelle \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Musicat \* > > Junk mail (paper or email) is much less intrusive…In contrast, an anonymous phone call with the typical opening line, “How are you today?” followed by a sales pitch requires more of my time and cannot as easily be dismissed. > > “Easily dismissed”? > “No thank you, I’m not interested.” > Let’s time that, shall we? > 6 seconds by my watch. > Oh… My… God… you just had six seconds of your life taken away! Six entire seconds!! How will you ever reclaim that valuable time? Firstly it takes time to get to the phone, and it can interrupt your train of thought too. To then have someone **who is incapable of getting a proper job** ask if they’ve got the right person, then deny they’re trying to sell you something, is not a matter of six seconds. (There’s also the little matter of repetition. If you would like to publish your phone number, I’ll arrange for a computer to auto-dial it. it will only take you **a few seconds** to replace the receiver each time. Oh, you’re going to report me to the police if I do that? Goodness, have I committed a crime? I’m just a poor telemarketer, who is talking to someone else, who picked up before you. Alternatively, I’m trying to sell you an answering machine…) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darqangelle \* > Is it any less appropriate when your friend calls at an inappropriate time? What do you say then? Don’t you have any friends?\* If my friends call **anytime** , I’m happy, because I can ring them back later. And I might get sex / a meal / a chat / a computer game session over the Web.\*\* Telemarketers do not offer these delights. \*in case I’m getting too sarcastic, I apologise. I know you’re making your point politely. I’m fed up with telemarketers, and I want you to understand just how strongly I feel. I get important calls at home, because my office is here, and I have to answer the phone promptly and civilly. Telemarketers are a complete waste of my time. \*\*OK, the last 3 are the most likely. But they’re still what I want! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/95 "2001-09-27T13:31:11Z")
**Ywalker** and **glee** have got it right. And even if the actual, stopwatch-calculated time spent is not great, to some of us, an unwanted call is _an invasion of privacy._ No, it’s not The End Of The World. :rolleyes: But it _can_ be annoying. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/96 "2001-09-29T23:30:52Z")
[QUOTE] _Originally posted by glee \* someone who is incapable of getting a proper job_\* glee, I just have to take exception to that one. I hope I have demonstrated through my posts that I am reasonably intelligent. I have no major physical disabilities, a fairly clean police record and my high school diploma. (Grade 12, not GED) Part of the reason I do this job is that I genuinely enjoy talking to people. As I have mentioned, I don’t cold-call, and I admit that does make a difference in the responses I get. Almost every day, I get at least one call that just plain cracks me up. I seem to get a lot of people who are just in a good mood. Another reason I chose this line of work is that it covers my expenses while leaving me free to work afternoons at the Zoo. I have no work to take home with me and I can concentrate my energy on what will eventually become my full-time career. Please, glee, don’t assume that all telemarketers are there because it’s all they can get. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/97 "2001-09-29T23:45:24Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by zoogirl \* > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by glee \* \*\* > (telemarketer) someone who is incapable of getting a proper job_\* > > glee, I just have to take exception to that one. I hope I have demonstrated through my posts that I am reasonably intelligent. I have no major physical disabilities, a fairly clean police record and my high school diploma. (Grade 12, not GED) > Part of the reason I do this job is that I genuinely enjoy talking to people. As I have mentioned, I don’t cold-call, and I admit that does make a difference in the responses I get. Almost every day, I get at least one call that just plain cracks me up. I seem to get a lot of people who are just in a good mood. Another reason I chose this line of work is that it covers my expenses while leaving me free to work afternoons at the Zoo. I have no work to take home with me and I can concentrate my energy on what will eventually become my full-time career. Please, glee, don’t assume that all telemarketers are there because it’s all they can get. \*\* zoogirl, firstly the telemarketers who phone me are clearly not as intelligent and pleasant as you. 🙂 I also define telemarketers as cold-callers. If I contact a company for information, and leave my phone number, then I am happy to have them ring back. That’s customer service, not telemarketing. If you enjoy talking to people, why not get a job where potential customers come to you (rather than being a pest)? I wish you luck in your interesting career at the Zoo. (An elephant accidentally stood on my foot once, but I still like Zoos!). Nevertheless this emphasises my point that people only do telemarketing for a short while till their experience and qualifications come through for a proper career. P.S. What is a ‘fairly clean police record’? P.P.S. You have the right to remain silent… ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/98 "2001-09-30T00:09:02Z")
glee, Thank you! Actually, maybe my job is more “customer service”. I make calls to people who have had their carpets cleaned by our company in the past. Quite a lot of them do their cleaning on a regular schedual and, in fact, wait for and expect my call. We do a small amount of “cold calls” ie. calls out of the phone book. These are done by new employees during their first three days after which time they have shown that they can be trusted to call our regular customers. Some of the cold calls are made to people who are interested but not ready to have work done just yet. I call them as well, but I am not the one who has made the first contact. We have lists of our “own” customers-people whom we call regularly, and who are not called by anyone else. Uh, the record thing–well I’ll just say it involved a disagreement with Mr.zoogirl, a broken glass door and probation. Plus I had to pay $182.00 to replace it. It was 1984 and I have since grown up some! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/99 "2001-09-30T00:18:25Z")
zoogirl, I knew you were too polite to be a cold caller! Clearly your criminal record is about as serious as Britney Spears’ latest. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181/100 "2001-10-05T07:42:50Z")
I worked all last week doing phone solicitations for an unnamed charity. Then I was told that the job had “ended”. I think I was heard saying, “Oh, I’m sorry; I’ll take you off the list” too many times. I stand before you a martyr. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-how-do-you-react/74181.md?page=6)