The Evil Known as Telemarketers.

[ElMarko]

I'm starting this thread because any thread on CustomersSuck.com involving telemarketers comes to this point and is shut down by the moderators.

The question comes to: Are people called by telemarketers customers who can be considered SC's when they get nasty, hang up, or prank upon the telemarketers? The answer is no.

A customer is someone who has chosen to interact with a business which is demonstrated by their calling, (e)mailing, or entering a business to either buy, make inquiries about a purchase (goods or services) or to claim something already paid for. The important thing here is who initiates the interaction. Telemarketers (and door to door salesmen, for that matter) are interrupting peoples lives to sell something or solicit donations for a charity in which the person being called has shown no interest. The called person not a customer but a victim of intrusive advertising.

Some may agree with the above yet still believe that the telemarketer still deserves courtesy and respect. They are wrong.

They are paid for their time on the phone. The people they are calling are not. The people called can't get their time back so they have every to get whatever enjoyment from the call they can, be that taking out their frustrations or playing a malicious prank.

The telemarketer forwent any claim to courtesy by being aggressive and rude by interrupting someones life to try to hawk something. It's quite clear that the called people are doing something they would rather be doing that talking to the telemarketer, otherwise they would be calling the telemarketer.

The other defense is derivative of the one offered at Nuremberg. It is claimed that they are just workers doing their job. No one held a gun to their head. They took the job and anyone who claims to not know that people dislike aggressive advertising is being dishonest with their interlocutor or themselves.

[anriana]

I never understood why you wouldn't just hang up if you didn't want to listen to the pitch. Staying on the line and being nasty/making weird comments is rude and pointless.

[the_std]

Sometimes there is a gun being held to your head. It's called poverty.

If you're not qualified for much and you need to make rent and pay for food, sometimes telemarketing is all that's there.

[tropicsgoddess]

Unfortunately telemarketers get a bad rep for needlessly interrupting peoples lives for useless crap, but it's a job. I unfortunately was a telemarketer for B2B account for a third party call center 3 years ago. More often than not, people get into telemarketing for the money and it's easy to get into with minimal qualifications. It pays better than retail, so it helps somebody support themselves, their family and pay off any other obligations they may have. Salespeople do have a bad rep too, especially in the door-to-door and automotive areas, and we're in it for the paychecks, but at least have the decency to not scream and/or curse at us the first time. A simple no or hang up would suffice. If we continue to contact you after you told us to stop, then yes feel free to verbally assault us, or go the more civil route: put yourselves on the do-not-call list, block our numbers. We are human too and we do deserve a little respect, just like a cashier, tech support or customer service rep, etc.

[AFPheonix]

Eh. I don't really get telemarketer calls anymore, and when I do, a pretty simple "I'm not interested, thanks" is plenty. I keep my karma good, they get paid, everyone's at least mostly happy.

[Boozy]

I never understood why you wouldn't just hang up if you didn't want to listen to the pitch. Staying on the line and being nasty/making weird comments is rude and pointless.

Bingo.

If I hear a telemarketer's voice, they are going to hear a "click." That's all. I don't even bother with an "I'm not interested." I don't acknowledge that a stranger who has made an intrusion into my home deserves even a second of my time.

Cursing and yelling is pointless and mean. I understand that most people who do telemarketing for a living would rather be doing anything else. These firms set up shop in economically-depressed areas for a reason. So I'm not going to go out of my way to berate someone who is simply trying to feed themselves. And I'll never get the douchebags truly responsible on the phone.

Why do people lose their shit over such small things, anyway? Is that any way to live? How's their blood pressure?

[Slytovhand]

Let me chime in with a "Me too!"

A person's occupation should have absolutely nothing to do with the amount of respect they get for being a person (which means, you treat them depending on actions...).

So what if they're ringing you in the middle of dinner? Do you abuse people if it was a wrong number?

I think ElMarko is being pretty offensive to suggest

Some may agree with the above yet still believe that the telemarketer still deserves courtesy and respect. They are wrong.

(my emphasis)

Guess what? I might be a bit weird, but sometimes I'm quite willing to listen to what they have to say...such as relevant surveys, the occasional donation hunter (but I already donate enough, for the most part).

If you've really got a problem with telemarketers that bad, you seriously need to have a good look at your life...


Slyt

[Sableonblonde]

That is why I have an answering machine and I only pick up the phone if it is someone I know (and not even then ) So telemarketers don't bother me at all. But you know what DOES bother me? People who have set up tables/booths on the sidewalk in front of businesses and are very aggressive about getting your attention.

I went into a Starbucks awhile ago, and there was a table set up outside with all kinds of make-up and stuff out. I hurried past and went in to get my coffee without incident, but when I came out, the woman running the table walks right up to me, gets in my face, and starts talking a mile a minute trying to convince me to get a free mini-makeover. I tried to smile politely and keep edging away, but she was literally right in my face and nearly blocking my path to the parking lot. I kind of just gave in for a minute and stood there smiling blankly while she went through her spiel. Then she tried to guide me over to the table and I finally was able to say "No thanks, not today, no thanks, I'm good" and make a break for the parking lot.

THAT really pissed me off. If people want to sell things, great. Do all the marketing you can think of....but for fuck's sake, don't get right in the face of someone who is clearly trying to avoid you and has no interest in what you're selling. It would be one thing if I'd stopped and was looking over the items on the table, but I was rushing past with my head down, sipping my coffee, and this woman just jumps in front of me

[protege]

I never understood why you wouldn't just hang up if you didn't want to listen to the pitch. Staying on the line and being nasty/making weird comments is rude and pointless.

I don't understand either. Usually a quick, "not interested, thanks" is enough to get rid of most of them.

But, sometimes you get a company that calls *multiple* times, like a certain local newspaper (the Post-Gazette) does. After about the 3rd call and telling them to remove me from their list, I'm no longer polite. Sorry, but I've already made it *crystal* clear for them not to call me, yet they continue. In that case, you've already pissed me off by ignoring me, meaning you've lost your right not to get screamed at.

*That* is why telemarketers get such a nasty reputation and are despised. I know not *all* of them are like that, but unfortunately, they get lumped in with the assholes.

[Zyanya]

So what if they're ringing you in the middle of dinner? Do you abuse people if it was a wrong number?

The wrong number didn't intend to disrupt my dinner. The telemarketer did. In fact, they call specifically at that time because they know that is when most people are home. We are already treating them based on their actions, their action of calling at a time when they knew they'd be disrupting our day without being invited to do so. And in my case, doing it to someone who has already gone through the effort of being put on the Do Not Call list.

I have no problem responding to rudeness with rudeness. I am generally civil the first time a company calls (for the record, this includes that fucktard collection agent who can't get it through his head that he has the wrong person) and ask not to be called again. If I am called again, gloves come off.

However, about a third of the time when I start to say 'not interested, please don't call here again', I am interrupted with the sales pitch or the person on the other end starts arguing with me. At that point, they've crossed the boundaries and again, gloves come off.

If you've really got a problem with telemarketers that bad, you seriously need to have a good look at your life...

This is also offensive to suggest.

Taking good look at my life - hmmm..... spent a lot of time working oddball and graveyard shifts meaning I was usually ASLEEP during prime telemarketing time and thus made sure I was on the Do Not Call list. So....I've specifically requested they not call me and they have woken me up, and you are surprised I have a problem with telemarketers? Amusing.

Not everyone works the 9 to 5 shift. You'd think telemarketers (who don't usually work 9-5) would understand that and maybe get it through their little heads that when they call someone and get a groggy hello, they probably shouldn't keep talking over the person saying 'not interested'.

And let's face it, many telemarketing companies are scams preying on the elderly and others who can be easily pressured into buying overpriced junk and horridly worthless 'insurance' policies. Sorry, but I don't care how desperate you are for a job, I see no need to respect anyone who works for an organization like that.

[BlaqueKatt]

And let's face it, many telemarketing companies are scams preying on the elderly and others who can be easily pressured into buying overpriced junk and horridly worthless 'insurance' policies. Sorry, but I don't care how desperate you are for a job, I see no need to respect anyone who works for an organization like that.

so my husband who took the only job he could get to pay for school($12/hour plus bonus) isn't worthy of respect-good to know. he worked for a bank that offered loans and credit cards to current customers of the bank.


and by that
standard because the employees at mcdonalds are trying to sell me fries when I don't want them I don't have to respect them either-after all-they're trying to sell me something "worthless".

Some may agree with the above yet still believe that the telemarketer still deserves courtesy and respect. They are wrong.

And I've decided you aren't worthy of respect either since you seem to think other humans aren't worthy of being treated as human. Treat others as you would wish to be treated.

They are paid for their time on the phone. The people they are calling are not.

The telemarketer forwent any claim to courtesy by being aggressive and rude by interrupting someones life to try to hawk something.

Since I'm not being paid to come into your store, and you come up and bother me while I'm shopping you're inturrupting my life trying to hawk something-and I can abuse you for my entertainment as well.

And since my waitress bothers me while I'm trying to eat dinner, asking me how the food is when she sees I've just taken a bite of it I guess I have a free pass to start verally abusing her as well right?

[the_std]

I'm just wondering, Zyanya or ElMarko, if you've ever been in a position where you had to take a job you hated and knew other people would hate you for, simply to feed yourself and keep a roof over your head?

[DesignFox]

I wouldn't say I'm always polite to telemarketers, but I don't go out of my way to be rude.

There is rarely an excuse for rudeness in my opinion. I know that those people are just doing their job. I either hang up, or politely say no thank you and immediately hang up. My method seems to work just fine, and it keeps my blood pressure down.

I think there are too many people that get overly upset about stupid shit.

Seriously, if you're eating dinner...*gasp* don't pick up the phone! Check the caller ID if you have it. Those are two solutions right there that don't include being rude.

If the person is pushy, despite your attempts to be removed from the calling list, then by all means, push back. But there still isn't any reason for cursing and yelling and carrying on.

There are so much more important things to worry about.

Oh and BlaqueKatt- if your BF was calling the bank's customers, it's a little different from cold-calling...calls like that are immune from the DNC list, too because the people he's calling already do business with the bank.



Seriously, I just check my phone when I get a call. If I don't recognize the number, I push it to voicemail. Simple.

[BlaqueKatt]

I think there are too many people that get overly upset about stupid shit.<snip>
There are so much more important things to worry about.

exactly-if something is upsetting me I ask myself "in 100 years is this going to matter" 99.9% of the time the answer is no, so I don't worry about it.

[Slytovhand]

I *do* work graveyard shifts, and of late, I *have* been getting TM calls when I'm trying to sleep during the day. I know this, because almost none of my 3 friends are likely to ring on my home phone, and if they do, they leave a message... and then try the mobile. They also know daytime is not a good time to call. So I will usually ignore the phone anyway.

Even if I do answer it, and it's a telemarketer, I may listen (depending on what it's for), and may also cut them off with "Sorry, not interested".

I've never encountered a time when I've had to abuse someone on the other end, and I don't think anyone 'should' ever get to that stage, just for a simple phone call! (hence my comment, if you do have that much of a problem, it's time to check your life...).

I have had a couple of times when they've then continued on with the spiel, again - just cut them off and say not interested - more forcefully. And if that isn't going to do it, demand to speak to the manager...

Sure - counter rude with rude - but making a phonecall at dinner time isn't abusive - so don't go getting abusive to the operator.

That's all I'm saying....

Slyt