Originally Posted by pixiedustboo

Telemarketers have jobs, they have families and they don't want to call you any more than you want to listen. My brother did telemarketing through college and he hated every second of it because of people that respond like that and people that were downright mean. Just FYI.

It pisses me off when I hear people boasting about 'playing' this sort of game or just generally being jerks.

I understand where you are coming from, pixie, truly I do...

What I get pissed about is when they call to tell you that you've won something when you know you've not entered any competition of sorts, then they try to push some product that you do not need- I call that deceitful tactics.

I've had calls from telemarketers who HAVE gone straight to the point of what they try to sell, if it does good for me to purchase it, I will, as I have done on several occasions.

Being a telemarketer is choice. You made your choice and you will deal with whatever comes along.

Believe me when I tell you that I don't enjoy doing these things, but sometimes theres a limit to things that you can tolerate. The funny thing is that even when you tell them you are not interested, in about 2 weeks later, the same guy will call you again!

Now, if that is not frustrating, I really do not know what is...

Originally Posted by pixiedustboo

Telemarketers have jobs, they have families and they don't want to call you any more than you want to listen. My brother did telemarketing through college and he hated every second of it because of people that respond like that and people that were downright mean. Just FYI.

It pisses me off when I hear people boasting about 'playing' this sort of game or just generally being jerks.

Trying doing door to door sales.... I will never forget how quickly nice lovley old ladies can turn into a ferocious doberman by offering something she has abosultley no interest in.

It's not often I get very scared, but the word's she used!

Originally Posted by pixiedustboo

Telemarketers have jobs, they have families and they don't want to call you any more than you want to listen. My brother did telemarketing through college and he hated every second of it because of people that respond like that and people that were downright mean. Just FYI.

It pisses me off when I hear people boasting about 'playing' this sort of game or just generally being jerks.

I did telemarketing for a year
(an insurance company , no less)
The people I called who played with me just because they thought it would stop the calls were the worst as it was waisting my time. You'll be fired if you don't make your quota for the day. Many times I hung the phone up wishing they had never answered.
I do see the other side also as I was there. How many times have I pretended to not hear the person on the other side of the phone?.. "I can't hear you?,Can you hear me?" and you're thinking how much longer will this person try. You want to be nice and polite yet some don't seem to get the message which means "you didn't hear me last time, so I'll not hear you now." Once you've matured you realize the games aren't doing them or yourself any good at all.
I still give them credit for trying. Kudos to the telemarketers.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Sorry I don't agree Pixie, telemarketing in my opinion is an invasion of my privacy, if I wanted to buy anything I go shopping, I don't expect anyone to phone me at home offering all kinds of crap. I also get highly annoyed with door to door sales people coming to my home trying to sell me substandard goods, the same applies to Jehovah Witness's and mormons. If I wanted to pray I'd go to church.

I agree, it has reached a point now where we do not even answer the phone in the evenings because of the plethora of people selling you crap you don't want and scammers telling you what you have won or that they need access to your computer to fix a virus.

Now all calls after 4pm go through voice mail.

The funny thing is that now we even have a few calls that tell you it is illegal to ignore them or respond rudely and telemarketers who assume that even when you say no to a visit by their company rep you really mean yes and I had to literally throw one of those out of a neighbours place because they would not leave (they like to intimidate the elderly as well it seems).

What I really hate is when I´m trying to find something different to wear, look for months, pay a lor of money, and suddenly everyone´s wearing the same stuff, you can find it anywhere and cheaper! happened with caps, hats, sweaters, and backpacks...

Originally Posted by MontyB

I agree, it has reached a point now where we do not even answer the phone in the evenings because of the plethora of people selling you crap you don't want and scammers telling you what you have won or that they need access to your computer to fix a virus.

Now all calls after 4pm go through voice mail.

The funny thing is that now we even have a few calls that tell you it is illegal to ignore them or respond rudely and telemarketers who assume that even when you say no to a visit by their company rep you really mean yes and I had to literally throw one of those out of a neighbours place because they would not leave (they like to intimidate the elderly as well it seems).

See... this is the reason why people avoid sales telemarketers like the plague. It is not them, but what they do represent.

I understand that telemarketers have a job to do, and it IS a trying one. Allow me to relate a personal experience dealing with a particular company selling vacuum cleaners-

My mom got a call from one of the telemarketers telling her that she won a set of kitchen knives- to claim that "prize", a company representative will be visiting her home to do a demonstration.

When this company rep dropped at my mom's place, this lady began her demonstration of the vacuum cleaner. My mom was impressed with the machine but not with the price. This lady only left after my mum was forcibly made to sign an agreement to purchase. The machine was left at my mom's residence, after the lady told her that now my mom "owned" it

After my mom realised the full implication of what she had done- she was recovering from a bout of flu and was on some medication (some that caused drowsiness), she called me for help. I called the company, but was told that since she already signed the agreement, she is bound by it. The company person I spoke to was rather smug about it (my opinion). They told me that they can compel my mom to make the purchase by law. I hung up as I felt that this is getting nowhere.

I read the agreement again, andwas surprised by what I read. According to the agreement, there IS a cooling period that the customer can return the product within 14 days. Also according to the agreement, it is only deemed a contract when a deposit was made- y mom had not paid anything so far. Now I have 2 clauses to my advantage...

I then wrote to the company, citing these clauses that the company rep had failed to highlighted to my mom. I also copied the same letter to the Consumer Advocate. In that letter, I also stated that since the machine had been left at my mom's premise, I will require that the company collect it within 7 days, failing which, it would be considered as a gift from the company as a goodwill gesture.

They did collect it within 3 working days- surprising... In the meantime, I used it. It is really a good sucker!

The story above is one of many encounters that I had personal involvement.

You are lucky, that was the second time I have had to evict sales reps that refused to leave a house, the first time was a power company rep that started to give himself a tour of the premises after just walking through the door uninvited.

I suspect that they see these two as an easy mark given that they are both in their 80s and one is in poor health, on the brighter side it gives me an opportunity to practice my diplomacy skills which according to said sales reps are not up to scratch.



Incidentally we have a safe guard set in law here which allows a 14 day right of return.

Originally Posted by viper2007

They did collect it within 3 working days- surprising... In the meantime, I used it. It is really a good sucker!
.

Originally Posted by MontyB

You are lucky, that was the second time I have had to evict sales reps that refused to leave a house, the first time was a power company rep that started to give himself a tour of the premises after just walking through the door uninvited.

I suspect that they see these two as an easy mark given that they are both in their 80s and one is in poor health, on the brighter side it gives me an opportunity to practice my diplomacy skills which according to said sales reps are not up to scratch.



Incidentally we have a safe guard set in law here which allows a 14 day right of return.

Well, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick!"...

Originally Posted by viper2007

Well, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick!"...

These people are trespassers there is no need to speak softly.