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.
