Fun with a telemarketer

[Mark Healey]

I have a fun way to deal with telemarketers. If they are a woman the fist thing I ask is "what are you wearing" in my sleazoid voice and if my backpack or jacket is handy I work the zipper at the same time.

Today I got one and started with my question. Unfortunately a zipper wasn't handy. She hung up and I thought I was done.

A couple of hours I get a call from the boss asking about this. Now, he has been standing right next to me when I do this. He's been there when I told walk in sales women to strip if they wanted me to pay attention to their pitch. I only wish I could do a convincing gay act to deal with the men but with my luck they would be gay and take me up on it.

It turns out that this woman called some workplace regulatory agency who called my boss. I'm sure whatever he said to them was polite and noncommitable.

I don't see how there can be any fallout form this. They called using our phone line and my time for their marketing. They deserve any bad thing I can do to them.

[powerboy]

Mark, that is classic. I will have to do that next time.

[Eireann]

I have a real problem with this. I have done telemarketing, and I hated it. We all hated it. We were calling people at home, usually, and since we weren't psychic, we had no way of knowing what these people were doing when we called. We were working there not because we enjoyed calling strangers, not because we enjoyed harassing people, but because we needed the work.

I've read stories of people asking telemarketers for their home numbers so that they could call the telemarketers at an inconvenient time, and they think this is oh so clever - look, if you hate telemarketing (and who doesn't?), push for a law to make it illegal. Harassing the telemarketers is like going off at the person behind the candy counter at the movies because the prices are so high; bitching at the person behind the register because there aren't enough lanes open; complaining that the store has run out of an item you need. When you complain to the telemarketer, you're complaining to the low man on the totem pole. The telemarketer is given a sales pitch and shown how to take orders. That's it. He/she has no power even to take you off the calling list.

I used to just hang up on telemarketers. After going through telemarketing hell myself, I was more sympathetic to them. I ended up having a very nice conversation with one woman who tried to sell me something. I said, "I used to do this myself, and I know you're not doing it because you enjoy this type of thing. I'm not going to buy what you're selling, but I'm not going to blame you for being given this number to call."

As I said, we had a nice conversation. I truly believe telemarketing should be banned; that doesn't mean I'm going to take out my frustration on those who call me.

[FTGTF]

I agree Erieann I mean if I posted about how I messed with an employee at Best Buy for trying to sell magazine subscriptions I'm sure people would be all over me if I posted that here. I know people that have done telemarketing in the past, and they've told me that it sucked, but they were doing their job, and some people actually listen and that's why telemarketeers exist.

At work I deal with them all the time. It's easier to hang up on them, or just tell them you have no clue when the manager is coming in. Sure it's a pain in the ass to deal with a telemarketer, but if you're here to complain about how bad customers treat you you really shouldn't be treating others poorly regardless of their profession.
IMHO

[Heksubah]

I agree 100% with Eireann. Since I'm able to wear the 'been there, done that' shoes of having been a telemarketer (and hated it) I really don't condone abuse to them. They are stuck in a crappy job so they can pay their bills, most of them hate what they do and are forced through stupid rules that could cost them their job if they do not follow them.

I hear people complain about how they never hang up, we weren't allowed to until you said no so many times, spun in a circle, clapped your hands and screamed the pledge of allegiance. Not literally, but we had to have made so many attempts, offered so much information, and then given an 800# before we could hang up without risking a write up. It sucked.

What does it really cost you to take the two seconds to just say, "No thanks," and then hang up the phone?

Not to mention, there is a way to get your name removed from the national telemarketing list. Google it. If you continue to get calls that means you are on the lists for companies you do business with. (For example, if you have a credit card with Blah Blah Bank then there are loopholes that will let them call you if you are a customer of theirs, since it pertains to business you do with them. Individual companies DO have their own do not call lists, are required to, just tell them to remove you. It takes a couple weeks but it will be done. Just tell them that every time they call, make sure you listen for if they have any quick questions pertaining to it, and then end the call.)


As an afterthought/edit...

I have a fun way to deal with telemarketers. If they are a woman the fist thing I ask is "what are you wearing" in my sleazoid voice and if my backpack or jacket is handy I work the zipper at the same time.

Today I got one and started with my question. Unfortunately a zipper wasn't handy. She hung up and I thought I was done.

...He's been there when I told walk in sales women to strip if they wanted me to pay attention to their pitch...

You know, I'm glad I never got anyone who said something that low to me. That is sexual harrassment and that is not at all acceptable no matter what the cause. I've had bad things happen to me in the past and if anyone ever said anything like that to me... hell, just reading it here makes me cringe and want to go hide in the closet. That is just horrible. Mean, low down, horrible harrassment. There is no excuse.

*heads off to hide*

[blas]

We used to get telemarketers who would completely butcher my family's last name (well then again, nearly everyone does. It seems too difficult for most people to look at a name and read it as it's spelled.....they glance at it, add their own idea of what it is...and...you get it. one very upset blas!).

We were kind of rude about it, but when the telemarketers would ask for Mr. or Mrs. Frankensteiner or Mr. or Mrs. Farkenheimer, we'd just say "You can call back and bother us again when you learn to pronounce the name right!" and hang up.

A telemarketing agency started up in the city I live in right now about 2 years ago. All the kids I went to school with were fleeing to get applications and get hired, because the starting wage was $9 an hour, and unlimited overtime, whatever you wanted. Of course, these kids had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Most of them quit after a week or two. They couldn't handle being told to "F off" or "Why don't you die?" one more time.

[BlaqueKatt]

I agree 100% with Eireann.

You know, I'm glad I never got anyone who said something that low to me. That is sexual harrassment and that is not at all acceptable no matter what the cause. I've had bad things happen to me in the past and if anyone ever said anything like that to me... hell, just reading it here makes me cringe and want to go hide in the closet. That is just horrible. Mean, low down, horrible harrassment. There is no excuse.

Seconded-these people are doing their JOB and the potential "customer" is usually being an SC-my call center has several telemarketing contracts-just think you could've sexually harassed one of my friends who is working there to support her kids because her husband of 10 years left her and it's the only job she can get right now-bravo, I bet you feel so manly now.....

I have a fun way to deal with telemarketers. If they are a woman the fist thing I ask is "what are you wearing" in my sleazoid voice and if my backpack or jacket is handy I work the zipper at the same time.

They deserve any bad thing I can do to them.

I bet you'd be upset if someone posted "a fun way to deal with booksellers" and posted something similar-saying someone doing their JOB deserves any bad thing you can do to them makes you an SC in my book.

[Ree]

OK, people. We have a report button for a reason. Only one person bothered to direct a moderator to this thread.

In the future, if you have an issue with a comment...USE THE REPORT FEATURE!!!

Mark Healey, I know that you did not intend to cause offense, but in fact, your method of dealing with a female or male telemarketers or sales people is insulting and borders on sexual harrassment.

I am closing this thread.