Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Telemarketers - love 'em or hate 'em?

I haven't had a home phone in a long time but due to my new work-from-home customer service position I had to get one. I haven't given my number to anyone. I don't even know my number - isn't that sad?! LOL I know I have it written down somewhere but I couldn't find it the other day so I had to call my cell phone just to have the number show up on there so I could see what it was. I'm not going to give anybody the number because I will never use this phone for anything other than work and I don't want anybody calling me on this line.

Needless to say ever since I've had my phone (almost a month now) it has rang just about every day...when I answer it, the caller asks for me by my first name...BIG mistake! I KNOW it's a telemarketer - because NOBODY other than family and doctor's offices knows my first name. (I don't like my 1st name so I don't tell anybody what it is.) After verifying that I am in fact who they are calling for they start off right away with their sales pitch.

My husband works for a telemarketing/call center firm. He has been there for 7 years. He started as a telemarketer and has moved up the career ladder to Assistant Call Center Manager now and he loves his job. I've learned a lot about telemarketing as a job and I feel for the agents because they are just trying to earn a paycheck like everybody else. But, gosh darnit I get so tired of getting stupid phone calls every day! Yes, I have registered on the "Do Not Call" list but it does take a little bit for that to take effect...this was the reason I needed to know my number the other day! LOL

Most of the time when the telemarketer starts talking I calmly wait for them to take a quick breath and then I tell them "No thank you, I am not interested in anything you are trying to sell me, collect from me, etc so just remove my name from your calling list please." Once I say that they are quick to tell me "okay, have a nice day" and we hang up. Saturday Greg and I were sitting here and one of those guys from the Highway Troopers Association called. I answered the phone and once he discovered it was me....he was off like a rocket. I couldn't get a word in edgewise! I looked at Greg and rolled my eyes.
Greg took the phone from me and said, "Helloooooooooo, sir? Hellllloooooooooooooooooo?" This guy was talking ninety to nothing!

"Thank you for calling but go ahead and remove this number from your call list and send us a letter stating that you are doing that." Oh yeah, I always forget to ask for this!! My hubby's good!

"Excuse me?! Yes, you can send a letter. You are required by law to do this because I asked for it and you are required by law to remove this number from your list because I asked for it." My man knows what he is talking about....this guy doesn't know who he is dealing with! LOL

"Yes, thank you and you have a nice day too." Wish my hubby could take care of all my calls for me.....

2 comments:

Rebekah said...

I briefly worked as a telemarketer selling vacations. I HATED IT!

However, it did give me some leverage when I got a call from a persistant telemarketer. After we hung up, I called his supervisor (because he has to give me the number) and complained.

I kid you not, this same man called me about 6 months later selling the same thing. I knew his voice the second I heard it. I started in on him and I think he then remembered who I was. He quickly hung up.

Unknown said...

So if your husband loves his job now, does that mean he didn't like it before? I don't do well with telemarketers. My husband sound like yours..he does much better. Too bad he can't answer the phone during the day!

Be well! Sniz