A Telemarketer's First Day On The Do-Not-Call List.

[Maine Mary]

Disclaimer: If you are looking for tales of woe, I'm sorry but this thread may disappoint. All went well.

Actually extremely well. The company I work for (a Fortune 200 Co) is one of the ones complying despite the ambiguous sitution. At this point, it appears to be a voluntary compliance as everything is up in the air right now, but it's my understanding that they don't have to. This is typical of them however. They have always been VERY meticulous in educating us regarding EVERY State law and making sure we comply.

But anyway, WHAT a pleasant evening on the phones! Some of you may find this hard to beleive, but many people don't mind the calls and *gasp* others actually like it. Some are looking for a better credit card deal in order to consolidate bills while others just want someone to talk to. With both the former and especially latter group, I find great job satisfaction. I've always run into such types. However it used to be only about 1 out of every 10-15 calls. This evening the ratio was much better.

At worst, I heard many polite "no thanks" but not one obscenity. I had a nice conversation with an old veteran guy in Idaho who had lost his wife of 54 years recently. He spoke sadly of that event but also went on more optimistically about how his grandson is teaching him to use the computer. I spent 20 minutes on the phone w/him and didn't bother w/the sales stuff because I had time... I didn't have to wade through all the people who didn't want me to call them.

Maybe I'm being naive but I don't think this Do-Not-Call thing is going to be as "dire" as it's been made to be. Anyone who hates telemarketing enough to put their name on the list would never listen to the spiel anyway let alone take one of our credit cards. Many States have had them (Do-Not-Call lists) for years anyway.

This thread probably won't get many replies because, as an "evil telemarketer" :evilfrown: I think some may wish I'm bummed. But so far so good! :-)

[BiggJawn]

1. So it actually makes your job easier?

Not having to deal with guys "like me"?
So I wonder what happens if the DMA finds out that sales go UP because the Fed has "pre-qualified" your prospects for you?

[Maine Mary]

12. Some people are so greedy that it blinds them

to the boring details. I bet less then 2% of the DMA head honchos have ever spent any time in the telemarketing trenches thus they don't understand the dynamics.

[celestia671]

2. I was a telemarketer once...

I worked for this call center that did those AT&T winback calls. I got cussed out a few times, hung up on, yelled at, but it was a job that I needed.
While I'm not crazy about telemarketers calling me at bad times trying to sell things , I don't consider them to be evil. They're just tyring to make a living like everyone else.

[Maine Mary]

13. Thanks

:-)

[dfong63]

3. thanks for sharing your story

Maybe I'm being naive but I don't think this Do-Not-Call thing is going to be as "dire" as it's been made to be. Anyone who hates telemarketing enough to put their name on the list would never listen to the spiel anyway

it seems so elementary. why would telemarketers want to waste their time on people who have stated they don't want to be called?

now, if only email spammers would clue in.

[celestia671]

6. Actually,

I don't get too many sales calls anymore. These days, I get flooded with spam emails.

[Maine Mary]

15. I agree

And :hi:

I'm a long time DUer (May 2001) but have been away for awhile. So many new folks to meet!

[indigo32]

4. see it just makes sense to me

that telemarketers would be happy to focus on a sellable market, and it's nice that you are able to bring a friendly voice into homes that want it.

[Maine Mary]

16. Thanks

We're not all bad. :-)

[w4rma]

5. Now if there was a way to stop SPAM email. (n/t)

[blondeatlast]

7. I'm happy things went well--there has to be a reason why so

many opted out of do not call.

There are many lonely people who do appreciate the sound of a friendly voice. At the library, many older people just like to have a chat; I figure that they have no one else to speak to. If I have the time, I listen.

I can't imagine being that lonely, it's a few minutes of my time.

Betcha never thought you'd hear this, but: Thank you.

BTW; I've always been polite, even if I don't let them finish the script.

[Maine Mary]

18. Thanks so much

Are you a librarian? Wow! Whatta dream job! Of course I'm sure there is much drudgery too like anything else though.

But anyway I'm glad you "get it". Human beings are social animals. When deprived of contact with others for whatever reason, they need someone to talk to. I think sometimes this is as sad as seeing a homeless person or any other type of sad state of inhumanity.

And also, thanks for being polite. You don't need to let anyone finish a script. Just saying "no thanks" is enough to make ME melt. I don't WANT to object to nice people. I'm supposed to "overcome objections" but can't do it w/people like you.

Funny how good people usually have things work out ok. Wonder why? :shrug: :-)

[JanMichael]

8. Just the opposite will happen!

Out of the 289,000,000 people in America the truly hostile have now been weeded out. That ought to be a great windfall for tele-marketers for a good while.

I supported this distraction of a bill for a multitude of reasons. That said I get the difficulties that it may have generated, I'm thankful that it didn't do what may have been expected!

[spooky3]

10. Thanks for letting us know and glad your day is better.

For the first time in *months*, I came home to find zero "out of area" or "unknown caller" or strange # messages on my caller ID (versus the usual half dozen or more). I'm happy too!!!

[Maine Mary]

19. Wow

Somebody wanted you bad! You must make mucho bucks or something! My credit is not the best as I have a bad political addiction (I'm a Maine State Rep. and only barely support my lifestyle by telemarketing)... BUT my SO has excellent credit. They don't bother him that way. :shrug:

BTW: The company I work for does not allow us to leave messages.

[spooky3]

28. I never buy ANYTHING from telemarketers, and the calls come

from different parties, and I have good credit, so I don't think it has anything to do with me. I have also requested multiple times to be on the DMA "do not call lists" and have paid $5 each to be off call and mailing lists via their websites. Despite all this, I receive tons of these calls, mostly recorded calls, every single day and they do not stop until you answer the call. This is why it bugs me when people trivialize the problem as the occasional call during dinner. The government list could not have come a moment too soon for me.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

9. I can deal with telemarketers

I've never bought anything from them, but I know they are just doing a job. I usually just say that I already have the product they are selling. My momma taught me to be polite.

[Maine Mary]

21. Your momma was wise

My mother always told me to "never do to others that which you would not wish upon yourself"

Oh and there is that other one... "You can catch more flys with honey then with vinegar" Trust me, someone like you who is polite, but firm will put off a telemarketer much faster then some jerk who is more interested in demeaning the person. And they think WE are dumb/uneducated.... :eyes:
;-)

[Wwagsthedog]

11. MBNA eh?

n/t

[Pithlet]

14. That's good

I never even thought about it from the telemarketer caller's POV. But, it makes sense.

I've always thought that although telemarketing is a pain in the ass, the callers themselves are just trying to make a living. I'm glad this bill will make it easier for them as well as giving people who hate them a way to avoid them.

[jiacinto]

17. Where is your seat

Maine Mary, where is your district? And will you run for the State Senate when you are termed out?

[Evanstondem]

20. Go ahead and call those who want to be called

but leave me alone!

[Maine Mary]

22. Your wish is my command

Please, oh please God, don't let them program you into our automatic dial up!!!!

But then again, on second thought, it might be kind of fun. :evilgrin:

[LoZoccolo]

23. EXACTLY. EXACTLY.

They should be /thankful/ for the do-not-call list. It works as a don't-waste-your-time list. And it keeps them from wasting their time!

[Skittles]

24. scapegoats: gays, welfare mothers, immigrants

and now telemarketers. Everyone seems to always have to have someone to sneer at. It is quite unsettling how hysterical people get over freaking PHONE CALLS.

[celestia671]

25. I know!

And in these times of caller id, you have the option of not answering the phone.

[Skittles]

26. people are moronic

they like to think every phone call is special, just for them. And when it's not, they make it personal.

[onecitizen]

27. Nothing against you at all...........

MCI called me again today and I went off. Don't think they'll be calling again anytime soon. I sure hope not anyway.

[latebloomer]

29. It's so easy to be nasty to faceless people

whether they be telemarketers, people you meet on the Internet, or fellow drivers. People would never think of being so goddamn rude to someone in a grocery store, for example, that they actually had to go face-to-face with. But they can scream at a telemarketer, or flip the bird to a fellow driver, or flame a poster.

I usually just say, "Thanks, but I'm not interested", and hang up before they can start objecting. Caller ID helps, too.