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My Time as a Telemarketer

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  • My Time as a Telemarketer

    One thing about being a telemarketer is that I have no idea what time it is when the machine calls you. And no, I do not manually put your number into my phone to call you. So it's not really ME calling...

    Here are the horro stories from ****

    Me: *waves*
    SC: One of many sucky customers

    Me: Hello, may I please speak with Mrs. ____________.
    SC: Speaking.
    Me: Hi! This is Lynne calling from Kids Books, in ______, Connecticut (where the company is situated, not me). I see you have previewed books in the past for your -
    SC: Can I have your phone number
    Me: Pardon?
    SC: I'm busy right now. Can I have your phone number so I can call YOU back during supper?
    Me: I'm sorry ma'am, but it's ten-thirty at night where I am.
    SC: I'll call you tomorrow
    Me: I'm afraid I can not give that information out
    SC: Oh come on now. You ALWAYS call at supper time. How would you feel if I called YOU at supper?
    Me: Ma'am, I'm new at this job. This would be the FIRST time I've ever called, and I sure didn't intend to interrupt your meal. Have a nice day.

    ***

    Me: Hello, may I please speak with Mrs. Ford?
    SC: Speaking
    Me: Hello, Mrs Ford. This is Lynne calling from Kids Books, in ______, Connecticut. I noticed you have previewed books in the past for -
    *pauses and looks at child's name
    Me: Err... your son..... Harrison
    *pause*
    SC: Yes?
    Me: *silence* (She did NOT name her son Harrison Ford. Oh but she DID! SHE DID!) Sorry ma'am. We have a great offer for you today...

    ***

    Me: Hello, may I please speak with Mr _______
    SC: Speaking
    Me: Hello! This is Lynne calling from Kids Books in ___________, Connecticut. I noticed that you have previewed books in the -
    SC: So how's the weather in Connecticut.
    Me: I would imagine it's green there, sir.
    SC: But I thought you said you were from Connecticut?
    Me: Kids Books is from Connecticut, I on the other hand am not.
    SC: Oh. Well, let's hear what you have to offer!

    (this man actually was a nice guy, and really funny. He ended up agreeing to previewing whatever it was I was selling)

    ***

    Me: Hello, may I please speak with Mr ________
    SC: Speaking
    Me: Hello, sir. This is Lynne calling from Kids Books in _________, Connecticut. I noticed that you have previewed books in the past for your children. I'm calling about an offer I thought you might be interested. *continues spiel*
    SC: Sure, sign me up for that!
    Me: Okay sir, I'll just have to get some information.
    SC: So, Lynne, how much do you get paid to do this?
    Me: Enough, sir.
    SC: Ah, but you can't possibly like working there.
    Me: It pays the bills.
    SC: I'm going to give you my number Lynne. Call me after work and we'll discuss other job opportunities that I don't think you'll want to pass up.
    Me:
    SC: We both know you don't like working there.
    Me: Sir, are you trying to make a sale to ME?
    SC: Yes!
    Me: Cool!



    I have more, but I don't have time to post them lol

    I have had one WOMAN go along with my spiel, and even agree to the offer. And then halfway through getting her info, she asked in a breathless voice, "What are you wearing?"
    Ewwy! I was so grossed out, that I hung up on her.
    "You're not gone five minutes, Agent Scully, and I'm already starting to feel like a stranger in my own office-"
    -Agent Doggett

  • #2
    Quoth Kogo Shuko View Post
    ...
    Me: Hello! This is Lynne calling from Kids Books in ___________, Connecticut. I noticed that you have previewed books in the -
    SC: So how's the weather in Connecticut.
    Me: I would imagine it's green there, sir.
    SC: But I thought you said you were from Connecticut?
    Me: Kids Books is from Connecticut, I on the other hand am not.
    ...
    considering you said you were calling from Kids Books in Connecticut, i would be confused as to your location as well. I think you shoulda been saying calling for Kids Books in Connecticut....

    but anywho, i think that harrison ford thing was funny, and you shoulda played with the lady some

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm sorry, but Telemarketers and Door-to-door salesmen are probably my most hated professions. I simply hang up on them all and tell the others to sod off.

      I mean, really, I'm at home after a hard days work. I don't want some prick calling me and trying to sell me sh!t I don't need.

      Get a real job. (not being mean to you, just telemarketers in general)
      Last edited by Jbball; 04-30-2008, 09:15 PM.

      Comment


      • #4
        A real job? You mean like pink elephant handler?
        or perhaps a job as a Carnie?

        I didnt realize that telemarketer/door-to-door salesman, were fake jobs.

        You do realize there are quiet a few people, that say being a cashier isnt a real job.

        I find it to be a very mean thing to say honestly.
        http://www.vilecity.com/index.php?r=221271
        Cyberpunk mayhem!

        Comment


        • #5
          You know... I hate telemarketers as well... but when it's the best paying job you can get straight out of high school - and one of the biggest corporations in town - it isn't fair to tell someone to get a REAL JOB.

          Do you think I enjoyed doing it? No. I know where you're coming from. But the type of telemarketing I was doing was NOT cold-calling. So if you decide to give out your phone number when buying from say... Scholastic (which HAPPENS... you give your number and adress when ordering from a Scholastic book fair), then you have obviously previewed and bought merchandise from them before. Is it so bad that they are willing to offer you three free books so that you can look at ONE and then send it back? Not really..
          "You're not gone five minutes, Agent Scully, and I'm already starting to feel like a stranger in my own office-"
          -Agent Doggett

          Comment


          • #6
            If there's a need and pays the bills I have no issue with telemarketer's, the people are doing what they need to do to get by.

            I treat them with the same polite dis-interest I use when the Johova Witnesses come knocking on the door.

            I had a door to door preacher stop by the other day, I politely sent him on his way.

            Quoth Jbball View Post
            I'm sorry, but Telemarketers and Door-to-door salesmen are probably my most hated professions.
            You forgot collections agents.

            These douchebags will continue to call a residence for years after the person they are looking for has moved out. Even if you call them and inform them that said person is no longer living there, you don't know who they are, and by continuing to call they are harassing you.

            Do these morons actually take the advice and find current information for the delinquent account holder? No. They just keep calling the existing number.

            Which is super intelligent.
            Last edited by LifeCarnie; 04-30-2008, 09:55 PM.
            Just because a customer expects you to put some effort into your job, that does not make them an SC.

            Comment


            • #7
              Quoth Jbball View Post
              I'm sorry, but Telemarketers and Door-to-door salesmen are probably my most hated professions. I simply hang up on them all and tell the others to sod off.

              I mean, really, I'm at home after a hard days work. I don't want some prick calling me and trying to sell me sh!t I don't need.

              Get a real job. (not being mean to you, just telemarketers in general)
              My sentiments too.

              If those people are the original poster's idea of a SC -- wow. They were a lot nicer than I would have been had a telemarketer called me.

              I never NEVER give my real phone number when I buy something. When I come home, I don't want to be bothered saying no to someone peddling something I'm better off not having.

              Comment


              • #8
                Since we have members here who work or have worked in telemarketing or collections, bashing these occupations is not OK. If you want to discuss the perceived evils of these jobs, take it to Fratching.

                We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
                Sometimes life is altered.
                Break from the ropes your hands are tied.
                Uneasy with confrontation.
                Won't turn out right. Can't turn out right

                Comment


                • #9
                  To this day, I feel bad about one telemarketer who called me. I used to put my dog's name on mail-in questionnaires (back in the dark ages) as being my child. A day or two after he had to be put down, I received a sales call from a children's book company (not Kogo's company) wanting to sell me books for "Blackie." All I could respond with was, "He's dead." I could tell she felt extremely awkward, but she hung up pretty quickly.
                  Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    OKay, I know everyone hates telemarketers but has anyone thought about it from the telemarketers point of view?

                    Could it possibly be that, Gasp! They hate cashiers or bank tellers? Or travel agents or people working in call centers?

                    My mother was a telemarketer for a security system sales office and she actually GASP! LIKED working there. It was easy money (to her) and she did it in an air conditioned building (our home, at the time, had no AC) and she got to visit my Dad; one of the sales people who actually went and talked to other people about getting a system installed, any time she wanted. (he worked in the next room)

                    And, excuse me, but as long as it pays and is legal, isn't that the meaning of a "real job"?
                    Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

                    Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

                    Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I tried telemarketing for a month last summer at Wyndham. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but the pay rate and hours were better than the convenience store where I work. I worked it for a month before I decided to return to the convenience store. I liked not dealing with SCs face-to-face aside from the better pay and hours. What I hated was the pressure to sell and meet quotas. At least at the c-store, I don't have to fuss with suggestive sales pitches and haggling to make the sale.

                      It wasn't for nothing, though. The store did rehire me at a better pay rate than what I left. The manager tried to talk me out of leaving when I was offered the job at Wyndham, but it took leaving, having them beg me to come back, then returning to get a raise.

                      Had it not been for pressure to meet sales quotas, I might have been willing to stay at Wyndham. I did like many of my coworkers, and talked to some interesting people on the phone. There were plenty of good incentives to sell without the pressure, but there were too many team leaders with temper tantrums if sales were slow.
                      The Borg wouldn't know fun if they assimilated an amusement park. -- B'Elanna Torres, Star Trek: Voyager

                      Math! Math, my dear boy, is but the lesbian sister of Biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        As much as I can't stand a telemarketer calling me for useless shit or a collector calling and harassing me like crazy, they still have my sympathy in some aspects. I've done cold calling before and the first time I did it was for a third party call center where my account called to see if small to medium sized businesses were happy with their credit card processing providers (in short a "would ya like to take a survey?" type of call). I can't tell you how many times I've had secretaries/receptionists get snooty with me when I asked to speak to their bosses along with getting cussed out and hung up on. It's not easy, but somebody has to do it.
                        I don't get paid enough to kiss your a**! -Groezig 5/31/08
                        Another day...another million braincells lost...-Sarlon 6/16/08
                        Chivalry is not dead. It's just direly underappreciated. -Samaliel 9/15/09

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Quoth Kogo Shuko
                          I have had one WOMAN go along with my spiel, and even agree to the offer. And then halfway through getting her info, she asked in a breathless voice, "What are you wearing?"
                          Ewwy! I was so grossed out, that I hung up on her.

                          I've actually done this, but the telemarketer on the other end didn't hang up. She actually continued to attempt her sales pitch.

                          Unbelieveable. Well, I guess she deserves props for pressing on bravely though a pervert's heavy breathing.
                          Last edited by Boozy; 05-01-2008, 09:26 PM. Reason: quote tags

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            As a telemarketer I worked for four different companies

                            The book company - who were calling people who had purchased their items in the past

                            And I would just like to clarify that as a child my mother accepted every call she got from these guys, because it's fun to screw the system. If you preview one book, you get about three or four free things - and then you can send the item back for free! And still keep the free items they gave you!! Free stuff for listening to a telemarketer! :O

                            I also worked for a CD and DVD club (Canadian based) - they were calling old members who hadn't been in the club for at least a year.

                            The deal was actually a really good one, and I waited for the call from one of my fellow coworkers so that I could get the deal too, because we weren't allowed to set it up on our own accounts

                            a magazine (Canadian based) - they were also calling old members

                            and a pantyhose company - they were actually calling MEMBERS just to let them know of promotions... the pantyhose was special stuff that's good for medical problems and things like that
                            "You're not gone five minutes, Agent Scully, and I'm already starting to feel like a stranger in my own office-"
                            -Agent Doggett

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth aurelemsrealm View Post
                              I tried telemarketing for a month last summer at Wyndham. .
                              hey... you worked for the same place that one of my coworkers worked at...

                              oh and telemarketing can't possibly be as bad as the survey takers... i've done that before... lasted 3 months doing it...
                              If you wish to find meaning, listen to the music not the song

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