Awesome thing to do/say to a telemarketer

[altworld]

Originally Posted by ApK

Some one put a gun to your head an forced you to take that job?

No, just needed to feed my family, it was my second job along with a retail position while I waited out my application to a much better job.

[ApK]

If the company you worked for was honest but merely annoying, then you'll just have to suck up the jibes, as will anyone who annoys people for a living. Telemarketer, bill collector, process server, it comes with the job.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by altworld

A little harsh don't you think? An example of one bad side of the internet in this post, me thinks.

You want me deported for taking a job and not living off welfare? Did I steal some of your money or something? Been here 10 years and paid taxes for 10 years

I worked a temporary job for a crappy company, to pay my way, to support my wife and child. I hated every moment of it and it was a total waste of my hard earned education. I was nice, polite, took people off the lists to see them get put back on again.

I did all this for two months while waiting out applications for jobs in the field I actually do work in. Certainly been a very productive member of this society without being an dick about it.

My message was simple, remember the person on the phone is just doing his job and frankly it is not worth your time to get mad at them. Simply just be nice and the calls go away. Does wonders for your blood pressure too

Apart from the oversea calling mills, 90% of the Telemarketers workers in the USA are either females or students. Is it really worth busting them to make yourself feel big?

Ever onwards, getting bent out of shape to this degree in your post is jsut not worth it.

Right, got some writing to do.
Arigato,
Nick Davis

If you came to this country unable to support yourself and your family without going on welfare or disturbing people at home, then you should have not been allowed here in the first place or, if you managed to get into that situation once here, you should have been deported.

You were on a job that you knew annoyed many people and knew your employer returned people to the calling lists even after requesting to be removed from them and you still feel there was nothing wrong with it? Even if someone was naive enough to believe there was nothing obnoxious about telemarketing before taking the job, that someone would either have to be a total idiot to not figure it out before long or completely uncaring about the people's lives that person was disrupting.

Yes, telemarketers STEAL people's time. It doesn't matter how short an amount of time it is; it still interrupts whatever a person was doing at the time. Multiply that by several calls from several telemarketers (survey takers, political callers, whatever) and it adds up to a significant anount of time. For every person who reacted to you in a negative manner, several more were too polite to tell you how they really felt. You invaded, via telephone, without being invited, people's homes for your selfish purposes. Even if it was to support a family, it was still for your own benefit with no regard for the people you called. Yes, the telemarketing companies are scum but so are the people that work for them.

The complaint that the one doing the calling is a person and should be treated with respect. What about the peope being called? Do they not have a right to have their lives uninterrupted?

People do not pay to have phones for the purpose having strangers use those phones for their own purposes. People get phones so they can call people they want or need to talk to and to receive calls from those people. Anyone who calls a phone they did not pay for, even though the owner of the phone is not charged for the call, without authorization for their own purposes is a thief. Nor should anyone have to pay for call blocking to prevent authorized use of their phone.

I used to work third shift and had to sleep during the day. I had no trouble getting to sleep initially but if something woke me up during the time I was sleeping, it took me a while to get back to sleep. This used to happen several times a week, despite being on the Do Not Call list (the list is a joke because the telemarketing companies have figured out how to beat it). I couldn't turn off the phone because I might receive a call from my elderly parents or a friend (all of whom knew my schedule and would not call when I was asleep unless it was an emergency). Screening calls involves either walking to my phone to see who called or listening to the message to see who is calling ('tis funny how telemarketers do not leave messages). I still had to interrupt my life to deal with the call (and, sadly, the cowardly telemarketers usually block their calls).

Junk mail I can toss at a time of my own choosing. Spam (what little I get) I can delete at a time of my own choosing. I don't object to ads in magazines or on TV and radio because they pay for the content I'm reading or viewing, sometimes are entertaining, and do inform me of new products and services. I am also able to choose when I read or view TV and if I want to read or listen to the ad. Internet page ads are the same (with the exception of the obnoxious ads that employ popups, etc. that defeat my popup blocker).

I have to be very careful to whom I give my phone number, even if the recipient may have a legitimate use for it, because of the danger that my number will be then be sold for use by telemarketers. When I do get unauthorized calls, I do not scream at anyone abusing my phone. I do not curse at them and play silly games. I tell them slowly and firmly I do not apopreciate the unauthorized abuse of my phone and time and to never, EVER, call me again. If I get repeat calls, then I find on the internet how to contact the company (or politician) directly to deal with it. I've managed to almost eliminate the unwanted calls that way but I should never have been put into the situation of having to do so in the first place. If I do not give them my phone number, then they should not use it.

I still challenge you to provide us with your home phone number so we can intrude on your life.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by ApK

If the company you worked for was honest but merely annoying, then you'll just have to suck up the jibes, as will anyone who annoys people for a living. Telemarketer, bill collector, process server, it comes with the job.

Unlike telemarketers, bill collectors and process servers have a legitimate reason to contact people (as long as they are reasonable about it). Laws regulating bill collectors and process servers are strictly enforced. Sadly, the laws concerning telemarketers, etc. are lax and poorly enforced, if at all.

[altworld]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

If you came to this country unable to support yourself and your family without going on welfare or disturbing people at home, then you should have not been allowed here in the first place or, if you managed to get into that situation once here, you should have been deported.

Odd... Wife or I should more correctly say now ex-wife (seems to be another USA tradition) was a US citizen born and raised in the USA, right in the heart of PA. I would educate you on the means test immigrants have to go through to get here, and the proof of support we have to provide while waiting out paper work so we are not a burden on the publish system, but your mind is closed to that.

I worked two jobs, as did my ex-wife to support our family until I got a much better job in field I worked in, in the UK, that no doubt pays your welfare dollar

You were on a job that you knew annoyed many people and knew your employer returned people to the calling lists even after requesting to be removed from them and you still feel there was nothing wrong with it? Even if someone was naive enough to believe there was nothing obnoxious about telemarketing before taking the job, that someone would either have to be a total idiot to not figure it out before long or completely uncaring about the people's lives that person was disrupting.

I think you missed the part were I said I hated it, and the job was purely temporary in nature. Frankly that was what it was... A job, not a career. There is a big difference between the two. It paid better than minimum, and I need to support my family at the time. That is called responsibility

Yes, telemarketers STEAL people's time. It doesn't matter how short an amount of time it is; it still interrupts whatever a person was doing at the time. Multiply that by several calls from several telemarketers (survey takers, political callers, whatever) and it adds up to a significant anount of time. For every person who reacted to you in a negative manner, several more were too polite to tell you how they really felt. You invaded, via telephone, without being invited, people's homes for your selfish purposes. Even if it was to support a family, it was still for your own benefit with no regard for the people you called. Yes, the telemarketing companies are scum but so are the people that work for them.

So I am scum for working for a telemarketing company... Wow... Thats a pretty broad brush you painting people with. I'm actually a really nice person in real life too, and don't put on an troll act for an internet forum. You really should not get too twisted up about this. Steal time indeed... If this is bending you out of shape you must really hate commercial breaks

The complaint that the one doing the calling is a person and should be treated with respect. What about the peope being called? Do they not have a right to have their lives uninterrupted?

Stops being fun when the person or profession you are bullying suddenly becomes a little more human doesn't it?

People do not pay to have phones for the purpose having strangers use those phones for their own purposes. People get phones so they can call people they want or need to talk to and to receive calls from those people. Anyone who calls a phone they did not pay for, even though the owner of the phone is not charged for the call, without authorization for their own purposes is a thief. Nor should anyone have to pay for call blocking to prevent authorized use of their phone.

I would have to counter point here that Telemarketer companies actually get a lot of their lists direct from the phone company, so you should ask them why a service your paying for is selling your number on.

If you are paying for incoming calls then you are getting ripped off. Plus if you are paying for call blocking then you should find another provider, a lot of services offer Caller ID, Call Block, Call Forward, Call waiting etc for free now.

Also you can put your number on the do not call registry for free, and file a compliant if you get calls 90 days after filing.

I used to work third shift and had to sleep during the day. I had no trouble getting to sleep initially but if something woke me up during the time I was sleeping, it took me a while to get back to sleep. This used to happen several times a week, despite being on the Do Not Call list (the list is a joke because the telemarketing companies have figured out how to beat it). I couldn't turn off the phone because I might receive a call from my elderly parents or a friend (all of whom knew my schedule and would not call when I was asleep unless it was an emergency). Screening calls involves either walking to my phone to see who called or listening to the message to see who is calling ('tis funny how telemarketers do not leave messages). I still had to interrupt my life to deal with the call (and, sadly, the cowardly telemarketers usually block their calls)..

If your number is on the do not call list and your being called, then file a compliant. It is funny my numbers are on the do not call list and I've never received a Telemarketing call since. I guess you are the exception and the world is out to get just you so you cannot sleep

The company I worked for, for those two months had a whole script of what message you leave on the answer phone. Fairly short, but you did have to leave a message and a call back number. I guess another exception, right?

Junk mail I can toss at a time of my own choosing. Spam (what little I get) I can delete at a time of my own choosing. I don't object to ads in magazines or on TV and radio because they pay for the content I'm reading or viewing, sometimes are entertaining, and do inform me of new products and services. I am also able to choose when I read or view TV and if I want to read or listen to the ad. Internet page ads are the same (with the exception of the obnoxious ads that employ popups, etc. that defeat my popup blocker).

Based on your rant I would say this is a false statement, as you seem to get bent out of shape over anything that steals your time. May I suggest anger management?

I have to be very careful to whom I give my phone number, even if the recipient may have a legitimate use for it, because of the danger that my number will be then be sold for use by telemarketers. When I do get unauthorized calls, I do not scream at anyone abusing my phone. I do not curse at them and play silly games. I tell them slowly and firmly I do not apopreciate the unauthorized abuse of my phone and time and to never, EVER, call me again. If I get repeat calls, then I find on the internet how to contact the company (or politician) directly to deal with it. I've managed to almost eliminate the unwanted calls that way but I should never have been put into the situation of having to do so in the first place. If I do not give them my phone number, then they should not use it.

Well, as mentioned before the Phone company has already sold your number so you should start with them. You, do seem to go above and beyond to remove tele calls and I can only conclude that a telemarkerter ran over your cat on the way to work or something... Irrational hatred... Remember now... Breathe

Question do you ask for your number to be removed from their lists, and do you confirm this, or do you just put your phone down after your calm get off my phone speech? If they are legitimate they will remove your number under FTC rules they have too.

I still challenge you to provide us with your home phone number so we can intrude on your life.

Why? Because I was a telemarketer for two months almost 9 years ago. Because I spoiled your fun by putting a more human face on this job? Because you now look like bully?

I accept it was a job that intruded on other peoples lives and I even said I hated that aspect of it. Good natured call yonking is fun to be involved in, the bad stuff is just that and part of the job. I just feel everyone should just be excellent to each other all the time

The only purpose for me to supply you a number is for you to abuse it and attempt to bully me, which I have to point out would get you into more serious trouble than a mere telemarketer would ever get into. You've already pointed out here that I am scum for taking a job to support my family and that is a fairly sad position to take, and I hope not a reflection of the real you. If it is really what you think then the word 'scum' points towards an bully personality, you only want my phone number so you can continue your attack outside this forum... So I suggest you just breathe.

This is after all an internet forum, not real life.

Go read a book, I have several interesting ones I wrote... Please buy one, or I will return to Telemarketing and steal your time... Bwah ha ha ha ha ha

Arigato,
Nick Davis

[altworld]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Unlike telemarketers, bill collectors and process servers have a legitimate reason to contact people (as long as they are reasonable about it). Laws regulating bill collectors and process servers are strictly enforced. Sadly, the laws concerning telemarketers, etc. are lax and poorly enforced, if at all.

Incorrect the laws for Telemarketers are extremely harsh, and if they are legitimate company bound by US FTC law you have lot of rights on your side. I cannot speak for the bad ones, because they are fly-by-nights and run by more shady characters anyway.

On the other hand the Bill collection industry is not even regulated, Buffalo NY has a whole industry that buys up zombie debt and then uses borderline illegal practices to collect on it. If you are getting a call from Process Server then they are not a process server, but most likely a Bill Collector trying to scare you into paying by pretending there is a court order out there for you, which is illegal.

Process servers just have a habit of turning up in person, and don't give any warning they are coming. Thats the nature of that job.

Just as getting abuse calling as a Telemarketer was just part of the job. Once again I have to say I didn't enjoy my time working as one, but I do have a more sympathtic approach to them now I've seen the other side.
Arigato,
Nick Davis

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Unlike telemarketers, bill collectors and process servers have a legitimate reason to contact people (as long as they are reasonable about it). Laws regulating bill collectors and process servers are strictly enforced. Sadly, the laws concerning telemarketers, etc. are lax and poorly enforced, if at all.

I know. I honestly could not think of ANY other job that was in the same annoyance category as telemarketer, but once I started the sentence, I felt compelled to finish it.

ApK

[altworld]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I still challenge you to provide us with your home phone number so we can intrude on your life.

Given the context you want my telephone number, and your manner towards me in this thread I can only presume it is to abuse/stalk me, and potentially cause harm to my family. Therefore I give you fair and public notice to cease this request.
Regards,
Nick Davis

[altworld]

Originally Posted by ApK

I know. I honestly could not think of ANY other job that was in the same annoyance category as telemarketer, but once I started the sentence, I felt compelled to finish it.

ApK

Could try door to door salesman?

[WT Sharpe]

@altworld

I can see your beef. I no longer engage in messing with the heads of telemarketers, although when I was younger, I pulled more than my share of pranks. Now I simply look at it as some person who needs a job, and in a tight job market, you take what you can get. I also realize now that many who take such jobs are handicap and have a difficult time finding other work, so when I get a call these days, I simply inform them that I'm not interested. If they persist, I say I'm really not interested and hang up.

[altworld]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

@altworld

I can see your beef. I no longer engage in messing with the heads of telemarketers, although when I was younger, I pulled more than my share of pranks. Now I simply look at it as some person who needs a job, and in a tight job market, you take what you can get. I also realize now that many who take such jobs are handicap and have a difficult time finding other work, so when I get a call these days, I simply inform them that I'm not interested. If they persist, I say I'm really not interested and hang up.

Yonking in that job field was to be expected, and the fun ones got talked about during breaks. I can tell you that none of the employees enjoyed what they did, but you do what you have to to support yourself and your family. Reponsibility is a big word
Arigato,
Nick Davis

[ApK]

Originally Posted by altworld

Could try door to door salesman?

I actually did think of that, but since it was essentially just another cold selling job, it seemed too close. Plus, door-to-door types actually have to get out there personally and face each person they deal with, so they are usually not quite as annoying as telemarketers (many of whom are just audio spam nowadays).

Also, my town has a "do not knock" list which is a HECK of lot more enforceable then than a national do not call list. You get a violating door-to-door solicitor and make a call, and there is a police car driving down the street minutes later, stopping to have a word with the person. I've only gotten ONE violating door-to-door in the several years the law has been in effect. I get illegal phone calls almost every day.

ApK

[Lady Fitzgerald]

@altworld... The only things I attacked about you were your belief that there is nothing is wrong with telemarketing and your past abuse of people's phones that you feel was justified. You, on the other hand, have responded with inaccurate statements (such as the one about bill collections--most States do regulate it--and that the DNC is effective and the Feds enforce it), lame rationalizations and personal attacks on me based on faulty assumptions in areas that have nothing to do with the topic at hand.

The request for your phone number was not to actually use it to harrass you (besides being illegal, as you pointed out) but to make a point. You didn't get it. In fact, you have yet to get any of the points I was trying to make, preferring to fall back on your own selfishness.

I'm not going to waste anymore time on this. If you haven't "gotten it" by now, you never will. Please go ahead and continue to comment on this if you wish since every time you do, my opinion of you drops further as you present your lame rationalizations for your inconsiderate past activities and current beliefs, effective proving my points.

[LCF]

Originally Posted by ApK

Some one put a gun to your head an forced you to take that job?

I suppose the someone would have been the rent, the grocery store and all the other evil people demanding money from him. Shame on them!

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

@altworld... The only things I attacked about you were your belief that there is nothing is wrong with telemarketing and your past abuse of people's phones that you feel was justified.

The way I understand what he said, the job sucked. You get treated badly and your job is to annoy people. The only justification he pointed out was, that he had to live in the meantime, until he had a better job (which he got, so he is obviously qualified and a valuable addition to the society).

Honestly, do you know a person who will first see his family starve before working anything that's legal?

I'm not going to waste anymore time on this. If you haven't "gotten it" by now, you never will. Please go ahead and continue to comment on this if you wish since every time you do, my opinion of you drops further as you present your lame rationalizations for your inconsiderate past activities and current beliefs, effective proving my points.

Sadly, this is exactly what happens when I read your posts on this subject.

[pholy]

I think this thread has gotten long enough; it might as well be closed, it's going nowhere useful.