Sunday, August 29, 2010

Telemarketer Rant*

*It's not what you think. I am on the side of the telemarketer. Kind of.

I get really annoyed with people who delight in being rude to telemarketers.

I completely agree that telemarketers are a pain in the ass because a) they call during dinner and b) they want to sell you something, but I hate it when people start telling a smug little story about what a jerk they were when someone from the phone company called.

"So this telemarketer called," they say, "and asked for the householder... and I told them she'd died in a car accident! Haw haw haw!"
"Usually I just shout, FUCK OFF as loud as I can then slam the phone down!"
"I start swearing at them... in French! It's great because even if they can't understand it, they're not allowed to swear back! Haw haw haw!"

Come on, people. Are we really that super proud of being complete dicks to total strangers?

I know, and to a point agree with, the 'they invaded my privacy so it is within my rights to be a douchebag' theory, but that is why no call lists exist. If you are on a no call list, telemarketers will not call you. That is why it is called a no call list. Maybe if you don't like telemarketers calling then you should be on that l-

oh no wait, I see your point because I guess being on a no call list isn't half as fun as telling someone to commit unnatural acts with a toilet brush because they had the audacity to call your house during Australia's Got Talent. Wow! You just made someone doing what's already a pretty crappy job feel even worse about their day. Whoopee shit, good for you!

Maybe next time just say, "No thanks, I'm not interested, have a nice evening" and put the phone down because for fuck's sake, telemarketers are people, just like you are. Not faceless robots for you to shout FUCK OFF at. They are just people doing their job.

Sorry about the rant. It just makes me mad.

8 comments:

Jade Carver said...

Agree.

bluzdude said...

I agree that you shouldn't be mean. I just don't answer the phone. God bless Caller ID.

Juli said...

There are no call lists in NZ? Really? Yay!

FTR, I am polite to telemarketers. Because I feel sorry for them. Such a bad line of work.

PurpleLily said...

Hmmmm...I think it depends. I am usually polite when I answer the phone but if you keep trying to sell me shit when I have said "no thanks" or "I'm actually in the middle of something thanks anyway" then I WILL hang up on you.

I once had a telemarketer ask me if she could please speak to my Mother as she needed to talk to an adult! I'm 28!!

WV: ummisms

Andrea Eames said...

Pretty sure we've told you smug stories before. I sort of agree, but there are telemarketers and telemarketers.

Phil said...

The local ones aren't so bad but I've had some real hard sell overseas telemarketers who phone thru crappy VOIP with static and echo, and will NOT take no for an answer. I had SIX calls from one company called EquiAsia

Helen Vivienne Fletcher said...

I agree about being nice to telemarketers BUT the no call list thing doesn't work. I'm on a no call list for my work number (it's part of a mental health help line and the calls get directed through another number.) Telemarketers still call me, which is not so good in the middle of a shift of distressed actual calls.

Catriona said...

Yay I agree. I worked as one of those people who try to fundraise for charity in the street for a week and while only one person actually said "fuck off", people in general were so rude and disdainful, and when I told anyone socially what I did they were like "Really?" as if I'd said I was kicking puppies in the face for money. Fundraisers spend their time trying to get people to help vaccinate kids against polio, you know, what did you do with your day? People are people and you do not have the right to walk down the street in a bubble where no one can ever talk to you. That's what your living room is for.