The Terrible Telemarketer
Telemarketing is a hot topic. Everybody hates them it seems, but I don't agree. Firstly, to put this into perspective I work for a big telecommunications provider, yes, in a call centre. So I might begin by looking at it from my perspective.
Telemarketing jobs are easy to get, you do the required full time training and then get out on the phones. Most people quit, leave or sometimes get fired in the first two weeks. The figures would be amazing if there was a study done. Employee turnover is huge! Some continue, few succeed and out of the 'training groups' that go through, sometimes nobody will last more than a month.
However the ones that do stay aren't there because they are desperate for a job. It is because they can handle it. People hang up on you and constantly say 'not interested' and it can get quite depressing. Only those that can handle the monotony and don't take it personally can stay. Most new employees leave by choice.
So the environment is crap, but why do I stay? Money. I make more money in this job that I can anywhere else. I can work while I study at University because the hours are flexible and I can get as many or as few as I like. The base rate of pay is up there with the best with the exception of basically nothing. The commission ensures that I'm getting paid the most I can. However, this also means I have to put some effort in but it is worth it. Some weeks it works out I'm earning upwards of $35 an hour. All to just sit there and talk on the phone.
So in short, don't abuse telemarketers as losers who need to get a life, we have it better than you. We don't endure abuse for nothing, and in the many months I've worked in the call centre, I haven't been abused once. People get angry, but no abuse.
BUT, the lack of abuse is related to what sort of calls I make. I call customers who already have products and sell other products at bundled rates and so forth. Basically, if you're in the market for what I'm selling, I'm useful to you. If you're not in the market for what I'm selling, but you like a good deal, I'm good for you. However, sometimes you end up buying things you don't want from me because if you wanted it you would already have it.
This is where the negative side of telemarketing comes into play. Yes it is bloody annoying receiving calls you do not want, but what about the one's that truly do save you money. The fact is people buy because the product is good, or appears to be good. Not because the salesperson is good. They present, the customer decides if they want to buy or not, if the salesperson pitches the product well they increase the chance of the customer buying the product but ultimately if you don't like getting the calls STOP BUYING OVER THE PHONE! Large companies wouldn't engage in direct marketing such as telemarketing if it didn't yield results. That's why the industry is here to stay.
However, if you don't like the calls but you care about the feelings of telemarketers (I don't see why you should, but if you are that type of person) you have two options: hang up immediately, or buy what they are selling. Hang up and stop wasting their time where they could be making sales. Or just buy it and cool off later, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A COOLING OFF PERIOD*!
Otherwise, if you are an arsehole and who can deny it isn't a lot of fun, stay on the phone for 2+ minutes and then hang up. However, we get paid to sit on the phone, you don't. That's the bottom line. We do it for the money, not because we like it. Telemarketers might enjoy what they do in some cases, but only for the money. Like I mentioned above, we can take the constant rejection it doesn't phase a telemarketer if you throw them back. We just move on to the next person.
So business likes telemarketers because it makes them money, I get paid, and the people who do buy products most of the time appreciate being called. Some people even thank me for calling even if they don't buy.
So if you don't like telemarketers my advice is get on a Do Not Call list because it stops the calls eventually. And as I said before hang up on the telemarketers or buy their crap and cool off. It wastes money for the company sending information in the mail, processing things, etc. It means they pay commission (if their pay structure doesn't prevent this) to the agents and they win floor incentives, so they like you. The industry gets flooded with bogus sales and it becomes less effective.
However, the bottom line is telemarketing is good for enough people to make it worthwhile. I make money so I like it and I'm not complaining. But don't take your anger out on agents, it a waste of your emotions and time. If an agent is rude to you or harasses you by all means, knock yourself out, waste their time. But ultimately you achieve nothing by playing tricks or being rude telemarketers don't care. So hang up and quit depriving other people of their love of buying useless crap they don't need!
*Not in QLD or WA and not on some products but just ask and make sure, then buy! I don't know why I encourage this but more sales looks good even if they do end up not being fulfilled!
