Telemarketers: Are we rude to them?
By Beruang
@Beruang (1309)
Malaysia
November 11, 2008 4:19am CST
Recently I was contacted by a telemarketer about a health screening package or promotion where they invite people for a free medical checkup and then promised you some other free gifts as well.
I told her that I am not interested but she insisted that I come to the place. I told her that I am working during the weekdays and she told me that she could put me on a weekend schedule. I said you can put my name there but I can't promise that I would show up. Saturday came and I did not go there as I did not have the intention to go there in the first place.
Yesterday, she called me up again and I quickly told her that I am not interested. She told me that since I promised to come on Saturday, she had printed a voucher for me and if I did not pick up the voucher, she would be charged with some amount of money. I told her there is no such thing and furthermore, I have mentioned that I was not interested but she was the one who insisted that I come on that day.
She did not want to give up and keep on asking me when would I be able to make it to their place and finally I could not stand her anymore and I just hung up the phone. But before I did that, I told her again that I am not interested and I am going to put the phone down. She kept on talking despite of what I said and that's when I put down the phone.
Do you think that it was rude for me to do that? I have never got a call from someone who was that persistent. Love to hear your opinion on this matter. Cheers!
4 people like this
12 responses
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
11 Nov 08
Hi Beruang, I sometimes feel sorry for these people, as they are trying to make a living. But they are sometimes so persistent that they become nuisances!
Usually I would tell them I'm in a meeting or discussion, and to call me back after office hours (after 6 or 7pm). And so far, no one called. So I find this an effective way of pushing them off!
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
11 Nov 08
I can't stand people who do not accept no for an answer. I can be worse then what you have done. I will politely give my reasons for not able to come, as you did and if she still persist I will say nothing but slam the phone. This is not a contractual thing so she should not have picked up the voucher for you, so she have to bear the cost whatever if that person did not turn up. I don't think you have been rude as you have given valid reasons not wanting to come but she is doing her job to please the management of her company by trying to get as many prospects as possible. At the end of the day customers are always right so you should not be blamed for being irritated by her persistence.
2 people like this
Cheers!
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
1 Dec 08
Yes I had a lady from an insurance company calling me to enroll in some sort of programme that I was not interested in. She kept saying for a whole hour without giving me the chance to say I am not interested. I just had the guts to let her talk for an hour. when she was out of breath i just replied that i was not interested and I hang up the phone. © ronaldinu 2008
1 person likes this
@mariaisabel (89)
• Philippines
3 Dec 08
hello there. i am rude sometimes to telemarketers. i don't experience yet the one like yours that you have to claim the voucher and all. all i encountered were, they have to "say" these scripted offers in 3 or minutes and all you have to do is listen. honestly, i don't have that much time. there are 4 telephone lines in front of me at work and they do ring simultaneously, and i have to limit each call everytime.
for telemarketers, first, i would tell them politely that, i am sorry, but i don't have the time" to listen to them. i would tell that as politely as i can. but chances are, they would still insist that all i have to do is listen to them. again, i would tell them that, "i'm sorry, i don't have the time".. and for their third attempt, i would simply hang up.
i think its just okay, because i did politely tell them beforehand and declined them politely already. its courtesy for them also to understand that.
@annjilena (5618)
• United States
12 Nov 08
iam not rude to them but they seems to call right around dinner time you have told them you are not interested and they just keep on.they are train not to take no for a answer.
1 person likes this
@neededhope (1085)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Honestly, I dont' think you were rude. I do it either worst if they call and they ask for someone I just ask them to hold and I put the phone down and not pick it back up. About 5 minutes later I pick it back up and if there still there I ask them to hold again. Most times they hang up. I find it funny that they will actually wait on the phone for a really long time. The last one they held for about 30 mins. And finally I hung up the phone. I didn't want to keep my land line busy. Although I find it funny how persistant some of them are.
1 person likes this
@naseeha (1382)
• India
11 Nov 08
when a person is that insistent, you cannot help being rude..She asked for it. Although salespersons have to canvass people to sell their goods, they should know to take a hint. You did nothing wrong my friend.. Only if you had spoken rudely in the beginning, it would have been bad. But her persistence asked for it.. Dont worry..
1 person likes this
@Sheepie (3112)
• United States
13 Nov 08
I think that when a person applies for a job as a telemarketer [where does one even go to apply for that?] they have it coming. It's a sacrifice that they have to make because they can't find any reasonably humane job, either that or it suits their personality. I think I would like to try being one for a while, to help me learn to create assertiveness, but as a career? Yikes.
What I'm trying to say here is, if you go for that job, that's just what you get. It's no gamble, it's a guarantee. It creates a strong mind and persistent characteristics. It should be good training for someone about to be a parent.
1 person likes this
@mokbul (616)
• Singapore
12 Nov 08
It is a situation that you are also right and she is also right. She is trying to earn her living, she may have got some commission if she could convince you come for screening. You are also equally right you may have other jobs or may not be at all interested.
It is important how the telemarketer approaches and understand quickly customer's intention so that he or she does not annoy the other party, if he or she annoys the called party there are reason for the called party to be rude.
It happened with me sometimes, I try to keep coll but depending on my mental condition sometimes I can not keep cool.
1 person likes this
@carolrk (9)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I think your action was called for in this case she was the one that was rude or nuts either one. If they are to persistant I tell them I am going to turn them in to the Attorney General's Office and that puts a halt to everything. Generally I try to be polite, one called me at 11:30 at night and I was a little rude.
