Relieved of Telemarketing?
June 11th, 2004, Viewed: 441 times
I remember there was a time when I was tired of taking calls from telemarketers. There would be different kinds of “them”. Some would wait for you to respond after their two lines of introduction. Some would just not pause without completing their memorized lines. Others would ebb away their voice as soon as you said, ” sorry” or “next time please”. When I came to this country (USA), I was given a hint by my well-wishers that if I want to live in peace and I was busy I needn’t entertain a telemarketer. So, I would most of the time say, “it isn’t a good time” and avoid them. The fact is it wasn’t a good time, ’cause I would be in my preparatory period for taking some examinations. But never in my wildest dreams I thought of getting confronted by one of them.
My story, a true incident, goes to the time when The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was about to take some plan of actions for reducing this “nuisance”. Being a homemaker and studying at the same time I would keep away the telemarketing calls by saying a quick polite, “no”. One fine day, as usual my eyes were glaring my books, when a phone ring disrupted my whole schedule for the day. The conversation was with a telemarketer of a renowned newspaper group of Bay area. (Not mentioning the name for obvious reasons).
So it started like this…
He starts the usual way…”I am from blah blah blah…”
I snap in between - “please, I am sorry but I am busy now.”
He retorts, “So if you are busy, why did you pick up the phone?”
I thought I heard something wrong, ” Sorry, come again!”
He answers back, “ If you are busy why did you pick up the phone?”
I was taken aback, never had ever heard something like this before.
I replied, “err…I thought it would be urgent”.
His voice is gets louder, “so how did you think this wasn’t urgent?”
I dropped my timidness, “well, I know it is not urgent.”
He was now uncontrollable, ” so HOW HOW?!”
Well I was aghast, how could someone speak to me like this?
A question struck me in a lightening speed, “Can you tell me your name?”
He goes… “What…what?”
“Your name sir, I need your name…“
“My name…err…umm… what will you do with my name…?”, came the voice, a little shaken this time.
Fortunately or unfortunately some call was coming. I switched over to the other line to get a word of advice from whoever it was. It turned out to be a friend of mine. After keeping her on the hold, I switched over the flash button on my phone with all the fire in my eyes and the blood running up my veins…the result was a silence. Probably the man on the other side thought I had ended the conversation or may be he realized I was also canny. I really don’t know where and how long those strings of dialogue would have continued if not for that interruption. I was infuriated and upset about the incident. On the advice of my brother-in-law I called the supervisor of the Newspaper. After my narration of the incident there was an apology and a promise, not to be harassed in future again. Well, the calls from that particular newspaper did stop but the saga of telemarketing continued till the FTC came into action.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched the National Do Not Call Registry to give Americans a choice about getting telemarketing calls at home. According to a recent Harris Interactive poll, 92 percent of people who reported placing a number on the registry said they are receiving fewer calls; a total of 78 percent said they’re getting “far fewer calls” or none at all. (Do Not Call)
Well, that looks true in my case too. I am getting no telemarketing calls. Thanks to FTC. We signed up at the National Do Not Call Registry. If it wouldn’t have been their plan of stopping those calls I don’t know how I would have been managing my time and work, especially with my baby. Relieved…? yes, I would say so!
- Shephali