Something that strikes me funny...

[Back to being Cenanuff]

Part of my job is cold calling. It's not pretty, and you usually have to have a thick skin, but with a lot of persistence, it pays off if you do it enough. What always strikes me funny is that the only time I do cold calls is during normal business hours (9-5 local time), and the people that work nights pick up the phone all pissy with me because I woke them up, like I'm supposed to know they work nights. Look, I know you need to sleep, but when the rest of the world operates during the day, you can't get too mad a guy for doing his job when everyone else is awake. Seriously, all I need you to say is, "I work nights, man" and I'll get right off the phone with you. No big deal. Go back to sleep, and next time unplug the phone.

[Cela]

So this has nothing to do with Cannibal Holocaust?

[The Lego Pig]

May 1, 2008 13:35:41 GMT -5 Back to being Cenanuff said:

Part of my job is cold calling. It's not pretty, and you usually have to have a thick skin, but with a lot of persistence, it pays off if you do it enough. What always strikes me funny is that the only time I do cold calls is during normal business hours (9-5 local time), and the people that work nights pick up the phone all pissy with me because I woke them up, like I'm supposed to know they work nights. Look, I know you need to sleep, but when the rest of the world operates during the day, you can't get too mad a guy for doing his job when everyone else is awake. Seriously, all I need you to say is, "I work nights, man" and I'll get right off the phone with you. No big deal. Go back to sleep, and next time unplug the phone.

On the flip side like their supposed to know they have been woken up by someone wanting to sell them something.

Why should people have to unplug their phone because of pushy callers? What if a family member is trying to get hold of them for an emergency? Cold calling borders on harrasment. Thank god there is a TPS in the uk so I dont have to put up with that crap.

[T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens]

I happen to be one of those guys who work nights. I also used to be one of those cold calling people like you. So I can see it from both sides here. You have to look at it this way. Whether it's your fault or not, nobody is happy when they've been awakened from a deep sleep. Before they even pick up the phone and find out who it is, they're already going to be pissed off. Especially someone who sleeps during the day time, and I'll tell you why. The moment sun light hits your eyes, even if it's just a little tiny bit that shines through when the curtains or blinds are closed, that's it. You can't just "go back to sleep" as you suggested. It's impossible. Give them a break and just don't take it personally. I yelled at my own brother last week when he woke me up. Accept it as part of your job. You're going to have to keep making calls, and nobody in the world is going to be in a pleasent mood in the first 5 seconds after they've been woken up.

[The Booty Disciple]

May 1, 2008 14:54:48 GMT -5 The Lego Pig said:

May 1, 2008 13:35:41 GMT -5 Back to being Cenanuff said:

Part of my job is cold calling. It's not pretty, and you usually have to have a thick skin, but with a lot of persistence, it pays off if you do it enough. What always strikes me funny is that the only time I do cold calls is during normal business hours (9-5 local time), and the people that work nights pick up the phone all pissy with me because I woke them up, like I'm supposed to know they work nights. Look, I know you need to sleep, but when the rest of the world operates during the day, you can't get too mad a guy for doing his job when everyone else is awake. Seriously, all I need you to say is, "I work nights, man" and I'll get right off the phone with you. No big deal. Go back to sleep, and next time unplug the phone.

On the flip side like their supposed to know they have been woken up by someone wanting to sell them something.

Why should people have to unplug their phone because of pushy callers? What if a family member is trying to get hold of them for an emergency? Cold calling borders on harrasment. Thank god there is a TPS in the uk so I dont have to put up with that crap.

You know we're using the new cover sheets for those TPS reports, right?

[jmac950]

Yeah, I dont think you're going to get much sympathy anywhere. I worked 2 hours at a call center, and had to quit. I was starting to feel like I sold out, being on the asshole side. Seriously, everytime I pick up the phone and it's a telemarketer, I don't hang up, so they can't make another call. Usually, I'll read them my weekly readings of school when its during the semester. And as a person who'd work till 6am, especially in the summer time, it's nearly impossible to get sleep because of the heat and brightness outside. So it's a little bit harder than just "going back to sleep." It's hard going to sleep in the first place.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

As someone who regularly works nights, and has for about 4 years, it is damn near impossible getting back to sleep after you get woken up, regardless of whether you've slept 10 hours or 1 hour

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

May 1, 2008 13:35:41 GMT -5 Back to being Cenanuff said:

Part of my job is cold calling. It's not pretty, and you usually have to have a thick skin, but with a lot of persistence, it pays off if you do it enough. What always strikes me funny is that the only time I do cold calls is during normal business hours (9-5 local time), and the people that work nights pick up the phone all pissy with me because I woke them up, like I'm supposed to know they work nights. Look, I know you need to sleep, but when the rest of the world operates during the day, you can't get too mad a guy for doing his job when everyone else is awake. Seriously, all I need you to say is, "I work nights, man" and I'll get right off the phone with you. No big deal. Go back to sleep, and next time unplug the phone.

It doesn't matter what time of the day it is, an unsolicited phone call is an unsolicited phone call. That's not a knock on you persoally, since I understand you are just doing your job and making an honest living. In fact I don't have a problem with the people who actually make the cold calls, since they are just trying to earn a living. I do however have a huge problem with the concept of telemarketing in general since I do consider it harassment.

[T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens]

I was a telemarketer for 3 years. I didn't really dislike the job, it just wasn't a career. Just go in to the job with the expectation that every single person you call is going to be angry, and you'll have no problem with it. Just like going to the casino. If you go with a set ammount of money and the expectation that you're going to lose it all, you can still have a good time.

[Rorschach]

Count me in on the cold call loathing. I realize, as many others have already said, that you're just doing what you're paid to do....you're not personally sitting there thinking of dick ways to piss people off.

HOWEVER.....Let it be known that any time you cold call someone for anything, you're basically "jumping without a chute" as it were, due to the fact that YOU are interrupting someone else's life to shill your product to them, and no matter what they're doing, be it baking cookies, to JUST having got the baby to go to sleep, to JUST having gotten to sleep themselves....YOU are imposing on THEM, and not the other way around. Therefore, you're taking your chances that the person on the other end is going to be in a pleasant mood (which I would lay odds that they generally are NOT).

Sucks for you, but seeing how almost ALL of us have had unpleasant run ins with telemarketers, and not many of us have actually BEEN telemarketers, I don't see you garnering much sympathy with this thread.

[La Plus Heureuse]

May 1, 2008 16:02:10 GMT -5 Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone said:

May 1, 2008 13:35:41 GMT -5 Back to being Cenanuff said:

Part of my job is cold calling. It's not pretty, and you usually have to have a thick skin, but with a lot of persistence, it pays off if you do it enough. What always strikes me funny is that the only time I do cold calls is during normal business hours (9-5 local time), and the people that work nights pick up the phone all pissy with me because I woke them up, like I'm supposed to know they work nights. Look, I know you need to sleep, but when the rest of the world operates during the day, you can't get too mad a guy for doing his job when everyone else is awake. Seriously, all I need you to say is, "I work nights, man" and I'll get right off the phone with you. No big deal. Go back to sleep, and next time unplug the phone.

It doesn't matter what time of the day it is, an unsolicited phone call is an unsolicited phone call. That's not a knock on you persoally, since I understand you are just doing your job and making an honest living. In fact I don't have a problem with the people who actually make the cold calls, since they are just trying to earn a living. I do however have a huge problem with the concept of telemarketing in general since I do consider it harassment.

That's my general feeling on it. I'm on the Do Not Call list, so I've cut down considerably on those calls.

[Captain Wonderful]

May 1, 2008 15:43:09 GMT -5 @jmac950 said:

And as a person who'd work till 6am, especially in the summer time, it's nearly impossible to get sleep because of the heat and brightness outside.

This. Third shift absolutely SUCKS. It's bright and hot (and probably loud) when you want to sleep. You can barely have a social life, everyone's partying while you're at work, and working when you're at home. Therefore, anyone who called me while I was asleep, for all intents and purposes, could SMURF off. Plus, I haven't worked third shift since January and I STILL can't get off this God forsaken backwards schedule.

May 1, 2008 15:36:39 GMT -5 The Booty Disciple said:

May 1, 2008 14:54:48 GMT -5 The Lego Pig said:

On the flip side like their supposed to know they have been woken up by someone wanting to sell them something.

Why should people have to unplug their phone because of pushy callers? What if a family member is trying to get hold of them for an emergency? Cold calling borders on harrasment. Thank god there is a TPS in the uk so I dont have to put up with that crap.

You know we're using the new cover sheets for those TPS reports, right?

That's the thing, I'm damn sure not going to "unplug my phone" just so people who shouldn't be calling me in the first place can't call me. Don't get me wrong, I respect anybody who does what they have to do to make a living, but that doesn't change the fact that it's the most annoying shit on the planet. I fail to see how me possibly being a jerk because you called me while I'm asleep is my problem.

Hey, and speaking of problems, what's this I hear about you having problems with your TPS reports?

[Shy Guy]

telemarketers get annoying. i understand you're just doing your job, but don't call me.

and learn english. thats a huge problem in canada, immigrants are telemarketers, i dont even know what they're trying to sell me half the time.

[Push R Truth]

Cold Calling is one thing.



Somehow my cellphone number got out to them.


That's something totally on another level of Suck.

[T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens]

May 1, 2008 19:26:30 GMT -5 Shy Guy said:

telemarketers get annoying. i understand you're just doing your job, but don't call me.

and learn english. thats a huge problem in canada, immigrants are telemarketers, i dont even know what they're trying to sell me half the time.

Honestly, they're probably not "imigrants." They're probably calling from their home country. Alot of companies will actually offshore those jobs to India and China, among other countries. It's cheaper for them.

[Loki]

I made cold calls as part of a research project for some weeks. I had to ask companies about their banking policy... most of them thought I was calling on behalf of the cops or of the I.R.S. The fact I was calling from Norway to Italy didn't help to establish trust.
But I had only good memories of that small period as part-time phone-snooper. Probably because the default reaction wasn't of anger but more of worried curiosity or even of badly hidden terror

I even had some nice chats with CEOs who were curious about such a weird project coming from so far away. Most of them were disappointed when they found out I wasn't some sort of egg-head, but just a poor student earning some crowns [lot of them to be honest...]

Anyway, I now tend to be more polite and understanding with telemarketers and I always explain why I'm not interested in changing phone company or ISP.

I just hate when they call early in the morning... I already fell for an operator switch once, because they caught me with my brain working at 10% of its capacity...