Hate Telemarketers?/National "Do Not Call" Registry Coming

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Telemarketing is NOT the same as junk mail, which you can choose not to read and throw away. If I am in the shower, stirring a hot liquid on the stove, or having a heart to heart talk with my husband, I don't want my time disturbed by a salesman.

I totally agree. One of the reasons why telemarket campaigns do not return good results is because we might be calling people at a wrong time. This is one of the challenge in designing such a campaign. And is one of the most talked abt subjects in the industry. I dunno abt other industries, but we have actively started building a database of potential customers with a "preferred time to call" - and design the campaign accordingly. One of the channels which is also being explored is via sms messages on mobile phones - causes the least amount of disturbances.

I do not say that telemarketing does not cause inconvenience. It sure does. All I ask is that do not have such strong negative feeling abt the person himself. Hate the concept, don't hate the carrier - he is just trying to do a job, meet a target which his manager has set.

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we have actively started building a database of potential customers with a "preferred time to call"

Gautam- If you have done that, you must have had some interaction with the potential customer, to KNOW when the person wants to be called. In that case, the customer HAS shown some interest in the product or service that you offer, and I would have no problem with that.

For instance, I recently went to a seminar, where they were discussing various finincial services. At the end, we filled out a form, noting the time that we wanted to be called. I have no problem with that.What I resent is where people attempt to sell you something of which you have absolutely no interest.

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Just a note here ... even if you are already on your state's Do Not Call List, or The National Telemarketer's Do Not Call list, to come under Federal Protection, you have to register with the National Do Not Call List.

Guatam, I gotta sorta agree and disagree with you ... sure, its just marketing channel, but its not the use of that channel, but its ABUSE that is objectionable ... pretty much the same with Internet Marketing, Pop-ups, browser hijacks, and SPAM are intrusions. The right to free speech does not mandate that speech be forced to the attention of all and sundry. One has a right to NOT be exposed to forms of expression one finds objectionable, as well. As with many things, crooks, opportunists, scam artists and assorted other societal dregs have perverted and ruined an otherwise legitimate practice. The many suffer because of the transgressions of the few. Spammers are next ... and the efforts to curtail them will have a negative impact on Internet Marketing, sure. That's a pity, but the right to swing one's arms about ends where another's nose begins.

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timber- I've already registered on the National site!

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Phoenix32890 wrote:

Gautam- If you have done that, you must have had some interaction with the potential customer, to KNOW when the person wants to be called. In that case, the customer HAS shown some interest in the product or service that you offer, and I would have no problem with that.

For instance, I recently went to a seminar, where they were discussing various finincial services. At the end, we filled out a form, noting the time that we wanted to be called. I have no problem with that.What I resent is where people attempt to sell you something of which you have absolutely no interest.

No. We ran a campaign we called up potential customers, and the fisrt question we asked was "is it a convinient time? if not when do you wish to be contacted" ? and that is how we are building the database.

And how is a telemarket know that you do not need something unless they ask you ?

Marketing is all about "changing minds/perceptions" abt a particular product. All the ads which you see do excatly the same. How many times have we bought something not because we need it, but becase our perception of it changed because of a slickly run ad campaign !!

Timber, totally agree with what you are saying. All "low cost" marketing channels get abused. Unfortunately, consumers are always at the recieving end of this abuse. One of the perils of modern life I guess....

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And how is a telemarket know that you do not need something unless they ask you ?

Gautam- That is absolutely true. I may be a bit different than the average customer, in that I will NOT buy something, unless I was already in the market for it, when I am approached.

I realize the position that you are in, being in marketing. But don't waste your time attempting to sell me. It won't work!

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LOL !! I was never in consumer marketing, but other group who are - worked closely togther with us. My marketing was done (corporate marketing) in posh resteraunts over $100 bottles of wines (Thank god) Laughing

But us marketing people sometimes do tend to have a "superiority complex" in thinking that we can anticipate your needs much better/before than you actually can do. And then spend oodles of time trying to convince you of this fact !!

For eg, was chatting to a delegate in a conf last week, we actually hold the martial status of some of our customers, and the moment we find out that he/she is married, we try and sell them a supplementary credit card for their spouses !!!

Surprisingly, 70% of the time, we succeed !! Laughing

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But us marketing people sometimes do tend to have a "superiority complex" in thinking that we can anticipate your needs much better/before than you actually can do

I think that that attitude is absolutely necessary for success in sales. If salesmen waited around for people to comne to them, they would all go busted!

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Phoenix32890 wrote:

Quote:
But us marketing people sometimes do tend to have a "superiority complex" in thinking that we can anticipate your needs much better/before than you actually can do

I think that that attitude is absolutely necessary for success in sales. If salesmen waited around for people to comne to them, they would all go busted!

And then you hate them when they call you up Laughing

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Gautam- That is a conundrum, isn't it!

That is the nature of free enterprise. In it you need a person who is selling something, and another who wants to buy. Take one element out of the equation, and there is "no sale"

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LOL yep it is - atleast I managed to get you from "they are evil" to "it is a conundrum"

btw, you forgot the middleman !! Very essential to free markets Laughing

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When did I ever say that "they are evil"........a pain in the butt, maybe, but not evil, (unless they are promoting a scam, but that's another story entirely)

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sorry P - I was thinking of the post by bobg - my my - he sure has some strong sentiments !! Laughing

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Gautam- Years ago, before I finished college, I worked in an employment agency that supplied clerical workers to businesses. Here I was, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I really wanted to connect people with jobs that would help them in their careers.

I learned quickly. I found out that the job was high pressure, and the main concern of the company was to place people, without caring whether the job was suitable or not. All the boss cared about was the commission.

I had an experience with a young girl. She had been offered a position. The potential boss told her to dress in a certain way, and to be "nice" to the customers. The poor kid was in tears. I told her that she would be foolish to take the position, and that I would attempt to find her another job. My boss wanted to throttle me, but I could not allow myself to "sell" a position that would have ended in disaster, just to get a commission.

Needless to say, after six weeks of this, I could not stand it anymore, and I quit!

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mail
Telemarketers do not bother me so much because I have one of those "donot disturb" systems that screen out everyone (when they're on) except for people who have been given my secret password (numbers). I detest spammers, however, since the take up my time deleting them and they overload my PC such that I can't receive messages--this is when I've been away for a week or more and fail to delete them as they come in. Just saw a program of Charlie Rose with FTC official, AOL, and other "experts." They showed this is a virtually unsurmountable problem.

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I enrolled via phone (how ironic) for Do Not Call status, and I've been as annoyed as the next guy when they phone. But I try to hate the sin and be a bit less tough on the sinner, i.e., cursing at or insulting the solicitors is going too far, IMHO.

It's a lousy job, and I can't imagine anyone is doing it out of a love of annoying people at home. I suspect it's a job for those who need jobs. So I do a brisk hang-up when they call, but I leave out the invective...

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truth
I agree completely, Gel. These people must be fairly desperate to do such work. The most aggressive I've been is to either say "Get a real job" and hang up or tell them to give me their home phone number and the hour they have dinner, and that I will then get back to them. But now I just hang up without a word. I think they expect that.

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I got a call the other day from a telemarketer. I can't even remember what it was for, but I said to the guy, "Can't you just mail the stuff to me? I really hate these telemarketing calls. I get hundreds of them a month. You must get them, too." He said, "Yes, I get tons of them. I can mail the stuff to you. Have a great day."

I feel bad for these people and I don't want to be rude. But fer crying out loud. It's as if a stranger just walks into your house and demands that you respond to him/her. Sheesh.

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Salesmen.......AARGH- When my son was about a year old, a salesman came to the door. My ex answered it, and all of a sudden, there was a stranger in my house. (He never would have gotten in if I had answered the bell).

Anyhow, the salesman was selling the Encyclopedia Brittanica. (Remember, my son was 1 at the time). He let loose with his spiel. I told him that I was not interested. He then went on and on about how my son needed the Brittanica if he was going to succeed in school, and in life. He was laying on the guilt trip like a trowel.

I took one look at him and told him that I was:

a lousy mother

That I couldn't care less if my son succeeded.

He was absolutely speechless as I ushered him out the door!

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truth

From a former (in my youth) door to door salesman. I was a real jerk!

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Hate Telemarketers?/National "Do Not Call" Registry Coming

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