Alright, so I've always found it really hard to say No.
I mean, it was this inability to say No that landed me with a new phone (as I mentioned in a previous blog) and it was this inability to say No that saw me nearly miss my bus when I had my first encounter of Jehovah's Witnesses a couple months ago. (The bus was there but they just wouldn't stop talking and who was I to interrupt them?...lucky the bus driver was nice - *ahem* DION'S bus driver might I add)
So, team that with my refusal to hang up the phone before the other person, it really is quite the problem when I get calls from Telemarketers. Luckily, I have been somewhat sheltered from that too and until today, had only had 2 encounters. Both times, I got so close to getting sucked in before getting saved last minute. Then, I got quite a few lectures from friends after them about how I have to just hang up on them.
Well, I just got off the phone with my 3rd telemarketer ever!!! It was a guy from Telstra - no he wasn't Indian. It took me a while to realise that it was a people-I-must-hang-up-on type of call and by then, I had already er and ah-ed myself to a new phone for free, and 200 buck bonus so I didn't have to pay anything for the first 10 months. And being the cheap skate that I am, I wasn't going to hang up anymore.
The thing is, why should I hang up on them? One. They called me. Two. He was a really nice guy. Three. It's just rude.
So I just loosened up a bit, lost the er and ah's and just had a nice conversation with the guy. Showed genuine interest in what he was flogging, asked lots of questions because I honestly know nothing about how a plan works, made him explain to me all the fine details of changing my plan, explained about how I like freecall too much, explained how I only just got a new phone and explained my hate of change.
It was really great, nobody ever wants to listen me go on and on about how hard it was for me to change phones and how it sucks people aren't on Optus Prepaid cause I can't call them and how the new iPhone is just completely overrated. But he did! I knooow he was getting paid for it. And I knooow he was trying to telemarket me. I don't care. It was funny, I just kept on chatting and chatting. We were having a full on discussion about whether or not Optus or Telstra was better (you can guess who was on which side) until he eventually decided to "let me get back to what I was doing."
Ah well, it had been over 15 minutes, can't blame him really.
It sure was fun though, I can't wait till the next one calls!
5 comments:
I thought I was the only one who had fun talking the those tele marketer-type people!
One of my friends used to work for a tele-marketing company and she'd tell me how bored stiff they'd get, so I always bear that in mind and ask plenty of questions.
Don't worry about not being able to say NO, you're just a really nice person!
You are definitely one of a kind. Most people hate telemarketers and feel little sympathy for them. Like me. Except I'm nice about it. I usually just politely decline and hang up. Dad on the other hand...heh. He's especially mean to the survey-asking ones who say things like:
Telemarketer: Excuse me, could we please just take a moment of your time to ask you about your current spending habits?
Dad: Okay.
Telemarketer: So how often have you gone out this week to a recreation venue.
Dad: None, because I just lost my job, so I have no money, my house is about to be repossessed and my wife just died so I haven't really been in the mood.
Telemarketer: ...oh.
Dad: Any other questions?
Telemarketer: Um...oh...no, that's it..uh...thank you for your...um... time.
Heh.
Poor telemarketers.
Really, having an answering machine is quite kind for them, I think.
naw shucks...im getting flooded with compliments here. I'm a nice person? I'm one of a kind? You are all so kind :p
Heck hfm, I think being a telemarkerter wouldn't be too bad of a job..I love talking on the phone. I guess the fact people hang up on you and stuff would suck though, I don't really like being hung up on.
And Sav, that's hilarious about your dad ...ahhhh I should try that next time just for lols.
It's good that you keep them on the line. I had to do it (telemarketing) for a little while, and they are marked on a basis of time. They have to keep you on the line for at least 60 seconds ,after that their job is up.
If you hang up on them right away, they get into trouble... so I always give them 60 seconds before explaining to them (which is a lie, I might add) that I'm not 18 yet, so no matter what they're seeling, I'm a minor in the eyes of the law, and they can't speak to me.
I don't have the guts to hang up on them either though, if that makes you feel better. I can't say no. I just donated $400 to ACF (luckily I'm a big believer in that cause).
*selling
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