Recently I’ve started a job as a tele-marketer selling cheap tickets to stand-up comedy shows featuring reputable big-name comedians.
There’s nothing dodgy or underhand about our deal and we don’t sucker customers with hidden costs; it’s all laid out in simple words and the cost is low anyway.

Something I’ve noticed since starting the job is that, on the whole, people who I’m sure are decent enough human beings are reduced to rude, arrogant, pricks when dealing with tele-marketers.

Tonight, during my four hour shift, I must have called about 400 people. Of those, 4 expressed interest, 1 actually bought some tickets, and the rest told me, in varying manners, to fuck off.

Most people tell you, in a sharp, indignant voice that they are ‘not interested’ before slamming the phone down.
You don’t need to slam the phone; we don’t call you maliciously because we know you’re watching ‘who wants to be a millionaire?’ or having your dinner, we just call you because it’s our job.

Other people – probably 4 in 10 – seem to get some sort of joy out of being arrogant, rude, fuckwits.
They try to argue with us, insult us, or just plain tell us to fuck off.

What I want to know is where these people get off doing this?
I mean, you wouldn’t walk up to a stock-broker and say, “nice share portfolio, arsehole!” or go to a trial and shout out, “worst cross-examination ever, cocksucker!”.

So why the hell do people think it’s ok to abuse tele-marketers?

We’re just doing a job, trying to earn a crust.
If someone walked into your office tomorrow and started harassing you, you wouldn’t accept it and, I’m sure that if I returned some of the static people give me they would get even more indignant than they already are.

Also, be warned, when you mouth off to a tele-marketer remember that they have you name, phone number, and address and can be very vengeful when the mood takes them.

Just be nice, people.

I don't like them, because they invade my home.
I didn't give them my number to call and try to sell me things, if I wanted whatever was on offer I'd call them.

I used to have a great list of things to say to tele-marketers when they called.

agree, they are annoying.

You say you didn't give them your number but surely if you didn't want people to be able to call you you wouldn't have your number listed in the phone book?

And what you need to understand is

[a] we're not calling you, we're calling everybody.
You haven't been specially selected to be harassed.

and

[b] even if you think we're annoying you don't need to be rude to us (my main gripe), just be polite.

My number isn't listed, it's ex directory, which makes it all the more irritating when people get a hold of it.

Ex-directory means sqat these days, I still get calls.

I dislike being sold things at the best of times, but when I'm in my home, in a private environment and someone technically enters that home to sell me things it is an invasion.
Just becuase you do it to everyone, doesn't make it OK, in fact, it's worse than if only those with a past hisorty of purchasing a certain product are profiled.

I don't say horrible things, I just say no thank you and hang up.
TV advertising is bad also, but at least it funds programes, and you can turn it off. If the phone rings, you don't know who it is.

If you are a telemarketer you HAVE to expect abuse, you are taking people's time away from them, and most of the time, interrupting them, disturbing them.
It's bad enough when a friend or realtive does that, let alone a stranger who wants to make a profit from you.

There are tons of unpopular jobs out there, and when a bailiff gets punched it might not be right but it's almost in the job description.
It is, however very wrong when kids call the fire brigade just to shoot at them with air rifles.
I am a nurse, and when a drunk whose head I'm trying to suture spits at me or lashes out, THAT is a reason to complain.

You say that it's bad enough when a friend or relative takes your time away from you but when a telemarketer does it...

Why do you have a phone?

Why do you answer it?

If you don't want to talk to people?

If a friend or relative calls it usually with good intentions.

I answer it as if someone I love or am responsible for needs picking up, or if I am on call at work, I have a duty to.

I don't answer the phone. I dislike them greatly. If you are really of any importance you will leave a message and I will call you back.

Are you my husband in disguise??

He NEVER answer the phones, he said they're rude and loud, and just checks the messages.

I don't answer the phone if I can avoid it.

The main problem I have with the whole tele-marketing thing is this: You're invading my personal space without my asking you to. If I wanted to buy tickets to a comedy show, I certainly wouldn't get up and run out to buy them in the middle of dinner, or while I was taking a dump on the toilet, now would I? It's a matter of personal space being invaded, and that offends a lot of people. Granted, most of them are overly hostile and would be a lot better off if they simply said "No thank you. Please remove my number from your call list," but you take the job, you should expect the heat.

When I go to a store and want service, I go to the nearest available rep. I don't barge into the break room to find help. Likewise, a guy selling refrigerators at Sears doesn't wander into electronics and start chatting people up about the latest model of Frigidaire. If people want to buy something, they'll usually go out to get it.

So, in answer to your question, I consider email Spam, tele-marketers, and junk mail to be intrusive wastes of my time, and I respond accordingly by removing them as quickly as possible. 'Nuff said.

Because people don't like being bothered at home by the phone ringing unless it's something important, or someone we know and like.