Your Opinion Is Wrong™

Just like to provide the other side of the coin when it comes to telemarketing.

Many people complain about how much telemarketing firms rip off the charities that they're calling for. As if they'd be better off without telemarketing in the first place.

'Do you guys know how much you're ripping off [charity]?'

I'm asked this many times daily by people who think that they're throwing me the curveball question of the century. Yes, we're ripping them off by giving them free money. I have no idea how they've managed to survive for so long as a result. Makes 'em pretty stupid to be getting us to call around in the first place, eh? They'd be better off without us!

What do we actually do, though? Give them the money that's raised, minus a percentage (obviously to pay staff, to cover other expenses, mainly). How is that ripping them off? OK, so the company's obviously going to exist to make some sort of profit, and that's going to be from some of the money that's raised...but if a charity's contracting a telemarketing firm to do these campaigns, isn't it because it's a source of funding for them at no cost? Trust me, it also beats having a handful of people out on the street, or in shopping centres with buckets and cheap T-shirts for raising money.

'Are you paid?'

Would YOU do this job for free?

'You already called me three times this week!'

Do these people realise that we have computer systems DESIGNED to filter out previously called people unless ordered to do otherwise? Not going to get far if we're calling a previous rejection three times in a month, are we? Besides, we can see if we've called you on our fancy glowing things. Unless you have three phone lines, we did not call you before this.

'I already support this charity!'

Great, then you'll have no problems supporting us now!

Admittedly, a great of these people have supported us as much as they can, and probably support other charities as well...but this line really doesn't work if I can see the person's living in Double Bay, Homebush, Belvue Hill or wherever. Although, I guess if they have the insurance coming up on their 5.4 V8 Mercedes S55 AMG, then it kinda makes sense that they're battling through a trying time in their lives. Hell, they couldn't even afford a 7.3 litre V12!

'FUCK OFF, I'm eating dinner!'

Oh, great. We're representing a charity that makes it's rounds saving lives, asking for your help, and you're hungry, and your steak's getting cold(er). Sorry. Better get our priorities straight. What were we thinking?

So far, the only real excuse to meet telemarketers with open hostility is if you've been woken up because you're a shift worker. Which is understandable. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do about that, but if you're a shift worker needing sleep, I'll give you advice: Turn your phone volume down when you go to sleep. Unless there are any reasons to receive an emergency call, of course.

There are many more stupid responses I recieve, but I won't go over them here. Maybe next time. I'm tired.

And I gotta go to WORK tomorrow morning! I'll be sure to grab some material for another entry!