Telemarketers: villains or victims?

[11B4V]

I'm usually very short with them. I pity them not. They took the job.

Would you rather they not work at all?

I dont give a shit either way as long as they dont bother me.

[Valmy]

They are victims of my call screening.

[Martinus]

What's this "Not take no for an answer" malarkey. As soon as I realised what they are, I just say, "I'm not interested. Thanks for calling" and hang up. Job done and everyone's happy.

I don't know about the UK, but in Poland you will then get called 3-4 times the same day by the same service/product/firm.

This is mainly the problem with companies that already have you as their client and want to sell you some additional stuff (usually ISPs, telecoms, banks etc.) - I guess your name/phone number just shows up in their directory for that day and until they tick your name off as sold, they will keep calling.

[Neil]

What's this "Not take no for an answer" malarkey. As soon as I realised what they are, I just say, "I'm not interested. Thanks for calling" and hang up. Job done and everyone's happy.

I don't know about the UK, but in Poland you will then get called 3-4 times the same day by the same service/product/firm.

Maybe that's because there are so few phones it Poland that it's easy to repeat.

[Martinus]

I'm usually very short with them. I pity them not. They took the job.

Would you rather they not work at all?

Why would that be so outrageous (assuming they can't get a different job, of course)? A telemarketer's job is to hurt people - whether it is a minor damage (mere annoyance/time wasting) or a major one (swindling a gullible person to buy a product they don't need at an above market price). Why should we give such people a pass? After all a "thief" or a "murderer" is also a job - sure, being a telemarketer is legal, but does it change the fact it is a job the objective of which is to swindle people?

[CountDeMoney]

A telemarketer's job is to hurt people

Dude, the telemarketer's job is ripping through as many phone numbers as they can, while looking forward to their next smoke break.  That's their biggest priority.

[Neil]

A telemarketer's job is to hurt people

Dude, the telemarketer's job is ripping through as many phone numbers as they can, while looking forward to their next smoke break.  That's their biggest priority.

Yeah, but if they actually make a sale, then they're swindling someone, just as if they were a lawyer or investment banker.

[Martinus]

What Neil said. Their evil is not diminished by the fact that are so lousy at it.

[CountDeMoney]

Sorry, but a sale is not a swindle. It's a voluntary action.

[Valmy]

Sorry, but a sale is not a swindle. It's a voluntary action.

What does that have to do with it?  I have never even heard of a coerced swindle.  Almost by definition you are fooling somebody to make a choice against their own interests.  A choice...a voluntary action.

[CountDeMoney]

Sorry, but a sale is not a swindle. It's a voluntary action.

What does that have to do with it?  I have never even heard of a coerced swindle.  Almost by definition you are fooling somebody to make a choice against their own interests.  A choice...a voluntary action.

Pfft.  Yes, pfft to you, sir.

[Barrister]

How often are telemarketers actually trying to swindle you?

The calls I get are usually from companies I already have a business relationship - the phone company or the bank most often.  They're trying to sell me some additional service.  It's not that they're trying to steal my money - but rather that I just don't like being bothered at home.

[garbon]

I'd like if the companies I already do business with would chill the fuck out with sending me millions of little mailers. I didn't want to transfer my balance to your credit card the last 3 times and I still don't.  Also, Chase Bank makes me want to vomit with how many trees they kill for little effect.

[Valmy]

How often are telemarketers actually trying to swindle you?

The calls I get are usually from companies I already have a business relationship - the phone company or the bank most often.  They're trying to sell me some additional service.  It's not that they're trying to steal my money - but rather that I just don't like being bothered at home.

I do get annoyed with how financial services companies seem to hunt for vulnerable demographics and exploit their lack of knowledge about how finances work to take advantage of them.  Not just because of its dodgy morality but more seriously because ultimately tons of bad debts and financial products out there put the entire economy in danger...not to mention lots of people on public assistance who shouldn't be.

And they are crafty.  Every once in a while I will get talked into buying something that seems like a legitimate idea, like cash value life insurance, only to find out later it was a horrible swindle.  Then I take my ball and go home but man you really have to be on your game out there.  Lots of people interested in fucking you over.

But even then that is bad policy by their employers (if they do work for a company like that) and has nothing to do with them personally.

[The Larch]

I'm usually very short with them. I pity them not. They took the job.

Would you rather they not work at all?

Why would that be so outrageous (assuming they can't get a different job, of course)? A telemarketer's job is to hurt people - whether it is a minor damage (mere annoyance/time wasting) or a major one (swindling a gullible person to buy a product they don't need at an above market price). Why should we give such people a pass? After all a "thief" or a "murderer" is also a job - sure, being a telemarketer is legal, but does it change the fact it is a job the objective of which is to swindle people?

The fault lines ultimately in the company running the promotion, not in the individual telemarketer who is merely a lousily paid employee. Abusing them is akin to mouthing off at the poor sod in the complaints section of an airport when there's a problem with your flight.