Saturday, February 14, 2009

Telemarketers

Oh, how I hate telemarketers! But I have to shamefully admit I was one - once - when I was in college - for about 2 days.

I wanted some spending money, so I took a job at one of the local newspapers. Just thinking about newspapers brings other thoughts to mind, but I am not going to ramble.

I really thought it would be an easy job. I liked talking on the phone. That was the absolute worst job I had ever had. In fact, that may be the cause of my aversion to talking on the phone these days. I really don't like it.

With my aversion to said people, I figured that my registration with the National No Call list had expired since I would get one or more calls daily from one of the blasted people - even on my cell! That is sacred. Not many people I know have that number much less the lowest of the low!

The calls I get are to either extend the warranty on my vehicles. The newest vehicle we have is a 2002. The others are 1999 - with the exception of the 1967 farm truck and the 1965 MGB that still sits in the garage after G shorted out the electrical system (another story for another time).

I finally would take these calls. I told them that sure - I was interested. My car is a, ready for this, a 1965 MGB. The telemarketer didn't find any humor in that. Well, waste my time - I'll waste yours.

The other calls are to get me a better percentage rate on my credit card. My credit card people already don't like me. I don't have a balance. I use one of them in place of a check book. So that means it is used a lot. But at the end of the month, I pay my balance and collect my cash back.

Today I had enough. I took the call. The question was if I had more than $3000 credit card debt. I replied no, and then I had the audacity to ask the name of the company. The slug on the line said something, but I told her she had better check her no call list because I was on it. She hung up on me, but then I am accustomed to that. When I play mind games they do that.

Perhaps one way of stopping these intrusions is for people to take them and play mind games with them. But I have started a log of these calls. I will put the number down, the date, and what happened.

I know this has to be the worst job in the world, but really . . .

Peace - even to telemarketers. By the way - Happy Valentine's Day!

2 comments:

Judy said...

I had that job too for awhile. I hated it and that is probably why I also have an aversion to talking on the phone. I sometimes feel sorry for the people that call me, but nowadays, if my caller I.D. says it is an 800 number, I just don't pick up the call.

The last time I tried to play mind games with the caller, she couldn't understand me. Well I couldn't understand her accent either, so...we were at a loss for words, so to speak. She finally hung up on me. :-)

Karen said...

Someone will probably Google this post and I will get tons of hate comments/mail.

I know everyone needs a job, but having had this one, I don't know why they stay with this one.

Thanks for the comment!