Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!decwrl!hayes.fai.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: cap@nwfdc.nwf.org (Chuck Paquette) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Sierra Club Considered Harmful! Message-ID: <11933@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 9 Sep 90 19:56:35 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC Lines: 48 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 633, Message 2 of 12 I found the opinions expressed by posters regarding telemarketing by environmental organizations interesting. I have passed them on to one of my colleagues here at NWF who is responsible for our telemarketing, which is done by NWF employees. The Moderator is correct that most environmental organizations employ firms to do telemarketing. Telemarketing is most often used for "lapsed" donors/members and for requests to significantly increase an annual gift to an organization. It is more (usually _much_) expensive than mailing. Telemarketing firms tend to have fairly high employee turnover. Many rely on traditional management methods (computing calls per hour and gifts per hour, listening to caller conversations) rather than softer, more enlightened approaches. Consequently, some horrors do occur in otherwise well-managed programs. Feedback is essential. If you don't wish to be called, tell the caller what you think! If that doesn't work, call or write the CEO of the charity. If that doesn't work, write to the Board chair. As a fundraiser, I often find there is a significant communications gap between the senior officers of a charity and the telemarketing operation. Don't let them get away with it! The Sierra Club has an e-mail address. It is -- Someone may wish to forward to them a digest of this thread. Chuck Paquette National Wildlife Federation 1400 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20036, USA (202) 797-6678 [Moderator's Note: Thanks very much, Mr. Paquette, for writing us and sharing your thoughts. I must say where *good, worthwhile* organizations are concerned, sometimes the telemarketers they employ are simply an embarassment. I don't get angry at the organization, I just feel terribly embarrassed for the person calling me. It behooves all organizations trying to do something to save what little is left of our planet, its animals, its plants, and its people to be as professional in their fundraising as they are in their other efforts. There are *highly professional* fund raising organizations which use some telephone contacts; they are acquainted with and dedicated to their cause; it's done so professionally and courteously the person being called feels good about hearing from them. PAT]