Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!decwrl!hayes.ims.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu (bill)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Mercury Marketing Again
Message-ID: <13762@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 17 Oct 90 14:46:52 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Reply-To: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 25
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 743, Message 3 of 11


I don't know for sure how the Merc does it, but the local papers here
do it something like this: "Hello, this is Mrs. So-and-so with the
Gotham Observer.  I'm just calling to see if you are getting your
paper/Gotham Observer okay?"

They call everyone.  They don't call just the subscribers.  If you say
"Well no, I don't subscribe," then they launch into a sales pitch and
afterward they'll put your number on a list for intensive grilling and
telemarketing.  If you say, "Usually, but not today," then they'll
arrange some sort of compensation (a manager will even bring you a
paper, supposedly).  If you say, "yes, getting it just fine," then
they thank you for your time and go on to the next number.  Seems like
the safe way out (if you detest telemarketers) is to say "everything
is just fine," or something like that.

Is this the practice used in anyone else's community?


Bill Berbenich    Georgia Tech, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{backbones}!gatech!eedsp!bill   Internet: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu


[Moderator's Note: Your scenario matches the Chicago Tribune almost
exactly.  PAT]