Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ames!oliveb!pyramid!prls!philabs!spies!tbetz
From: tbetz@spies.UUCP (Tom Betz)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: telephone solicitors
Summary: I have no problem with telephone solicitors...
Message-ID: <326@spies.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jan 89 03:07:55 GMT
References: <2780@ficc.uu.net>
Reply-To: tbetz@spies.UUCP (Tom Betz)
Organization: Greyston Business Services, Inc.
Lines: 45

Quoth jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell) in <2780@ficc.uu.net>:
|
|I'm curious as to why there is such hostility to telephone
|solicitors.  Is their attempt to make a living not
|analogous to someone applying for work at a company
|that has not advertised for help? 

It doesn't bother me if someone solicits my business via telephone.

However, I rarely have the time nor the inclination to listen to a 
(usually scripted) telephone sales pitch.  At the first opportunity,
as politely as possible, I say, "I'm afraid I don't have time to listen
to a sales pitch right now.  However, if you will mail me a brochure or
catalog of your products, I'll be happy to review it and call you back
when I do have the time."

So far, I have not a) had one of those phone calls last more than 15 
seconds longer, or b) had a single brochure, or even letter, sent to
me from one of those solicitors.

If a salesperson is not sufficiently interested to follow up on the 
opening I offer, why should I expect that salesperson to be offering
me either worthwhile products or worthwhile service?

|I get called frequently, and sometimes the product is
|something I want.  Usually not, whereupon I politely
|say so.  Now, if the person persists, I get hostile,
|but otherwise we part on cordial terms.

I prefer to make my position firm at the beginning of the
conversation.  If the solicitor will not accept my terms, then
both of us benefit, and neither of us wastes our time.

|Besides, you might make a friend that way.  I'm seeing a
|woman now who does phone work for a rug-cleaning firm.

Well, you are fortunate to have time to spare for such purposes
in the midst of your business day.  Some of us do not.


-- 
  "One of these days the Hoover factory     |  Tom Betz       EAA#48267
    is gonna be all the rage in those       |  ZCNY, Yonkers, NY 10701-2509
      fashionable pictures." - Elvis        |------------------------------
 UUCP:tbetz@spies or ...philabs!spies!tbetz | "Empty, try another." - Joni