mrsronweasley (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mrsronweasley) wrote2003-10-12 03:53 pm
mrsronweasley) wrote2003-10-12 03:53 pm
beeeeeep-beeeeeeep-beeeeeeep....
So, once again, we have no numbers to call at work. Actually, this is pissing me off. As much as I don't like my job, at least it pays. When there's no work to do, it means I don't get my $8.25 an hour. That's less food and rent money. That's bad.
But speaking of my job, here I would like to offer some helpful hints when dealing with telemarketers and other people that call you at dinnertime.
Ok, I know that it's very very annoying when you're home after work, and you keep getting unwanted and unwarranted calls. But I would like to ask you to consider the person on the other end of the line.
In this case, it's me.
See, what we do is conduct surveys for studies. This means our studies can come from anywhere - either from "Newsday" (a local LI newspaper), or from higher up. We once conducted a huge study on terrorism right after September 11th. Right now, our big study is calling up people in DC who have children that go to a public or charter school in the district. We ask them their opinions on schools, and the results get counted in the changing of those schools. We have already called them once, maybe even twice, over a year ago. We're calling them back as a follow-up. We're even giving them free 75-minute calling cards. (Bribing is a good word for it, actually, thanks for asking.)
What pisses me off is that the people we call have absolutely no consideration for the fact that we're people too. Eversince I first worked at a place that required me to call total strangers and ask them something, I have been very nice to telemarketers, even if they pulled me out of a nap or from the toilet. Because they're people too. They sit there, and get rejected and shit on for hours at a time. (In fact, their profession has the highest rate of depression of any other.)
They don't KNOW that you're having a bad day and promised to curse the next person that called you. They don't KNOW that you just had surgery and are recovering. If they did, believe me - they wouldn't call. All they know is that your number just showed up in their system and they are required to call you. They don't even know your name. You're as much of an unknown to them as they are to you.
Going into a job like this, you pretty much know that you'll get yelled at on a regular basis. But it doesn't REALLY make it easier. (And when your supervisor tells you something along the lines of "well, it's not like they can slap you...", you know it won't be a picnic.) All they're doing is their job. It may not be pleasant to have to be interrupted during your TV show or game, but instead of yelling out "Why can't you people leave me alone?!" or hanging up on the person, for fuck's sake, be a human being. Try and be polite. Don't start yelling that we have no consideration because you just had surgery. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
Just say "right now is not a good time, can you please call back another time?" And guess what? You're not obligated to pick up the phone next time. Or do the fucking survey, even though it'd be great if you did. All you have to do is be polite and not take YOUR bad days out on us. Because we are not machines. We have bad days, too. It's so easy to believe that we ARE machines, because you can't even see us - all we are are voices who rattle off introductions to surveys to you. But if you actually take your time to answer the goddamn thing, you'll find out that we're human, too, and can laugh and commiserate with you. I feel terrible when I hear that the school doesn't have enough supplies and kids skip school to deal crack on the streets. And I don't tell you to just move on to the next question, because I know you need to let it out. So, I listen. See? Not a machine.
Is it really that hard to be civil?
Maybe I'm being overly biased here, but it's always so nice to hear a polite "I'm so sorry, but right now is not a good time. Can you call back?" Sometimes we even note down in our messages to one another that a person was nice, because it's such a novelty. We do this four hours at a time, by the way. Can you count how many times we can get yelled at during that time? I used to lose count. I try not to notice it anymore. But it still hurts just a bit.
Other than that, life is actually quite good. Apart from the whole "poor" thing.
But speaking of my job, here I would like to offer some helpful hints when dealing with telemarketers and other people that call you at dinnertime.
Ok, I know that it's very very annoying when you're home after work, and you keep getting unwanted and unwarranted calls. But I would like to ask you to consider the person on the other end of the line.
In this case, it's me.
See, what we do is conduct surveys for studies. This means our studies can come from anywhere - either from "Newsday" (a local LI newspaper), or from higher up. We once conducted a huge study on terrorism right after September 11th. Right now, our big study is calling up people in DC who have children that go to a public or charter school in the district. We ask them their opinions on schools, and the results get counted in the changing of those schools. We have already called them once, maybe even twice, over a year ago. We're calling them back as a follow-up. We're even giving them free 75-minute calling cards. (Bribing is a good word for it, actually, thanks for asking.)
What pisses me off is that the people we call have absolutely no consideration for the fact that we're people too. Eversince I first worked at a place that required me to call total strangers and ask them something, I have been very nice to telemarketers, even if they pulled me out of a nap or from the toilet. Because they're people too. They sit there, and get rejected and shit on for hours at a time. (In fact, their profession has the highest rate of depression of any other.)
They don't KNOW that you're having a bad day and promised to curse the next person that called you. They don't KNOW that you just had surgery and are recovering. If they did, believe me - they wouldn't call. All they know is that your number just showed up in their system and they are required to call you. They don't even know your name. You're as much of an unknown to them as they are to you.
Going into a job like this, you pretty much know that you'll get yelled at on a regular basis. But it doesn't REALLY make it easier. (And when your supervisor tells you something along the lines of "well, it's not like they can slap you...", you know it won't be a picnic.) All they're doing is their job. It may not be pleasant to have to be interrupted during your TV show or game, but instead of yelling out "Why can't you people leave me alone?!" or hanging up on the person, for fuck's sake, be a human being. Try and be polite. Don't start yelling that we have no consideration because you just had surgery. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
Just say "right now is not a good time, can you please call back another time?" And guess what? You're not obligated to pick up the phone next time. Or do the fucking survey, even though it'd be great if you did. All you have to do is be polite and not take YOUR bad days out on us. Because we are not machines. We have bad days, too. It's so easy to believe that we ARE machines, because you can't even see us - all we are are voices who rattle off introductions to surveys to you. But if you actually take your time to answer the goddamn thing, you'll find out that we're human, too, and can laugh and commiserate with you. I feel terrible when I hear that the school doesn't have enough supplies and kids skip school to deal crack on the streets. And I don't tell you to just move on to the next question, because I know you need to let it out. So, I listen. See? Not a machine.
Is it really that hard to be civil?
Maybe I'm being overly biased here, but it's always so nice to hear a polite "I'm so sorry, but right now is not a good time. Can you call back?" Sometimes we even note down in our messages to one another that a person was nice, because it's such a novelty. We do this four hours at a time, by the way. Can you count how many times we can get yelled at during that time? I used to lose count. I try not to notice it anymore. But it still hurts just a bit.
Other than that, life is actually quite good. Apart from the whole "poor" thing.
no subject
Another really fun thing to do is if a guy picks up and sounds like he's going to start yelling, use a nice phone-sex voice. I sold magazines over the phone and boy I tell you what, I sold more copies of Sports Illustrated to men when I was using a low, breathy voice and a soft Southern accent. . . . Works like a charm. Mwahahaa.
no subject
I wish I worked with a friend, it would be so much better. It used to be that someone would get off a call and go: "FUCKING ASSHOLE!" and feel better, while those of us who weren't busy talking to other people would laugh. That was good. We don't really do that anymore (I worked here the year before I went to England.) I try not to let it get to me. I'm doing SO much better than that first year. I've gotten better at the job overall, but it still gets to me from time to time, and today, I suppose was one of those times. So, I vented.
I'm glad you understand.
*hugs*
no subject
Mwahahahahaa!!!!!
So, I vented.
As you're always welcome to. ;) [HUGS]
no subject
just to make they're day a little more interesting.
Love and Smiles,
Jim Mack's God Mother
(now on the right post)