From the other side of the phone

Our good friends at the Victorian Tourism Centre have been advertising extensively for new Telemarketers. They offer $20-$60 per hour to talk to people like me who respond to their endless stream of spam faxes.

One person who was thinking of applying for a job decided to do a little research before applying and, in the process, came across our blog.

:) Hi! I found your site from Googling Victorian Tourism Centre since they've got job ads posted. (I was researching.) I'll admit you're giving me second thoughts about working there.

However, as a telemarketer, I appreciate this post

http://magicunlimited.typepad.com/magic_unlimited_with_elli/2007/09/telemarketers-a.html

(more than your other ones) :). "Sorry we don't accept telemarketers." would get me off the phone within two attempts. Oh, I totally understand if a specific company spams you endlessly (which they ended up doing by the sounds of it) by all means you should DEFINITELY mess with them. And some salespeople are endlessly persistent-- trained never to take no for an answer or simply won't get off the phone. But lots of tm's like me are just trying to pay the rent. I have to admit I hate when people just hang up, or if they're idiots on the phone to me... even saying "not interested" before a hangup isn't so bad... (though personally I'd like them to let me try twice).

The first time a company calls you, couldn't you just say, "take me off your call list." and then hang up?

Rather than go thru the rigomarole of suicide attempts and all that? (I think it was the suicide that made me write, actually.) :)

Sorry, I just finished a shift. And I've temporarily quit my company (so I'm looking for a better job, preferably not outbound telemarketing, but gotta pay rent). And I try really hard never to lie about anything, how long a survey takes (ages sometimes), or where I am, et cetera.

Anyway, hope you were slightly entertained by this note and not time wasted. I'll re-consider working for Victorian Tourism. And if you want any other details about the inner workings of call centers, :)

-Debbie

Thanks for the email Debbie, and I'd LOVE to get the "inside dirt" on what really goes on behind the scenes in the world of Telemarketing. I appreciate your suggestion that we simply say "please take me off your list" but, if you've read our posts, you'll know how hopelessly ineffective this strategy is. We still get faxes from VTC and their affiliated businesses. I understand you need to pay the rent, but if you or anyone else chooses to interrupt my business or call me at home with an unsolicited and slightly deceptive sales pitch... do so at your own risk.