Canadutch
This week’s Foad goes out to the British. Yes, all of them.
With my first month back to work almost complete, I have spoken to … or rather been hung up on or told off by more British people than I care to mention. In the most polite way possible, of course… they ARE British :P
Seriously though, and this goes for everyone… not just the British. If someone phones you up wanting to ask you a few questions or even to sell you something – either take the few minutes out of your day to talk to them or tell them you aren’t interested.
Don’t say…
No I’m alright thanks.
No I don’t have the time right now.
No I’m just about to go out the door.
No I’m just leaving for work in a minute.
No I’m just putting the kids to bed.
No I’m just in the middle of making dinner.
No I was just on my way to the hospital.
No I’m ill.
… BECAUSE WE WILL JUST CALL YOU BACK! It’s our jobs! Unless you specifically say “No, I am not interested, please don’t call here again“, we are forced to put you back into the pool to call you back again and again until you do.
Don’t just hang up.
Don’t put your phone down next to the TV.
Don’t sit there and sing.
Don’t give the phone to your three year old.
All those things don’t mean a damn thing to us, we’ll just schedule you for a call at a very inconvenient time and then tell the dude sitting next to us what a dumbass you are.
I find the British exceptionally annoying because they try so hard to be polite while being rude. Their words are polite but their tones, oh the tones!! It’s like you can hear them mentally picking out your eyeballs little pieces at a time.
For gods sake, say it with me folks…
I AM NOT INTERESTED, PLEASE DON’T CALL ME AGAIN.
That’s all it takes, seriously… if you tell us not to call you again, we are FORCED to mark you as a refusal and remove you from the system. Unless you verbally refuse (and hangups and silly antics don’t count) you will be phoned repeatedly.
Oh and a P.S. for the British, your stupid call preferencing thing doesn’t work outside the UK, get a clue. The rest of the world doesn’t care if you pay an extra 5 bucks a month* to not be harassed by people on the phone, it doesn’t apply to us.
My job has ruined the British accent for me. I once used to think it sounded so nice (and damn sexy on a man) now… bleh. It makes me cringe.
*I actually have no idea how much it costs, nor do I care, that was just a guess.
Phone me and i’ll tell you to fuck off. Keep calling me and i’ll keep telling you.
Go get a proper job ppl who work in call centres are the lowest of the low. Even the traffic wardens spit on them.
So FOAD whinging canadian girls :)
I bet they have a satellite office in the UK so the calls are processed through a hardwire there and sent to the Netherlands.
Amen sister!
I actually prefer the ones that just say right out front no thanks don’t call again, at least it’s done and over with. You think people would learn after you have called them 5 times, and they give you an different excuse for the 6th time! GEESH!
Oh the stories I could recount from my call centre days! All of them hilarious I assure you.
There was this one guy who sat next to me, used to tell people he loved their children more than they did, so no matter how much they protested he would be sending the free books!
Yeah I can imagine it’s the same everywhere, but unfortunately as an English speaker in NL, the bulk of my calls are to the UK.
From what I can tell they seem to all think that the entire world recognizes their call preferencing. I’ve had people threatening to sue me and the company I work for and all sorts of rubbish.
Outside of the UK the call preferencing isn’t worth a pinch of shit. There’s no way for companies to know who has this preferencing thing and who doesn’t and it’s not illegal for anyone outside the UK to phone them.
I think people think it’s rude to say no I’m not interested so they make up lies to get out of that one call. If only they’d realize they are causing themselves more grief by not just asking to not be called anymore.
The stupid call preferencing thing is free…
This Brit has worked in call centres in Canada and I can tell you it’s exactly the same.
Consider me fucked off and dead :)
I feel so bad saying “no i’m not interested, don’t call again” because 90% of the time, I can feel like the caller is saying “ok thank you (and fuck off)”.
It’s true. it’s the tone, just like you said. But you know, it’s not that at all. They’re only doing their job. I feel for you having to put up with these people.
and wow, you call the UK too? what are the phone bills like where you work!
If you don’t respect call preferencing (which, incidentally, is free in the UK), why the **** should your victims meekly play along with your agenda?
I don’t think it’s a specifically British thing to hate telesales companies.
We might have the courtesy to acknowledge your employer’s policies aren’t your personal fault, but it doesn’t mean we have to like you.
Nothing personal. ;)
I know that it is tough for the people who call and one has really to be immune to rejection to do such a job. I had a chance once to be on the other side of the fence and I witnessed in person the things you mentioned in your post.
On the other hand, I really hate to be disturbed at home by people offering me a new credit card or a subscription in some magazine. That’s why I never answer to unidentified calls, again some companies still hide their caller ID. This is illegal in the US, but still allowed in Canada.
Dave went through that at a previous call cr he worked at. Most people don’t know it’s that simple to get off the call list. I think they think nothing will keep people from calling once they get the ph#.
Dave actually told one to say it b/c he couldn’t stand to call her again haha.
Maybe someone should get the word out, make a website or send out mass emails or something :)