hi arnie, I'm dinesh
Someone somewhere has gotten my cell phone number and sold it to telemarketers, because I now get phone calls pretty frequently, asking if I want to try out some random product in exchange for Wal-Mart gift certificates. I always know what's about to happen when my phone shows a number I don't recognize and there's a pause after I answer. Each time it's someone in India with a name like Mike or Jerry. The most recent person's name was Nixon. If I were choosing an American pseudonym I think I'd go for something other than Nixon, but whatever works, I guess. It's like in high school Spanish class, where you got to choose your Spanish nickname. I think I was Felipe.
Point is, these callers are apparently getting paid alternately by either the phone calls made or the sales bagged, but never by the hour. Whenever I tell them I'm not interested, one of two things happens. Either I have to spend the next five minutes convincing them that I actually am sure and that no, an extra $10 in gift certificates won't get me to change my mind, or I don't even get to the "thanks" in "no, thanks" before the person hangs up. When Nixon called, all he did was say his name and ask how I was, to which I replied that I was fine and asked if the call was regarding Wal-Mart gift certificates before he hung up. Didn't even answer my question. What if I had been waiting by my phone for the past month, neglecting family and friends, hoping a Wal-Mart gift certificate would come my way? He didn't know if that was my situation, and he certainly wasn't waiting around to find out.
I guess my point is this: Indian call center managers, please start paying your employees by the hour. I'm getting a little irritated over here.
posted by T.M. @ 2:41 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I used to do telemarketing. We got paid by the hour but got perks (bags of potato chips, etc.) for being above target. I don't see why they woulndn't be also. They may have a script to follow so that's why they would work hard to convince you, they're actually just following the script. Or, some of them are probably just anxious to get on to the next call if this one isn't working, which probably isn't in their training. So, the ones who are trying harder to convince you are actually just following their training, but it doesn't mean they dont' get paid by the hour. They probably do, but probably get bonuses if they "sell" more. By the way, the first call center I worked at was run by a bunch of idiot bitches with no degrees. I hated them and I hated the call center with a passion. That's why I only lasted 4 days.
My Spanish name was Kahlua Catalina Chaquita Cafe. I just thought I'd share. And yes, I did come up with that on my own.
If you get desperate, you could always change your number. Course, they'd probably find that one out too. Those telemarketers are sneaky bastards.
Potato chips as perks? No wonder you quit after four days.
Kahlua, your name shall be revived.
As for changing my number, I want to tell them to take me off their call list, but they haven't let me get that far in a conversation. Maybe I'll need to do the old bait and switch, telling them I'm interested and then when they ask for my address just springing the list-removal request on them instead.
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