I got some of my anger and frustration out today by yelling at a poor telemarketer.
Our home number is on a do-not-call list, which means random sales people are not allowed to call us. We do, however, get occasional calls from our bank representatives, credit card companies or our cell phone companies with “special offers.”
The woman who called today was clearly reading from a script.
“Hi mam, is Miss Sandvist available, please?”
“Yes, it’s me.” (Sometimes I say “nope, wrong number!” and hang up)
“Ok.”
Pause.
“My name is Murshanda (or was it Shaniva?), and I am calling on behalf of Verizon Wireless.”
Pause (I usually hang up by the second pause, but I was willing to humor her today).
“We are offering a new nationwide plan. We offer extra minutes and new plans at a very good price that you might want to consider.”
“Aha,” I said, very disinterested.
“I see in your account that your wireless plan might be up for renewal soon.”
“You’re right,” I said, suddenly awake. “And I am planning on switching to AT&T because I want to go on a family plan with my boyfriend!”
“Ok, then,” Murshanda/Shaniva said, trying to end the call.
“Unless, of course, you guys can offer me a good family plan,” I countered. “Then I might be willing to stay.”
“Well, you would have to take that up with our accounts department,” she said. “I don’t offer that kind of stuff.”
“What do you offer?” I said, now almost angry.
“I can offer you additional minutes on your monthly plan.”
“Well, since you have access to my account, I am sure you can tell that I barely use the minutes that I already have, so why would I want to add more minutes?”
“Ma’m, I am just pulling up your account now” (pause) “and I can see that you are not eligible for this offer.”
“Alright then, please do not ever call me again!”
I felt pretty good when I got off the phone. I left for choir practice. When I got home, I checked our caller ID. Verizon Wireless had called again.
3 comments:
Telemarketing people are a nuisance... My late aunt had a very clever way to handle them, although she scared me the first time I heard her performance. She was in her 80s, in good health and with a strong voice, but when I called her, she answered in a weak and bewildered voice. "But Aunt Alva, how are you? What's happened?" I asked full of worries. She laughed and returned to her normal ways: "I'm all right but talking like that is a perfect way to get rid of people selling things or asking donations for charities. They give up right away!"
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AnneSofie>> That's a great story. A woman I work with told me something similar.
When you take things to the recycling center here, people give you a really hard time. You have to have a sticker and a permit to show you are a taxpayer of a certain town. All your cardboard boxes must be broken down a certain way, everything must be sorted, etc.
This woman said her husband always has a problem, but she never does. She, who would normally lift up to 50 pounds at home, just start to struggle with the boxes and bags and tries to look as pathetic as possible.
"Who wouldn't want to help a poor old lady like me?" she said with a smile while telling me the story.
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