When the US Census was in full swing for the last ten year installment, I was somehow picked to be the weekly call back for more questions.
To compare this week on a slew of subjects, topics with last week. The one before that. Many questions that perplexed the lady opinion, fact taker who would stop in on Sunday while I was out mowing the lawn. Many questions posed that did not seem to apply, be worthwhile to tabulate. But others that you could see what the interviewer was fishing for from the prearranged list of queries. Telemarketers, survey takers that just have a few questions that they are sure you will not mind, help them with, right now. Drop everything, hold the phone. Need an opinion stat.
As the census questions unfold it is easy to think whoever created the list is probably around the beltway of Washington DC.
Or living in the suburbs of Maryland, Virginia. You also think of the valuable tool the census record keeping is for trends, habits, all kinds of information from across the land called America. Under the red, white and blue.
But those pesky interviews, the US Census ones you have to respond to. The Arbitrons and Nielsen ratings you agree to and I don’t mind the programming ones after having an early life in broadcasting. Always rooting for channel two and five in Bangor Maine where I worked many moons ago.
But it seems the only calls I get on the home phone these days are telemarketers, survey takers.
The kids hit me up on the cell phone and others too because just not home a whole bunch since empty nest happened. But when home, you still have to answer anyway because you never know. Someone is hurt that you love or has died, is in a bad way and this could be the call. But it never is thanks to online and cell phones making on the go wireless signals the reach out and touch someone these fast paced days.
Sometimes horns can sprout when the caller at home or at the office is a telemarketer selling, peddling something. You want them to stop calling but are too lazy to add another name to the do not call list. Or to stick around for the recording to end to hit a number. Punch, poke or tap tap a sequence of symbols to be removed from a list that you never asked to ride, be put on in the first place.
So when a live person calls, you could announce “he’s dead”.
“He’s in prison for life”. “It was the strangest thing, the guy you are hunting for, needing to talk with was sucked up in a pool of very harsh, intense, blinding blue light in the back yard last night and has not return to the planet yet.” And then asking what is your home phone so I can have him when and if he does return to the solar system give you a jingle. Ring you up on a Sunday like you just did. And when it is after nine pm at night or other times you know is not cricket, kosher, better business bureau approved.
Why do they call, and like a fly airport, how do you change the location of all these pesky incoming buzzing calls, surveys? That the other end is pretty arm twisting pushy, blunt to obtain the answers or opinions for here and now. To give you the impression it will only take twenty minutes. And launching right into the call without any input choices on whether you are up for it or not.
They are just doing their job. I am in sales too so should be an easier mark.
Take me off your telemarketer,survey list please should be enough. But after you try that, a renewed, challenge is sent up around the boiler room where the cellar call generated from earlier. Your bounty, reward on your end increases. You start to get more frequent calls from the same folks that you recently, politely said “I don’t want to dance, thank you very much”. More taps on the shoulder to do just the opposite. And the old expression of what part of “no” don’t we understand comes to mind?
I am sure you don’t get any of those calls though right? (smiling). Just hanging up seems too curt, rude. And we all have a willingness to help, to serve. Think of others, their feelings. So here are six options to handle telemarketers. To add to the list you already carry, utilize. hope this blog post on telemarketers, survey takers, how to team, tame them helps.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com