We were eating supper the other night when the phone rang its long distance ring. There is a particular number that calls several times a day but never leaves a message. I’m sure it is a telemarketer who won’t give up until the pitch is made. We have call display in order that we won’t have to speak with telemarketers but every once in a while I answer so that they’ll stop calling. In the middle of supper as I said, I’d had enough and answered. It wasn’t the same number but I’d already left the table … and heard “please hold”. A couple of seconds later, the line disconnected. I love the nerve of telemarketing firms! First, they call during supper; then, they put me on hold; and, finally, they hang up on me. All this happened while Ken looked on disapprovingly and Reid told me to come back to the table. When I sat down she asked me why I’d answered the phone and I said because I’d had enough of people harassing me endlessly on the phone. Reid nodded and then said, “Like Grandma?” After Ken and I stopped laughing, I told Reid that she was entirely off base. She has no grandma that calls overly often but, man, it was funny and got me over my grumpiness at the telemarketing companies.
I didn’t agree with the Wired Magazine editor who posted the emails of people who had sent him pitches but I’m sorely tempted to post this number and encourage you to call it collect in your spare time. In the meantime, I’ll head over to the voluntary “Do not call” list that the Canadian Marketing Association maintains . There is supposed to be a mandatory list established by September 2008. Not that either list will keep organizations who I’ve dealt with the past – sadly the Optimists and a police charity are among the worst – or the banks which call not just about my accounts but to offer insurance and all manner of other “services”. From reading the fact sheet, I also see that the following people/organizations will be able to call even though I have registered:
- registered charities;
- political parties;
- nomination contestants, leadership contestants or candidates of a political party;
- opinion polling firms or market research firms conducting surveys when the call does not involve the sale of a product or service;
- general circulation newspapers calling for the purpose of selling a subscription;
- to a consumer who has an existing business relationship with the organization; and
- to business consumers.
I don’t understand why I don’t have the right to simply block whomever I choose. There is always call screening – if I could just convince Bell Canada to tell my how to do it - but I’ll still have to deal with the “invaders” at least once.