I believe that almost everyone of us has received cold calls at some point. However, the frequency has seemed to increase so much in the recent year that it annoys me so damn much. I wonder if it's because I've started using things like credit cards or insurance services, or if I've simply entered an age group which they start targeting.
I easily receive 3-5 calls every week. It's like they never stop. The same company, presumably with the same contact list, could call me countless times over few months. It's downright annoying. I am so wary of any calls now, and I usually cut them off before they even start.
Annoying telemarketer: Hello, I am xxx calling from HSBC Insurance/Finexis/xxx representing Prudential/AIA/Great Eastern/Citibank/Diners/UOB/
Me: I am not interested, thank you.
The not-so-annoying telemarketers will simply say 'Oh...Okay.' or even laugh it off before hanging up promptly, with a thank you. The downright rude kind will hang up straight. And the annoying kind will try their luck, naively assuming that with some perseverance, they can change my mind.
Annoying telemarketer: Uh why miss? I haven't share my product with you...**continues to launch into attack mode
Me: I'm not interested.
Very annoying telemarketer: But why miss? This is a very good product, why don't you try? Are you working?
Me: I'm not interested, thank you.
Very very annoying telemarketer: But miss, you haven't try. Shall I make an appointment so that we can share it with you? It's free!
Me: I'm not interested.
Very very very annoying telemarketer: Are you working? This plan is very good for you.
Me: No, I'm not working.
Very very very very annoying telemarketer: Oh, are you a student or housewife?
Me: No.
Very very very very very annoying telemarketer: No? You are not working?
Me: No. I'm not interested.
Very very very very very very annoying telemarketer: Oh. Erm. Okay.
Some keep repeating the word 'free', and seem to be very perturbed about your refusal to accept 'free' appointments which are 'good' for you. Some which are selling credit cards resort to sending the application forms to my email with the subject 'Your APPLICATION for xxx card'. Some try desperately to convince you to make a 'free' appointment with their advisor or attend a seminar which 'many have found useful'. Again, it's 'FREE' and there's light refreshments even! There was one who kept persisting, telling me how much I'm missing out even when I outright told her I'm not going and she can continue wasting her time if she wants. She kept asking me WHY, and suggested so many dates for me to attend the FREE talk.
Apart from these sales people, there are others who try to offer you jobs and invite you to interviews. It's especially annoying when I'm trying to look for a new job and they waste my time with these 'opportunities', thinking that it may be a serious recruiter. Now, I'm totally wary when I answer such calls.
Annoying financial planner: Hello, is that Jan? May I know if you're looking for a job?
Me: Yes
Annoying financial planner: I would like to offer you a finance position with my company. Would you be interested?
Me: *totally suspicious.* What kind of position is this?
Annoying financial planner: It's a finance position. Would you like to come down for an interview so that I can share more with you?
Me: *totally sure that it must be one of those calls* May I know what is the job scope?
Annoying financial planner: Oh, you will be doing financial analysis, financial planning and business development.
Me: *feeling annoyed* Uh huh, I'm not interested in a sales job.
Annoying financial planner: Oh, it's not a sales job! You analyse your clients needs and recommend them the right product.
Me: I'm not interested. Thank you.
Some would stop here and hang up. Others?
Annoying financial planner: But why? You never tried before right? Why don't you give it a try?
Me: No, I'm not interested. I don't want a sales job.
Annoying financial planner: Why? But you graduated with a Banking and Finance degree right? Why don't you try?
Me: BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A SALES JOB!!!
Personally, I am seriously so sick of these calls which happen oh-so-damn-often. It almost sound funny when I list it down like that, but it's seriously very extremely annoying especially if you receive a few of such calls in a day!
I was complaining about this to Chye just the other day. She said she have even received SMS of such 'job offers'! This is seriously getting very ridiculous. I understand that people need to hit sales target, but using such methods would only piss your potential customers off. Now, I have totally closed myself to such calls. I tell them I'm not interested right after they identify themselves. Will I ever do any transactions through such calls? Never.
Other annoying and pushy sales people are those who seem to be stationed everywhere, selling things like credit cards to saving plans. When I used to work in Novena, there were ambushing you right after you step out of the MRT station. That area is forever infested with sales people and I had to walk past that area many times everyday - when I'm buying things from the basement stalls, withdrawing money from the ATM, using the underpass. Everytime I walk past that area, I look around for an escape route and look as hostile as possible to avoid being approached. Some would even follow you and go on-and-on when you're walking away in a hurry. Now, when I take the free shuttle bus to City Hall MRT and have to walk past the area near St Andrew's church, I have to avoid these people too.
I am going to try to register myself into the 'do-not-call' list, although I am almost sure that it's not going to help.
Another group of annoying 'sales' people is those who evangelise and try to get you to go to church or convert to Christianity. To me, they are no different from the sales people who try to push their 'product' to you, telling you how good it is and how much you are missing out. They basically ask the same questions, why don't you try to come to church? Why don't you want to go to heaven? The answer is still the same - I am not interested.
I also detest it when friends start pretending to be very interested in catching up once they get a sales job and make you feel obliged to support them. I feel like a prey being pounced on. If we've been in contact or if you bother spending some time to really catch up and let people know what you are doing now, it's not that bad. But not when you meet up because you want to show them what you are selling now, without even asking them if they are interested in it.
I reckon that such tactics would work for some people. There are bound to be some people who wouldn't mind 'trying', especially when it is 'FREE'. There are some people who may sit down and listen to these persistent sales people, even buy something from them because they were too aggressive. There may also be some who will buy products from 'friends' because they're too embarrassed to decline.
However, this is not going to work on me and will only turn me off. I believe that if I am interested in something, I will seek it out and do my own research before actually buying it. I seriously do not trust just one person's input, especially if it's a sales person selling his product. I like friends who start-up their sales career without asking or expecting anything from you, simply letting you know what line they are in now. As a friend, knowing that person is reliable, you will automatically go to them when you need a certain service e.g. insurance/real estate/credit cards - only when you NEED it. Afterall, how many friends do you have which you could exploit to make up your sales numbers? Sooner or later, you will need to venture outside your friends and create some goodwill with your own hard work.
Perhaps it's my pet peeve, perhaps there are many people who are receptive and not adverse to such tactics like me. But seriously, leave me alone already!
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