(no subject)

[yendi]

Found via britgeekgirl:

Next time you get a telemarketing call, try this script:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egbg/counterscript.html

Comments

[rollick.livejournal.com]

Funny. But guaranteed to prolong a conversation that I didn't want to be having in the first place.

I knew a guy once who said he made a point of stringing along telemarketers as long as possible, asking lots of questions about their product/service and acting like a very involved and interested customer, before eventually telling them "no" and hanging up. His logic was that the more of their time you waste, the less profitable the whole telemarketing idea becomes for their company. I thought that was insane, given that any time of theirs he wasted was also time of his own that he was wasting. But he considered that time well-spent, and was generally happy with it. Different strokes, I suppose.

Re: Yummilicious

[wolfieboy.livejournal.com]

Oooh... I really like this. It's delightful...

Re: different strokes

[wolfieboy.livejournal.com]

I don't just want to waste their time. I want them to feel disturbed and uncomfortable as well.

Re: different strokes

[rollick.livejournal.com]

Why? I've known a couple of people who have been reduced to telemarketing. I've never known anyone who was actually happy about it, or really needed anyone out there making their life and their day worse. It's not like you're actually affecting the industry, you're just making some poor hapless schmoe unhappy.

Re: different strokes

[yendi]

I had the misfortune of working as a telemarketer once (I was young, I needed the money, etc). It was for the alumni fund at Emory, and it was the worst hell I've ever spent time in (not counting sitting through certain Kim Bassinger movies, of course). I do sympathize with what they go through, and I'd never have the guts or patience to use this script myself. But I do hate the intrusiveness of the very idea of telemarketing, frankly. I just wish there were a way to make the actual heads of the various companies have to deal with the fallout, instead.

Re: different strokes

[rollick.livejournal.com]

This reminded me of a newspaper article I read early this year, so I went and dug it up. It explains how to get on don't-call lists and then sue companies that call anyway. They've got a few success stories, from people who have made hundreds or thousands of dollars, and in one case actually got a telemarketing company shut down. It sounds slightly far-fetched, but it's a very entertaining and hope-inducing article nonetheless. I posted it to my journal.

Re: different strokes

[wolfieboy.livejournal.com]

I suspect that you're right. I should probably just keep to my standard script of "Please put me on your do not call list" *click*

Re: different strokes

[rollick.livejournal.com]

I admit I'm curious where all this would fit in on THEIR script. Is there an option block for "Caller is a culturally aware smartass who attempts to turn the tables on you by asking personal questions"?