....to be so ANGRY at the way people speak to me? (RANT)

[tigermoll]

I work in a call centre. It's hardly my dream job, and most days it makes me want to put my head on the desk and cry. I have been applying for other jobs since I started here (6 months) but, (as you may be aware ) it is not a brilliant time to look for work. So I'm stuck here for the forseeable future.

Often, very often, when I call people they are so rude and aggresive it can bring tears to my eyes. The people I call have voluntarily put their phone number into a request for information, so can hardly be surprised that they then recieve a call. However, this doesn't stop them from swearing at me, denying they ever made the enquiry, accusing me of lying about the enquiry, blowing whistles at me, claiming to have never ever heard of the company I'm calling from, or indeed the service we offer, sometimes even denying that they are the person they said they were a few moments ago, or that they even know what the internet is, mocking me, sighing, tutting, ranting, deliberately wasting my time then hanging up, asking aggressive questions in an attempt to 'catch me out' as they see it, and being as patronising and dismissive as they can. They assume that they can speak to me however they like, in a way they would never dare to speak to my face.

I understand that recieving calls can get annoying for people. In this case I would respectfully suggest that they:

Go on the TPS register
Get an answerphone to screen their calls,
carefully check any form or enquiry they make and tick the 'do not contact me in the future' box
and:
STOP PUTTING THEIR PHONE NUMBER INTO WEBSITES

But, no matter how irritated the recipient of the call may be, or how justified they may feel, do they forget that they are talking to a human being? A human being who:
a) is unlikly to be doing the job out of a strong desire to work as a call centre operative, and more likely, works long hours at low pay in a job they dislike.
b) is not responsible for the business model of the company, - it wasn't their idea to make all these calls.
c)is not a shareholder in the company, and probably doesnt like their employer very much
d) has no power whatsoever to take them off OTHER companies' phone lists, or change the fact that other companies may be contacting them, especially if they make a habit of chucking their phone number around.

It is actually illegal for a company to 'cold call' - ie get your number and phone you without obtaining your prior consent. So when you do recieve a call, it is as a result of your actions (ie you have given them your number and not ticked a box that says they can't pass it on), NOT because the company calling is EVIL.

If you are called by a company, and have no interest in the service they are offering, why not just politely say 'Thanks for your time, but I am not interested in the service you are offering. Cheers, bye.' There is no need to act out your irritation in a pettish display of superiority just because you feel yourself so justified that you can act any way you like.

Grrr. Here endeth the rant.

You are just like a class crusader Hannah.

How about 'how many of you earn your living in a job that does not depend on ceaselessly invading peoples privacy in their own home'

"I've tried to be rational"

Fair enough - she did try. :o

@Pagwatch both of us do. As I said i no longer work in the industry.

I am well aware some people work from home/ work unusual shifts/ are disabled.

However, that hasn't come up v often in this thread. I thought it would come up more tbh.

don't depend on invading privacy i mean!!!!

Probably because it has nothing to do with anything.

Why people are sitting in their own homes matters not a jot. If you are making a point it eludes me

Look, I hate being cold-called. When I AM at home in the evenings, I am usually busy when they call. The recorded messages just get hung up on. I try to be civil but firm to the others.

My cousins work in call centres, and my 2 uncles nearly had a falling-out because one said that people who work in call centres are scum on a par with drug dealers! (In front of his brother and neices and nephews who work in call centres!) Nearly started a family feud that did!

Anyway, I do feel a bit sorry for people having to cold call me. As I'm not going to make them any money the least I can do is be polite. I've never ever sworn or been outright nasty. I have sometimes said "Sorry, I'm really busy and not interested" and hung up. But as Horton would say "A person's a person" (no matter how inconvenient!)

"I've tried to be rational..."

Try harder

ok @Jeremy When I worked there I got some nasty comments from an uncle who said I had "changed my morals". I told him I would not do it if he paid me an equivalent rate. I thought that was rational!

Thanks @Pagwatch for saying I am like a class crusader. V touched!

HannahHack. I am out of work because a) I am disabled, b) two out of 4 of my dc have asd, and need a carer, and c) Because I have an 8.5mo baby.

Would you be so kind as to find an SN childminder that is willing to look after my 13yo DD with asd? Because the one I used a month ago was only willing to look after her for ONE DAY before giving me notice that she didn't want my custom any more? I had a job for a grand total of 3 weeks, before having to give it up due to lack of childcare.

I resent the intrusions on my time when I am very careful NOT to allow my contact number to be used for marketing purposes, and have registered with the TPS, and I may be dealing with a meltdown by a teenager with autism while being harassed on the phone by someone who refuses to listen to what I am telling them.

Did you not think about the elderly, infirm or carers who may have a multitude of other demands on their time?

Your breathtakingly arrogant posts are EXACTLY why I end up being so rude to call centre operatives on the phone. But then I would be just as rude FACE TO FACE with someone who harassed me twenty-four times in just over one hour, in the evening, while I am trying to care for my children. It wouldn't be quite so bad if these calls were during normal office hours, when I am more likely to be polite.

However, if my requests to know where they got my phone number from are ignored (thus the call centre worker being rude by ignoring MY question), and my requests for them to stop calling me are ignored (thus the call centre worker being rude by ignoring my requests), then I feel PERFECTLY JUSTIFIED in being rude in return - just as I would be rude in RL if someone was rude to me!!

Hannah, did you miss the bit where lots of posters are being called in the evenings? I think it may have occurred to call centre companies to try to call people when they're likely to be in

I knew I was working in a scummy industry who operated in such a way that it was inevitable people would be rude to their staff.

I adjusted my expectations accordingly and accepted I was taking a wage in exchange for being the the most immediate representative of the company.

Quite simpe really, as someone else sadi earlier being told to fuck off was the highlight of my day!

@Hunty I am sorry things are so hard for you. But what would an SN childminder do to cold callers? Surely that's not part of the job description.

@Dita Yes, I do realise as I had to work evenings as it was the only work going that would fit in around my health sector job in day when I needed the extra money when I was a student. What I don't get is what is so bad about a quick, "I am sorry I am not interested" and putting the phone down. It's not like they are murderers or child snatchers.

I think there are a lot of assumptions that people swear and lose their temper. I don't - but I do interrupt and tell the caller that I'm not interested and to remove my number from their list.

If the caller would really more appreciate being told this early on in the call, why do they then not accept 'no' for an answer and continue to blether on? They're wasting their own time - and mine - after having been told I'm not interested. Surely to carry on trying to sell is harrassment?

Does anybody really cave in to these tactics? Change their minds and decide to order something just to get the caller off the phone? Oh yes... the vulnerable and intimidated. That's some job...

I do feel sorry for the callers, they have a living to make BUT I'm not going to provide them with that because I'm not interested in the product. I wish this thread could be passed to the fat cats at the helm so that they could see what they put their employees through... but then again, they don't care, do they?

Call centres make people crazy.

We now have a telephone line just for this shit (is a free one), I just don't answer it at all.

People shouldn't be rude, but you shouldn't be calling them.

Stop fucking calling people.

@Lying I didn't do sales it was market research I did. So a no saved us 10 mins of blathering and I could get a number of other calls under my belt.

BUT other friends who worked in call centres said their money was dependent on them getting various stages in the conversation and the person they called saying various things even if it wasn't the whole deal.

I can tell when you're addressing me even if you don't use an @ btw

wow - there are some seriously entitled people on this thread.

Yes the telesales COMPANIES are shit and unethical and ruin your Sunday night in. But that doesn't make it ok to abuse the EMPLOYEE who's just trying to keep a roof over their head and feed their kids. I'm sure if there was a more fulfilling job waiting on the corner they'd jump right into it.

Yes it's irritating having your night in ruined. But it's got to be a bloody sight more shit spending the exact same night at work, being abused by random strangers, no?

The exception of course is if the caller is abusive to you first. If I was told to "calm down bitch" I think I'd take that as a green light for some major profanity

@theyoungvisitor quite!

what is so bad about a quick, "I am sorry I am not interested" and putting the phone down.

Nothing. That is fine. I did that, but you don't just get the one call you know. I wasn't rude to the first 100 or so.

HannahHack post your phone number. I think there are enough people here to demonstrate how bad it can get.

I hate, hate, hate cold calling. I am registered with TPS and yet I still get calls. I am not rude however, I am simply terse.

@ongar I think I have made the perils of posting one's phone number online quite clear.

Otherwise its: 01234 567 891

theyoungvisiter It is abusive to call someone on the TPS list so the employee is already doing something wrong when they dial the number.

If you are asked as part of your job to abuse people then just say no!.

HannahHack of course you don't want random strangers calling you. I couldn't agree more.

HannahHack... You have inside knowledge about the business. If there's a word or phrase that the householder could use so that the caller can get their quota without the householder having to sign up, that would be something to know!

I've had cold calls from market researchers and they've not rung back nor harrassed me - but the sales callers do and they really don't take 'no' for an answer. What kind of training are they being given where theyr'e being encouraged to lie and basically bully householders into signing up for what they don't want?

I've had doorstep callers as well saying, "this area's been selected for a government grant and we've come to do a free survey and inspection for new windows, etc.". What kind of rubbish do these companies train their employees in?

It's horrendous, it really is an intrusion. I work from home and much of my work is done on my mobile, I have to pull the home phone out of the socket sometimes.