....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.

Nobody put a gun to your head and told you to take this job.

Tiger Thank you for taking on board what I think lots of us were trying to say - that your OP and next few post were unreasonable because they implied that it's the recipients' job to learn how to avoid these calls - THAT was the annoying and arrogant thing, not the fact that you work in a call centre and hate being sworn at!!

Good luck with finding something more enjoyable

I would be interested to know the reason for OP's calls? Are you selling something? Personally I think no organisation should be able to ring anyone unless the people you are calling have expressly asked you to call them. For example, you have rang a support line as you have a problem with your PC, left a message for them to ring you back. Otherwise, don't you dare ring me without my asking you to.

Just want to address something you said in response to me OP. I reported the call to Sky actually, as I was incensed by the call. What if I weren't so on the ball?

I would have purchased insurance from this company (while still having three months left to run on my other policy) and then been stuck with them for a year.

I highly doubt that Sky are selling my details onto competitors - although it's possible. Not that I give3 a fuck to be honest, if you're going to call my home at 8pm and gfive me a load of old bullshit then you can expect me to be less than polite.

Anyway, I see the thread has moved on now.

I feel for people who work in call centres (having spent a soul destroying summer doing so while a student) but while I appreciate the OP's point that there's no need for rudeness, the same is true of the callers themselves and in my personal experience the majority of callers are simply not as polite as they should be. The other day I had a caller who asked for a man who doesn't live here; I told her so and, as it was evening I wasn't very happy about a cold call at all, plus it woke up my baby. I explained that it was a very inconvenient time to call, especially given it was a wrong number, and her response was 'OK, can I interest you in a low cost loan?' The 'OK' made my blood boil and I hung up swiftly. How utterly rude?!

OP, I work in sales and started in telesales

therefore I am very nice in general to telesales people, I dont buy but I am not vile to them

have a

I sympathise with you because it is so difficult to find work at the moment and you're human like everyone else but from my perspective I work till 4.30, pick up my DS rush home and then start cooking dinner, homework, play time, tv, bath etc bed for my DS - it's all a rush and I want the short evening he has to be quality time.

My phone only rings five times so if I'm in the kitchen I have to rush to get it and I don't want to be disturbed four or five times in an evening when I'm trying to cook/help my son with his homework etc to a random person trying to sell me a kitchen/double glazing etc. If I wanted those things I would be ringing the companies myself.

Often the people misprounce my name or call me 'Mrs ...' when I'm not Mrs so I know they have no idea who I am.

It depends on how rushed I am in the evening on how polite I am but usually I just hang up.

I apologise if anyone has the misfortune of having a mobile number that is one higher than my own. I always use it on insurance comparison sites who I think are the worst culprits for not letting you progress without a number when you're still at the comparison stage. Sorry if it's anyone here!

Hannah - I understand it is an intrusion, but the level of feeling here is really over the top. I don't like the military as it involves killing people in the name of this country. But that's my problem. I wouldn't go on a thread about people in the military and point out the moral issues associated with their choice of work.

But if someone in the military posted on a forum complaining that people they were shooting screamed so unpleasantly, and they really should behave better, or take action to avoid being shot... then you might feel moved to suggest their job was unethical and they should move on?

I am always polite and if they don't take 'no' the first time I just hang up.

I work in an inbound call centre and peoples rudeness does astound me! I have a little stress ball on my desk that I like to beat the shit out off every now and again to relieve the frustration

Very often these tick boxes are along the lines of:

If you do not want us to call you please tick this box.
If you do not want third parties to call you please untick this box.

And that's what catches folk out. Legal? Sure. Acceptable? No.

So don't blame me for telling you to go fuck yourself when you disturb my evening in my home by calling my phone, the service for which is in my name and for which I pay.

These calls, like the door chuggers, are an intrusion. Anyone who works in the industry knows what they're likely to get pissed off householders - if you can't handle that then resign.

** That they're likely to..., not what.

I do feel for you but am not suprised people are rude.

When I was heavily pregnant with my son Sky warrenty called me everyday for at least a month. Sometimes I would make it to the phone sometime I wouldn't. To start with I was polite when declining the warrenty, after a few calls I was irritated and just said 'not interested'. One time I just lost it, I was sick of the phonecalls, sick of running for the phone - I accused the person on the other end of the phone of harrasment - They have never called back....

going - I BET IT WAS THOSE BASTARDS WHO TRIED TO GET ME LAST NIGHT!

whoops - hit post too soon in rage.

oh and DBF - ha. those tickboxes are like:

Tick if this box if you do not want companies not to call you

I have found the most satisfying way to deal with the calls is to say GeneHuntsMistress? Oh yes one moment I will get her for you. Then leave the phone on the side and go about my business. Stops me getting wound up shouting at them or asking them to not phone or mentioning I am registered with TPS.

It wastes a bit of their time just like they waste mine.

BTW op you sound as irritating as the company you work for. Guess you have found a symbiotic relationship and I advise to stay in your career as you seem ideally suited.

Tigermoll, you have been lied to. You are employed to cold call people like myself who have registered with the TPS and are careful to always tick as needed to say do NOT call me.

I know it's hard, but imagine if you were breaking into people's houses and your boss told you "oh they said it was ok"

It's not ok. If you call me I will tell you where to go and the reason I will is because if enough people do that then companies like yours will have trouble keeping staff and some of the calls may stop.

I hope you are able to find another job soon and when you do make sure you tell all your friends not to work for the company you are leaving.

Oh and if a website ever "requires" me to enter my phone number, I just put in a made up one. Then they can't call me, right? But somehow they always do....

I feel for you, OP, because there's nothing that your company is prepared to do to stop the abuse you get. They want you to cold call, the people that you're ringing are NOT your customers, they have no vested interest in talking to you or being polite because they haven't asked for your call, whatever you might think.

Many online shopping boxes demand that you input a phone number and they insist that it's 'recognised' as a valid phone number. This annoys me very much, I hate being bothered in the day when I'm working from home or trying to have a peaceful day off.

You ARE getting paid to make these calls, part of your job will be to deal with people who are not pleased to hear from you. Your company is not going to support you in that other than offer counselling if they're forced to, maybe? I'm sure they don't want the expense of sending out crap instead of phone calls...

Good luck in finding a new job, hope it's soon.

Probably Shirley, they are relentless and are not actually a part of Sky!!!

i try never to be rude to cold callers, either on phone or at door

i always think that could be my son/nephew/brother/daughter trying to make a living :(

Blame the bigwigs, not the people on the end of the phone doing a thankless job

If a website requires me to put a number in and I see no need to do so then I put in the number of their head office. That seems fair.

someone has chosen to buy a phone, install it and pay for the line. If they are unhappy with the amount of times it rings, then there are a number of things they can do to deal with it.

Yes and one of those things is to say "* off and don't call again"

going Seriously, report them to Sky warranty department. The company is called "Digital Mumble Mumble Management Something"

Tell them, the next time they call that you will REPORT THEM if they carry on calling you. (report it anyway, the fella at Sky was very interested and said that Sky won't call existing customers - like me, and instead send letters for renewals of insurances. Just bear that in mind)

OP I really do feel for you. I have never worked for a call centre but do work in sales (albeit b2b so slightly different) and I have had people be extraordinarily rude to me at times.

What you say about it being illegal to cold call is not true, though, and lots of companies will sell on details to others. I doubt that your lists are as pure as you think.

However, I think people's anger (rightly directed at these shitty companies) is channelled into being incredibly rude at times to other human beings, as you say. Yes, some people on this thread have given legitimate examples of being constantly harrassed in which case rudeness becomes understandable, but there are lots and lots of people who will tell you to fuck off on the first call - I don't think this is necessary or right at all.

Hannah - agreed on the Catholics/Americans factor!!

Shirley I did manage to stop it when I accused them of harrasment. I tired being polite, asked calmly to be removed from the database which they argreed to but obviously didn't do until I got really mad!