Phone calls from charities after you've donated by text message

[CruCru]

I have recently donated to some charities by text message (super convenient and I don't have to talk to a person). However, the salespeople charity donation people keep ringing me to try to get me to donate more. It puts me off donating. AIBU? Today I had four missed calls on my mobile and when I called them back, it was a recorded message from a charity.

[MooseyMouse]

The initial campaigns are loss leaders - the campaign costs more than the initial amount they mention E.g. £3 per donor but a certain percentage will become regular donors after a follow-up phone call. The campaign overall is then profitable.

[SeaEagleFeather]

Charities have very stringent and transparetn accounting procedures and results

yeaaaah ..... you think all of them follow them? there's a notable amount of cack-handed learn-on-the-job-and-get-it-wrong accounting goes on in these organisations. That does no one any favours, least of all the people whom the charities try to aid.

There's a lot of incompetence that goes on, a consequence of bored and untrained people thinking that something is a good idea and setting a small charity up.

Often whatever-it-is is a good idea. But the amount of mismanagement that goes on means that the money the charity collects is used ineffectively.

I think there should be closer monitoring of charities generally to stop the general mismanagement.

(NB: perhaps that's been done in the last 8 - 10 years? I'm a bit out of date).

I still think the crass approach of chuggers etc does a lot of damage to the people they're supposedly trying to help though. It's hard not to suspect that the people who employ those tactics have become entirely obsessed with money at the expense of humanity.

[saltandvinegarcrisps1]

I used to work for a large very prominent charity although not as a fundraiser (health professional). The chief exec got first class flights, paid accommodation, chauffeur, all expenses ,- the lot. OK, why shouldn't charities get the best person for the job? But - he used to come round and lecture us about the cheek of us wanting paid to look after the "patients" - would say things like...some people would think it a privilege to help those with X ....they wouldn't want PAYING! ....as if we were parasites for being employed to do a job. I left soon after. I think we should remember that people donate because something about that charity means something to them - not simply because they are asked to. I donate to the one that gives sanitary products to girls in war zones as it resonates with me - I saw that on the back door of a toilet in a shopping centre. I give 3 pound a month and get no hassle from them.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

I'll give you some feedback also, Nina. Honestly, it's not personal though and I mean 'you' general, not you/your charity specifically:

1. Don't send me raffle tickets. I'm already paying regularly. It costs you money to produce this crap and I'm not going to start fundraising for you on this basis. It puts me off and makes me wonder how much more money you waste?

2. If I'm already paying by direct debit then you already have a regular sum from me and it's not up to you to decide when I might (if ever) be able to increase it. I'll decide, please don't ask.

3. Never ring me. I've put 'contact by e-mail only' because I don't want you wasting money on phone calls and letters through the post. If you deviate from my wishes then I know a) you don't listen and b) you don't really care about wasting money as e-mail is 'free'.

4. If you really want to win the hearts and minds of the public then don't allow your charity to employ 'chuggers'; most of us despise them and if I see that you are using them, I might be motivated to switch my donation to another charity doing the same/similar thing - or another one altogether.

5. Don't pass on my address/details EVER. If you do and I find out it was your organisation, you'll be cancelled immediately and I won't ever subscribe again. Don't think that people don't unwittingly give out their 'sources' because they do.

That's it really. If you don't bother me, I will happily pay you ever month forever (as long as I'm able, at least). :)

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

MrsHoarder makes an excellent point about analysis and correlation of 'stopped direct debits' and last phone call/request for additional donation.

This is obviously anecdote but, for a charity to get a regular subscription, they must have already won over the donator because those sums certainly add up in a year. On that basis then, to lose that donator must hit the charity quite hard due to the fact that a) regular income is lost, and b) the donator may never subscribe to that charity again.

So I think it's in all charities' best interests to not piss off their regular donators.

[Dutch1e]

Zombie