AIBU to wonder WHY people do life insurance cold calling?

[ColdAsMice]

I get it that people need work, bills need paying etc. But there are other jobs out there, even other call centre jobs.

Surely this must be totally soul destroying work, just hassling people who do not want to be hassled. I get so many of these uninvited calls...I used to try to be nice as I felt sorry for them but now it just makes my blood boil!

I wonder about this too.
I mean, what makes people take up a job phoning people saying “I’m calling about the recent accident you’ve been involved in”.

How many times a day must they get abuse & hung up on?

Probably less soul destroying than being one of those test and trace callers - it was like talking to a robot, none of them went off script - even when you told them it was the third call and you knew everything they were going to ask and say they still had to read everything out. And it all served no purpose whatsoever.
I suppose some people do go for the over the phone life insurance. I doubt many people really needed someone to phone and read out all that monotonous shit every other day to encourage them to stay at home. Boring job and to top it off you’re pay is contributing to the most immense waste of tax payers money…

Desperation.

Some folk work for call centres that are working for a variety of different companies, so one week they may be flogging life insurance, the next it's ambulance chasing, the next it's stair lift installation... they don't know what it will be from one week to the next.

Some folk have the choice of a shitty job or no job, or a shitty job vs another shitty job and then its a case of better the devil you know.

If you're good at it it can be very good money and of course recruiters will tell you about their high earners.

Because it pays their bills ...

Most of these are data harvesting/confirmation scams to then resell your data.
I continually get them where they refer to the wrong name, a name I only used when dealing with a particular household name company that have clearly sold on my data without my permission

Because people need jobs and it's hard to find work.

Because with a lack of experience and work history some employers won't take a chance on too.

Because they might need shift work/unsocial hours to fit in with childcare, study or other responsibilities.

I did it when I was young & couldn’t find any other job - I had to pay my rent at the end of the day. Yes it was absolutely soul destroying to be 19 and called a waste of oxygen several times per day just for needing the money
I always try to be polite to these people for that exact reason - most of the time they aren’t annoying you because they love doing so!

If you wonder why someone does a job that miserable you must be very fucking lucky. Use your imagination

I had a cold calling sales job once (not life insurance - advertising space). It was worse than you can imagine. I managed less than two months.

Staff turn over was high. Most people went for lunch on their first day and never returned. Our team held the record. Someone was introduced to us, he sat down, said he just had to make a phone call and never returned.

Don't be rude to anyone doing these jobs. They'll know it's annoying but it's honestly hell for the people making the calls.

Because sometimes it's the only work people can get! I worked in cold calling when DS first started school, it was the only job I could get at the time that was flexible with hours, not everyone has support with childcare, I had no one to help me out. Yes I hated it but it was either that or be on benefits! Luckily I did manage to get a different job but I had to do that one for almost a year. This was pre Covid times so it must be even harder now to get work. The only jobs I see currently advertised are hospitality jobs and not everyone can work evenings and weekends because of childcare, I certainly couldn't.

@Rosesareyellow

Probably less soul destroying than being one of those test and trace callers - it was like talking to a robot, none of them went off script - even when you told them it was the third call and you knew everything they were going to ask and say they still had to read everything out. And it all served no purpose whatsoever. I suppose some people do go for the over the phone life insurance. I doubt many people really needed someone to phone and read out all that monotonous shit every other day to encourage them to stay at home. Boring job and to top it off you’re pay is contributing to the most immense waste of tax payers money…

This!!

My dad is such a snob about people who work in call centres and betting shops. He will not have it that, for some people it is the only way to put food on the table. And he'd do it if it was his only option.

What is the correct/ kind way to speak to them? I always say no thank you and hang up as soon as they start talking.

I'm never, ever going to buy anything from an unsolicited call, even if I am in the market for what they're selling, so it seems kindest not to waste anyone's time (including mine) but I'm aware it's not especially polite.

I always think people who share stories of how they led the caller on for ages sound like dicks.

The other thing that puzzles me is presumably a significant number of people do buy or there'd be no one calling?