Chuggers/fundraisers should take your first "no" for an answer

[Parkingmoan1]

I've just been walking through the town centre on my way to catch a bus and was caught by one of those fundraising groups who accost you in the street.

As soon as she started talking to me I politely said no thank you, I don't have the time to talk and carried on walking. Instead of taking that as my final answer she chose to walk alongside me saying "I'm a fast talker" and continued her speech.

I felt a bit intimidated to be honest, she was quite loud and bolshie whereas I don't like confrontation and hate things like this.

I said I don't have any spare money, she said if I didn't want to make the one off payment to the cause (£25 bloody quid) the magazine they're selling is "only" £5.

I ended up buying the magazine just so that she'd leave me alone.

AIBU to think they should have to take your first "no" as an answer and leave you be?

I used to work for one of the telephone fundraisers - much like a PP they got contracts to fundraise for big charities. it was a soul destroying job, I absolutely hated it and in the end left for my own mental health.

you need to give them a “hard no” - I do not want to talk to you about this, please don’t call me again. Is what I say now to phone calls.

if you make up an excuse or tell them in a less direct way: “I don’t have time” “I’m too busy now” or something they will call you back later

the 3 times asking thing i used to find really difficult too. Sometimes you could just tell someone was never ever going to be persuaded but you have to go through the 3 asks. But again they frame it as “if someone says they can’t afford £20 a month that doesn’t mean they can’t afford to support the charity at all”. And the long spiel is their rationale for asking, they can’t just ring and ask for money, they have to put their case forward of what the charity is doing and why they need money. So once you’re into the call and have said they can tell you about the work the charity is doing - they’re going to keep going until either they’ve asked 3 times or you hang up.

so anyway just be firm and tell them absolutely not. It’s not rude. They can record you as a hard no. It saves everyone time and anguish.

You've just disproved your own theory.

Had the chugger taken your first answer you'd have spent nothing.

But you spent £5.

I say, pleasantly, 'I won't be donating but I wish you luck with your cause' which seems to work.

That doesn't give then the right to Harass or intimidate to get donations.

I've seen them knocking on extremely vulnerable peoples doors after being asked not to. I've seen them deliberately target vulnerable areas (sheltered housing) after it's dark.

I won't donate to a charity who use these tactics - and also tell them that via social media. They are not always forthcoming as to how much they get paid to knock on your door ie how much of the donation will actually go to the charity.

When I still looked young enough I used to just say I'm not 18 yet and normally they left you alone as wouldn't be able to sign up to a DD etc but alas I can't get away with that now.

So instead if I walk past one I approach at a fast pace and just say sorry I'm in a rush without stopping and continue on my way

It’s an odd paradox. Most people hate being approached by charity fundraisers (fair enough). But most people who give to charity also say they weren’t aware of the specific work the charities they give to we’re doing until they were proactively approached or saw an advert or send a mailing and that they are really glad they were approached as they like the cause and want to keep supporting it.

The sad reality is that very few people would proactively go out and find out about charities and make donations without a prompt or an ask. We all like to think / say we would, but most people are too busy or self focused or have too many demands on their time to do so. And yet most people agree with charitable causes and want charities to continue the work they do.

I agree fundraisers are really irritating, but the reality is that if charities didn’t proactively fundraise most would go under. It’s a real catch 22.

I just stare at them and don't engage at all

@TheFrustratedRedhead I am always polite if I do speak to them - as in I don't tell them to f off or shout "no" aggressively - but I will not stop and talk because I quite simply don't want to.
It is a shitty job they have agreed to do - but it is their choice. They haven't been forced into it. If they don't like the way some people may speak to them then well they shouldn't do that job.

I wouldn't mind at all being given a leaflet, and I would read it (I read every leaflet I receive, even those little religious booklets trying to convert people) and give it fair consideration when considering who to donate to.

But there is no way on earth, not even if the cause was 'The AnApparitionQuipped holiday-in-the-sun fund' that I would ever give my bank details or any money beyond the smallest of small change to someone in the street.

YANBU

I just say "Save your breath I would NEVER sign up to anything in the street".

I have complained in the past about someone who came to my door, wouldn't take no for an answer, and said "don't you care about people with cancer?" My mum was in the hospital having tests at the time, and my dad died of it when I was a teen.

but the reality is that if charities didn’t proactively fundraise most would go under. It’s a real catch 22.

Or they'd be more inventive without harassing.

Saying otherwise they would go under isn't an excuse to justify exploiting and targeting people in a way that doesn't take no for an answer.

I can't stand these people.

What annoys me most is when I was single and living in a less affluent area of town with hardly any money, I would have them at my door several times a week. It was a terraced house and if I didn't answer, sometimes they would look in my front window and wave at me to open the door.

Years later, I'm doing better and living in a nicer area and I never get chuggers. It's clear they target people who don't have much to begin with.

Haven’t encountered chugging for a while but my technique was always head down, no eye contact at all, as if you haven’t even noticed they’re there, totally ignore no matter how many “hey come on, talk to me” they did - and they’d usually end up standing there talking to thin air looking like lemons.

I just repeat "No thank you" or "Not today, thank you" over and over with a big smile on my face until they get the message. Their trick is to draw you into conversation until you run out of excuses. You don't need to give an excuse, just "no thank you". I do donate to several charities and have volunteered in the past. I don't like being harassed on the street.

I just say ‘no thank you’. Don’t give any excuse as they will try to fight you on it. ‘I’m too busy’ will get ‘it’ll only take a second’ or similar.

I have some sympathy for the chuggers because they are usually young people desperate for their first jobs, and the job boards are full of these agencies which con them into applying and make them think they’re going for good legit jobs in marketing/fundraising, only to reveal at the end that they’re being offered an unpaid commission-only chugging gig. So I try not to be actively rude to them but I don’t engage either.

@RedToothBrush i didn’t say it was an excuse. Just that a) it works b) follow up studies have shown that the people it works on are usually happy they were approached and c) studies have also shown that if charities don’t make some sort of direct “ask” people don’t give, despite people also wanting charities to continue their work.

I think Water Aid did something along the lines of what you’re suggesting (got creative and tried a new approach) a few years ago. Instead of filming ads that showed the terrible consequences of people not having water (flies in eyes, poorly kids etc.) they shot one that showed a village after a well had been installed, and how happy and positive everyone was, farms thriving, kids no longer having to miss school to fetch water etc. People who were shown the advert loved it, and most said this was the sort of communication they wanted to see from charities and that it would motivate them to donate. But when it was rolled out people donated much less because they felt there was less need. It was quite a costly experiment and if charities spend money trying new approaches and training staff differently, they do have less money to go to the cause. So most will do what is proven to work. Not least because they are obligated to ensure that a certain percentage of their money goes to the causes and can only spend so much on staff, trying new approaches, admin etc.

Not saying any of this is good or okay, just explaining the reality of what happens.

Out of interest @RedToothBrush what kind of approach or campaign do you think would get you to donate that is different to a direct ask for funds?

So why did you buy the magazine?

You've shown them this tactic works. So they’ll do it again, and again, and again.

If people didn’t give in they wouldn’t do it.

"I do not donate or sign up in the street/ at the door". Repeat as often as necessary while walking away quickly.

Just be rude.

I do not like cold callers and have told all of them off that ignore the no cold calling sign.

The last ones were RNIB chuggers.

Like I said, I'd already said no and began to feel intimidated. I wanted to be left alone.

Just because something works doesn't mean it's acceptable.

I could go and bully £10 from an elderly person, vulnerable adult etc. Them giving me £10 doesn't mean what I did to get it was OK.

It's not a million miles away from being mugged really is it?

I just ignore. Or if they're particularly persistent I'll just tell them 'I already donate to this charity, hope you have a good day' whilst continuing walking. It used to be that a lot of these workers got paid commission only, so I get why they're keen. Hate the ones who come to your door though, they always seem to come quite late in the evening too. Somehow sutting the door in someone's face feels a lot worse than ignoring them in the street!

It's not a million miles away from being mugged really is it?

Oh don’t be so silly. You had the ability to say no, you just didn’t enforce it.

Rather than blaming other people, work on your assertiveness and self confidence so this doesn’t happen again.

‘ je ne suis pas anglaise’

While thry shouldn't pressure, absolutely agree with this one.
There are free courses on assertiveness. Most of mn, and uk tbf, could use them

OK OK being mugged is an exaggeration but there was a point in there somewhere 😄

I do need to work on being more assertive.