Telemarketing: does it work???
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270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm starting to think that companies are starting to pose as their competitors to make customers annoyed at the competitors, the last 3-4 sales calls I had were all manned by Indian-sounding people speaking jibrish but the companies names were loud and clear. I c o u l d n o t understand anything else they said, and they insisted on keep talking when I wanted to say something. If it's the intend it's gonna work great....
Yupper, they wouldnt do it if it didnt work. I can tell withing a few seconds if the person is interested or not, then politely end the call.
Ive gone through phone books for different industries in quite a few states in just a few weeks alone. Seems to take a year and half to build a repor and get the sale.
Whats funny is the commercial customers with lots of branch offices throughout the US. They actually give us lists and we call them just to discover they are annoyed they are getting sales calls and I just inform them so and so gave me the info at HQ, then they politely back down from their initial rage.
Where I work its well worth the money cost wise vs advertising. Advertising you only get the customers who the ad targeted and why they were interested, etc. With one on one calling, you get exactly why they are or arent interested. Rather its the product, product range, warranty, features, economy, budget, up coming events such as cable stringing projects, constrution, outsourcing of maintenance of different corp grounds/franschises.
Now I too have suspected other companies are calling the big corp customers posing as our company to **** off folks. Time and time again they say youve called me 12 times, sent email, etc. I dont sent email nor do I call more than once every 3 months. Regardless they arent interested.
Ive gone through phone books for different industries in quite a few states in just a few weeks alone. Seems to take a year and half to build a repor and get the sale.
Whats funny is the commercial customers with lots of branch offices throughout the US. They actually give us lists and we call them just to discover they are annoyed they are getting sales calls and I just inform them so and so gave me the info at HQ, then they politely back down from their initial rage.
Where I work its well worth the money cost wise vs advertising. Advertising you only get the customers who the ad targeted and why they were interested, etc. With one on one calling, you get exactly why they are or arent interested. Rather its the product, product range, warranty, features, economy, budget, up coming events such as cable stringing projects, constrution, outsourcing of maintenance of different corp grounds/franschises.
Now I too have suspected other companies are calling the big corp customers posing as our company to **** off folks. Time and time again they say youve called me 12 times, sent email, etc. I dont sent email nor do I call more than once every 3 months. Regardless they arent interested.
javafool
Enlightened
The national no-call registry is one of the best things our government has done for consumers in a long time. I was so sick of mindless jerks calling at dinner time or when I was trying to relax, it was pathetic. Telemarketers were so intrusive on my personal life, my time, that I personally have no respect for the profession or the individuals.
Most people really do need their telephones. It seemed, before the law passed, that there was no way to keep them from ruining an essential service that I pay for. At least spam filters are fairly effective on my computer.
Most people really do need their telephones. It seemed, before the law passed, that there was no way to keep them from ruining an essential service that I pay for. At least spam filters are fairly effective on my computer.
Telemarketers annoy the living snot outta me, and cell phones are supposedly the next target of the telemarketing industry. My wife is signing up our cell numbers on that do-not-call registery.
Maybe the next war we get into won't be over terrorism, oil, or whatever, but over telemarketing and outsourced "service" centers with buckets of snotty attitude.
My wife's uncle had the right idea -- he's about 80 and answers their calls by asking, "Did I call you?" That makes the telemarketer think he's a senile, old man. When they answer, "No, you didn't call us" he pops them with, "Then why the heck do you think I want to talk to you?" and he hangs up on them.
Maybe the next war we get into won't be over terrorism, oil, or whatever, but over telemarketing and outsourced "service" centers with buckets of snotty attitude.
My wife's uncle had the right idea -- he's about 80 and answers their calls by asking, "Did I call you?" That makes the telemarketer think he's a senile, old man. When they answer, "No, you didn't call us" he pops them with, "Then why the heck do you think I want to talk to you?" and he hangs up on them.
smokinbasser
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have been on both national and state no-call registeries and I have had maybe 3 telemarketeer calls total and as soon as they were informed I was on the no call lists the calls were terminated immediately with no repeats. I do use Dial America for several magazine subs, and they call only once a year.
nerdgineer
Flashlight Enthusiast
Like terrorism, it must work or people wouldn't keep doing it. But we can keep working on trying to make it work less well...
jtr1962
Flashaholic
It may be effective when calling businesses and selling business supplies which the business may have need for. If you're at work, answering an unsolicated call isn't necessarily an annoyance as it may provide a break from a less interesting task.
On the other hand, these calls are uniformly annoying and ineffective at home. Using the telephone as an advertising instrument in this manner was about the stupidest thing ever done in the name of business. Despite the do-not-call list we still get called, mostly from chimney cleaners. Of course, once we mention that we're on the list they hang up right away but the call is nevertheless a disruption. Telemarketing to home numbers is a practice that should be discontinued, period. I haven't met anyone that actually enjoys getting these calls, or bought anything because of them. However, I have not bought products because a telemarketer called trying to sell them.
TV commercials are another form of advertising which I think is very annoying and probably not particularly effective. While they didn't annoy me much when commercial breaks were 15 or 20 minutes apart and only 2 to 3 minutes nowadays they often come every 6 or 7 minutes, and last 3 minutes or more. Also, advertisers have taken to making commercials louder than the program in an obnoxious attempt to get attention much like a kid screaming.
I don't feel pop-ups, spam, or junk mail are particularly effective either. One of the best forms of advertising remains printed ads relevant to whatever publication they're in. If a person is reading, say, a cycling magazine then it's a given that they're probably interested in cycling products. Ads for such products would therefore reach their core audience.
Unsolicated advertising is one reason I buy a lot of stuff on eBay these days. I don't like to order one or two products from a catalog and then get bombarded with junk mail from them and ten of their associates for the next five years. At least with eBay chances are I'll never hear from the seller again unless I buy something else they're selling.
Word of mouth probably remains the very best form of advertising.
On the other hand, these calls are uniformly annoying and ineffective at home. Using the telephone as an advertising instrument in this manner was about the stupidest thing ever done in the name of business. Despite the do-not-call list we still get called, mostly from chimney cleaners. Of course, once we mention that we're on the list they hang up right away but the call is nevertheless a disruption. Telemarketing to home numbers is a practice that should be discontinued, period. I haven't met anyone that actually enjoys getting these calls, or bought anything because of them. However, I have not bought products because a telemarketer called trying to sell them.
TV commercials are another form of advertising which I think is very annoying and probably not particularly effective. While they didn't annoy me much when commercial breaks were 15 or 20 minutes apart and only 2 to 3 minutes nowadays they often come every 6 or 7 minutes, and last 3 minutes or more. Also, advertisers have taken to making commercials louder than the program in an obnoxious attempt to get attention much like a kid screaming.
I don't feel pop-ups, spam, or junk mail are particularly effective either. One of the best forms of advertising remains printed ads relevant to whatever publication they're in. If a person is reading, say, a cycling magazine then it's a given that they're probably interested in cycling products. Ads for such products would therefore reach their core audience.
Unsolicated advertising is one reason I buy a lot of stuff on eBay these days. I don't like to order one or two products from a catalog and then get bombarded with junk mail from them and ten of their associates for the next five years. At least with eBay chances are I'll never hear from the seller again unless I buy something else they're selling.
Word of mouth probably remains the very best form of advertising.
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Coop
Flashlight Enthusiast
I usually just have some fun when they call me. Once I had the telemarketer very close to buying MY product 
But I have a dark side too... A while ago, I got called on my private mobile. This number is not listed. I asked the telemarketer where they got my number. He told me "from the phonebook", I told him, very politely, that my number is not listed and that I would very much like to speak to his manager to get to the bottom of this. And he did what every good telemarketer would do... He hung up on me. Ofcourse, no CallerID...
Wrong person to do that with... I work for a phonecompany, I can trace calls... So I called them back, it was a number owned by a fairly small marketing bureau. Spoke with some people there, they were very unfriendly, refused to reveal their source of phonenumbers. Verified the company with the customer complaints department, the company had been bothering a lot of our customers. Verified with other operators, same thing. Contacted their operator, it was a clear contract violation. The marketing companies line was shut down within 3 hours from me getting the call. According to the records, they had started their operation just 5 hours earlier that day. A few weeks later the company was shut down for good by the judge, and the owners were fined for various things, including violation of privacy laws...
the Morale of this story? Telemarketeers, don't call me on the wrong phone, it might cost you your job
But I have a dark side too... A while ago, I got called on my private mobile. This number is not listed. I asked the telemarketer where they got my number. He told me "from the phonebook", I told him, very politely, that my number is not listed and that I would very much like to speak to his manager to get to the bottom of this. And he did what every good telemarketer would do... He hung up on me. Ofcourse, no CallerID...
Wrong person to do that with... I work for a phonecompany, I can trace calls... So I called them back, it was a number owned by a fairly small marketing bureau. Spoke with some people there, they were very unfriendly, refused to reveal their source of phonenumbers. Verified the company with the customer complaints department, the company had been bothering a lot of our customers. Verified with other operators, same thing. Contacted their operator, it was a clear contract violation. The marketing companies line was shut down within 3 hours from me getting the call. According to the records, they had started their operation just 5 hours earlier that day. A few weeks later the company was shut down for good by the judge, and the owners were fined for various things, including violation of privacy laws...
the Morale of this story? Telemarketeers, don't call me on the wrong phone, it might cost you your job
270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
MayCooper said:I usually just have some fun when they call me. Once I had the telemarketer very close to buying MY product
But I have a dark side too... A while ago, I got called on my private mobile. This number is not listed. I asked the telemarketer where they got my number. He told me "from the phonebook", I told him, very politely, that my number is not listed and that I would very much like to speak to his manager to get to the bottom of this. And he did what every good telemarketer would do... He hung up on me. Ofcourse, no CallerID...
Wrong person to do that with... I work for a phonecompany, I can trace calls... So I called them back, it was a number owned by a fairly small marketing bureau. Spoke with some people there, they were very unfriendly, refused to reveal their source of phonenumbers. Verified the company with the customer complaints department, the company had been bothering a lot of our customers. Verified with other operators, same thing. Contacted their operator, it was a clear contract violation. The marketing companies line was shut down within 3 hours from me getting the call. According to the records, they had started their operation just 5 hours earlier that day. A few weeks later the company was shut down for good by the judge, and the owners were fined for various things, including violation of privacy laws...
the Morale of this story? Telemarketeers, don't call me on the wrong phone, it might cost you your job
aside from finding the company and smashing every phone they have, this is the best outcome I can ever imagine!!! Good Job!!!! :thumbsup:
Coop
Flashlight Enthusiast
270winchester said:
The thought crossed my mind... They were only 10 miles away from me... But as I didn't bring my baseballbat, chainsaw and flamethrower to work that day, I thought I'd give 'em a break
BugOutGear_USA
Enlightened
I just put one of my kids on the phone.
Whats your mobile number? Just kidding, but I do call a lot of telecom company, power, utility, etc.
I like those who suddenly go deaf or the fax machine kicks on, I just drop the line, redial and leave a message on their VM. I hate for them to mis a special we are running because of the crappy phone system.
Then theres the sinscere sounding operator who leaves you on hold. I just put that line on hold and make another call to the same place and rephrase the opening. Funny how afterwards that first call I place, the line is dropped.
Its likely they arent interested and are trying to dodge the call, but some of our customers are a special breed. Makes me wonder about someone who can plunk down 110 grand on a truck, then cant find the one they drove up in parked right along the street outside.
Most of my calling is B2B unless the numbers are changed, business goes out of business, former owner dies, etc, etc, etc. I seem to get the crap of the crap, bottom of the barrow leads as the company has been in business for a long, long time.
Sometimes its fun. I called a utility company in FL to speak to someone last Friday. The operator said he was deceased, I proceeded to ask if she had the number to reach him as I thought she said he was at the Houston location. Boy that got her rather upset.
Then theres mistaking the female operator for the male contact. Nothing like hearing a female voice answer the phone, then ask, Hey Gary, blah, blah blah.....
FYI, if you advertise your business on your truck or car, we look for those and call regarding service.
Ive actually sat at truck stops and other places people use commercial equipment go to and its amazing how receptive they are to us. I dont think I have yet to have a very nasty call, its just an emotionally draining, very repetative job that seems to have no future.
I like those who suddenly go deaf or the fax machine kicks on, I just drop the line, redial and leave a message on their VM. I hate for them to mis a special we are running because of the crappy phone system.
Then theres the sinscere sounding operator who leaves you on hold. I just put that line on hold and make another call to the same place and rephrase the opening. Funny how afterwards that first call I place, the line is dropped.
Its likely they arent interested and are trying to dodge the call, but some of our customers are a special breed. Makes me wonder about someone who can plunk down 110 grand on a truck, then cant find the one they drove up in parked right along the street outside.
Most of my calling is B2B unless the numbers are changed, business goes out of business, former owner dies, etc, etc, etc. I seem to get the crap of the crap, bottom of the barrow leads as the company has been in business for a long, long time.
Sometimes its fun. I called a utility company in FL to speak to someone last Friday. The operator said he was deceased, I proceeded to ask if she had the number to reach him as I thought she said he was at the Houston location. Boy that got her rather upset.
Then theres mistaking the female operator for the male contact. Nothing like hearing a female voice answer the phone, then ask, Hey Gary, blah, blah blah.....
FYI, if you advertise your business on your truck or car, we look for those and call regarding service.
Ive actually sat at truck stops and other places people use commercial equipment go to and its amazing how receptive they are to us. I dont think I have yet to have a very nasty call, its just an emotionally draining, very repetative job that seems to have no future.
Coop
Flashlight Enthusiast
I agree with Cobb that telemarketing CAN be very effective, if the right product is offered to the right person.
The problem is often the way a telemarketer handles his or her call. If they call me and I tell them that I'm not interested or they call at a bad time, they need to end the call. But what happens too often is that they try to continue their salestalk. Often in a very pushy manner. It's those men and women who give telemarketers their bad name.
The problem is often the way a telemarketer handles his or her call. If they call me and I tell them that I'm not interested or they call at a bad time, they need to end the call. But what happens too often is that they try to continue their salestalk. Often in a very pushy manner. It's those men and women who give telemarketers their bad name.
I get a few a day. That a single telemarketer can call hundreds, maybe thousands, of people each day is what makes it worthwhile. Very much like junk mail; it takes a return, but not too large of a return, to pay back. Also, and unfortunately, companies already servicing you can call to offer other services, upgrades, etc., so even the 'do not call' list is not totally effective.
chesterqw
Flashlight Enthusiast
they are forcing us to say the four letter work, that starts with f and ends with k and uc inbetween to them.
Thats the secret, no need in beating a dead horse. If the person isnt interested or they are busy installing a sign, handling live wires, etc, no need in giving your pitch but to call back later, call another person or send info to review. The way you deliver your pitch makes a big impact too. most folks have their guard up for phone calls, so you need to change it as a service to them, than a sales pitch.
What I find funny is despite the numerous ways I go through our database, it seems I call folks at the same time I previously called them using a different method.
Of course if they are uninterested, doesnt use equipment or cause they are a general contractor, etc I remove them.
What I find funny is despite the numerous ways I go through our database, it seems I call folks at the same time I previously called them using a different method.
Of course if they are uninterested, doesnt use equipment or cause they are a general contractor, etc I remove them.
markdi
Flashlight Enthusiast
my 89 year old grandfather loves to talk to telemarketers.
when he was living with me he would try to make any incoming phone call last as long as possible - he is very good at this.
you do not need to work at the telephone company to call tele pests back - I have caller id and an old device called a demon dialer - one of it's many features is to answer the phone then wait for a touch tone code to route the call to a telephone or one of it's voice mail boxes - solves tele pest problem but upset's grandpa greatly.
the other handy feature is it will rappidly keep calling a number - for hours until some one answers.
it hangs up on the first busy tone it hears then dials again.
great for bitching out tele pests and other annoying people.
it even calls my cell and tells me some one left me a message in its voice mail - it will call my cell if it hears sound indicating some one is in the house.
about 10 years ago my mom took some classes to become a auctoneer - she bought it for me.
I have seen other demon dialers - mine has 2 components
one connects between the phone line right where it enters my house and the house phone wiring.
the other part has the voicemail - speaker phone and stuff - pluggs in any where - looks like a kinda big office phone.
it will restrict(hang up) any long distance dialing or any other number - like grandpa's brothers number
when he was living with me he would try to make any incoming phone call last as long as possible - he is very good at this.
you do not need to work at the telephone company to call tele pests back - I have caller id and an old device called a demon dialer - one of it's many features is to answer the phone then wait for a touch tone code to route the call to a telephone or one of it's voice mail boxes - solves tele pest problem but upset's grandpa greatly.
the other handy feature is it will rappidly keep calling a number - for hours until some one answers.
it hangs up on the first busy tone it hears then dials again.
great for bitching out tele pests and other annoying people.
it even calls my cell and tells me some one left me a message in its voice mail - it will call my cell if it hears sound indicating some one is in the house.
about 10 years ago my mom took some classes to become a auctoneer - she bought it for me.
I have seen other demon dialers - mine has 2 components
one connects between the phone line right where it enters my house and the house phone wiring.
the other part has the voicemail - speaker phone and stuff - pluggs in any where - looks like a kinda big office phone.
it will restrict(hang up) any long distance dialing or any other number - like grandpa's brothers number
What you do to drive telemarkerters nuts is ask questions like pulling teeth...
1. Ask who are you calling for?
2. Jr, Senior, 3rd, 4th?
3. Is he/she expecting your call?
4. What is the call regarding?
5. Did he/she call you?
6. Whats the lead, turn around time on said product?
Keeping asking seemingly related questions.
I love the jr/senior one, I always say Senior unless I know otherwise.
1. Ask who are you calling for?
2. Jr, Senior, 3rd, 4th?
3. Is he/she expecting your call?
4. What is the call regarding?
5. Did he/she call you?
6. Whats the lead, turn around time on said product?
Keeping asking seemingly related questions.
I love the jr/senior one, I always say Senior unless I know otherwise.
