Saturday, September 16, 2006

16 September: Callers

Had a few unwelcome callers this week.

The opticians sent me a card, telling me it was 2 years (2 years? it CAN'T be!) since my eyes were tested, so time to get them checked again. The following day the phone rang - somebody from the same opticians reminding me that it was time for an eye test. This company is apparently desperate for business, but I told the caller that hassling me was more likely to make me go elsewhere than to return to them - after all, there's plenty of choice where opticians are concerned. She replied that she wasn't hassling me, but making a *courtesy call*, totally oblivious of possible different interpretations of her call. I do regret my subsequent brusqueness - she's only trying to earn a pittance.

Later the same day I was in bed - I should mention that I don't normally nap in the afternoon, except at work, but a head cold meant I hadn't slept much the previous night - when the doorbell rang. I opened the window, and the young man on the doorstep started on about a telephone company, and seemed reluctant to give up, though I'd have thought it was pretty obvious I wasn't interested.

Do these people really think that as soon as they knock on your door you are going to think "Hey, this is just what I need"? Or do they expect to be able to bully you into buying whatever it is they are pushing?

Another caller was a silent and miserable looking young man, who handed over a dog-eared card with a story on it about him being a Polish student trying to sell pictures. There have been a few of these recently.

Are these sales methods successful? We make a point of never buying at the door, and in fact would probably never deal with a company that used this sort of tactic.

But then, advertising seems to miss me, or at least strike me sideways. Why else would I be convinced that Renault cars have wobbly back ends, or that the Nationwide "doesn't work like that"?

4 comments:

Z said...

I read in the paper that chuggers are starting to cold call at the door as well now. Isn't it counter-productive? I'm not going to give to a charity that bothers people that way, never mind a commercial company (though that describes too many charities too now, it seems)

We've a long drive and it puts most people off. Not the Jehovah's Witnesses or the Mormons, but all the rest so far.

I agree with you about advertisements too. Is it our age?

KAZ said...

I had a 'cold call' recently from someone who wanted to take a 'Family photo' for me.

I told him I had no family and was very ugly.

He actually gave me some sympathy.

stitchwort said...

Then again, I remember once as a child, we had somebody call to sell insurance, and he only got away after Dad sold him a lawn-mower!

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