Posted on 08/11/2003 8:33:31 PM PDT by xrp
Popular do-not-call list bringing industry to its knees
Aug. 11 In the past three months, the hallways at Groesbeck-based Tel-A-Sell Marketing Inc. have become a lot less crowded. CEO Edd OConnor has been forced to trim his telemarketing staff from 72 to 18.
I WAS RUNNING a full house earlier this year, said OConnor, who also serves as president of the American Teleservices Associations Great Lakes Chapter, which covers Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan.
One of the big reason for the cuts: the chilling effects of the National Do Not Call Registry and other similar efforts in statehouses across the country.
A month into the sign-ups for the federal Do Not Call list, nearly 30 million phone numbers across the United States have been registered for the list. That number could double by the time the list takes effect on Oct. 1.
The ATA, which is challenging the list in court, said the national list could eventually cause more than 2 million lost telemarketing jobs. The ATA estimated that telemarketers are responsible for $660 billion in sales. The combined effects of do-not-call lists and the movement of jobs overseas have left the industry ailing.
Its going to cause significant business problems for this industry, said OConnor, who said he expects a pickup in business in early fall. Weve got to step back and regroup.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.com ...
'Hi! I was calling to see how much for brake pads for a '78 Mailibu?'
'Hi! Can you tell me what time the movie starts?'
'Hi! How late are you open til?'
'Hi! Do you deliver?'
'Hi! Can you check to see if my pictures are back?'
NOT this:
Rinnnnng! (Delay)...'Can I speak to the man of the house? Would you be interested in donating to the Firemen's concert?' (And these guys won't take no for an answer, and really pissed me off!)
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hi! Can I speak to Mr. Smith? I'm calling to ask if you'd be interested in 3 months 'free' subscription to the 'Daily Crud?'
Rinnnnng! (delay) 'Mr. Smith please! Hi, Mr. Smith! Joe Schmuckola from Qwest and I'd like to tell you about our 'free' long distance sign up!'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello, is this Mr. Smith? We were wondering if you'd like to donate to 'Save The Children?'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello is this Mr. Smith? We were wonfering if you'd take a few minutes to take our survey?'
And of course, it's all repeated the very next week.
Since I don't get too many calls I just shut the damned ringer off. Wow! Talk about peace & quiet!!
I suppose I'll soon sign on to the 'Don't Call Me Ya' Jerk' list!
'Hi! I was calling to see how much for brake pads for a '78 Mailibu?'
'Hi! Can you tell me what time the movie starts?'
'Hi! How late are you open til?'
'Hi! Do you deliver?'
'Hi! Can you check to see if my pictures are back?'
NOT this:
Rinnnnng! (Delay)...'Can I speak to the man of the house? Would you be interested in donating to the Firemen's concert?' (And these guys won't take no for an answer, and really pissed me off!)
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hi! Can I speak to Mr. Smith? I'm calling to ask if you'd be interested in 3 months 'free' subscription to the 'Daily Crud?'
Rinnnnng! (delay) 'Mr. Smith please! Hi, Mr. Smith! Joe Schmuckola from Qwest and I'd like to tell you about our 'free' long distance sign up!'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello, is this Mr. Smith? We were wondering if you'd like to donate to 'Save The Children?'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello is this Mr. Smith? We were wonfering if you'd take a few minutes to take our survey?'
And of course, it's all repeated the very next week.
Since I don't get too many calls I just shut the damned ringer off. Wow! Talk about peace & quiet!!
I suppose I'll soon sign on to the 'Don't Call Me Ya' Jerk' list!
'Hi! I was calling to see how much for brake pads for a '78 Mailibu?'
'Hi! Can you tell me what time the movie starts?'
'Hi! How late are you open til?'
'Hi! Do you deliver?'
'Hi! Can you check to see if my pictures are back?'
NOT this:
Rinnnnng! (Delay)...'Can I speak to the man of the house? Would you be interested in donating to the Firemen's concert?' (And these guys won't take no for an answer, and really pissed me off!)
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hi! Can I speak to Mr. Smith? I'm calling to ask if you'd be interested in 3 months 'free' subscription to the 'Daily Crud?'
Rinnnnng! (delay) 'Mr. Smith please! Hi, Mr. Smith! Joe Schmuckola from Qwest and I'd like to tell you about our 'free' long distance sign up!'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello, is this Mr. Smith? We were wondering if you'd like to donate to 'Save The Children?'
Rinnnnng! (Delay) 'Hello is this Mr. Smith? We were wonfering if you'd take a few minutes to take our survey?'
And of course, it's all repeated the very next week.
Since I don't get too many calls I just shut the damned ringer off. Wow! Talk about peace & quiet!!
I suppose I'll soon sign on to the 'Don't Call Me Ya' Jerk' list!
American legislation won't stop email spammers from Tonga and Kyrgyzistan.
Just another big government lover, I guess.
Glad to see that you support putting your fellow Americans out of a job by using the federal government. It is amazing how a simple annoyance in life exposes the fake conservatives for the big government lovers that they are.
Home phone? You choose a time in which to answer the phone and deal with whomever is on the other end ot he line, which includes hanging up, cussing at them or making jokes at them. CHOOSING to answer the phone takes less time than it does to walk to your mailbox and retrieve the mail.
Have you ever had a cookout where mosquitos or other insects flew around and bothered you? These insects are intruding into YOUR personal time on YOUR personal property and YOU didn't invite them. Maybe you should persue legislation against mosquitos.
Give me a break. The "...my own home" statement is invalid. You do not have to have a phone. You do not have to answer the phone. You can turn the ringer off and you'll never even know that people have called. You can make outgoing calls only.
If taking the .37 seconds to hang up the phone is wasting your time then you certainly are anal. If you have someone calling whose number you don't have then they can hit the answering machine and you can call them back. Or if the telemarketer keeps ringing and holding up the line, well that is harrassment for which you can file charges. I'd be pretty entertained, though, if you could actually produce an example of a telemarketer constantly dialing your phone # during even a half hour period. You don't have to delay important calls, just hang up on the previous caller, wait for dial tone and dial. Using the phone is hard isn't it? Here's a hint, if you have the phone off the hook preparing to dial, someone can't connect an incoming call to you. AMAZING isn't it?
Obviously you're voting for Gephardt, right?
No absolutely not true. The overstatement is only 1,999,900.
I had a local phone line through Bellsouth several times. I had no additions (call waiting, caller ID, etc) and I had maybe 1-2 telemarketers a night...average of 3 nights a week. It took a total of 2 minutes of my time to rid myself of those calls. But I guess that some people (non-conservatives) are more inclined to have the nanny state protect them instead of them taking action on their own. Keep bringing the legislation you big government lovers!
Ain't gonna happen. Junk mailers more or less subsidise the Postal Service.
Hey, the recreational drug distribution industry pours tons of money into this nation's poorest communities every day. All YOU have to do if offered drugs is "just say no."
Do you want the drug dealers on your block? It's good for the economy, after all...
So?
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