[myrabach]

I actually worked for a telemarketing company part time for a few years to supplement my income. I was not direct sales but rather a "call back" person. The company that I worked for made just tons of money! The hired help was rather poorly paid, I might add.

What really amazed me was the number of people who actually purchased over the phone! The numbers are astounding. But here's the rub.... no one I've ever talked to admits to having purchased over the phone!

This was a very lucrative business for whatever reason... and that's why you got the calls... because PEOPLE BOUGHT STUFF!

[Tired of Taxes]

that's why you got the calls... because PEOPLE BOUGHT STUFF!

Exactly. People are buying via telephone, and that's why a company would even bother with telemarketing. The business where I used to work distributed catalogs and mailed other promotional materials, but those of us in the sales dept. hustling to make the sale (by phone, because that's how you reach people all over the country) were the lifeblood of the company.

I wonder how the company will be doing now. Probably will have to lay off alot of people and lose money this year. Its sales relied heavily on telephone sales because talking to people is how you bring in business, and the telephone is the only way to reach them all.

[steve-b]

I actually worked for a telemarketing company part time for a few years to supplement my income. I was not direct sales but rather a "call back" person.

If you were making followup calls to people who had voluntarily initiated contact with the business in order to conduct the transaction the customer asked about, then I have no quarrel with you. This is a perfectly legitimate job -- and, as I said in an earlier message, the telepests could move into it, make themselves useful, and reduce wait times on legitimate business phone calls.

[KineticKitty]

"What really amazed me was the number of people who actually purchased over the phone! The numbers are astounding."

I could easily believe that assessment, I always thought it had to have some level of profitability for them to hound people so badly.