Work
I have a part time job at a call center, meaning: I'm the one interrupting your dinner asking if you'd like to take a survey tonight. Most of the time, it sucks. Dealing with angry people who you know don't want to listen to you even try to explain yourself is incredibly frustrating.
But sometimes, just sometimes, you'll get someone really funny who really does make your night.
Last night I called a guy on some survey where we could only speak with the listed person, and I think he was drunk. Not only did he mention he'd had a little to drink, he kept going off topic quite easily. We got to the end, and I said something like "Ok, I just have a few background questions left--" and he interrupted, saying, "Well, I'm handsome..." And then there was some shouting on his end, and he put the phone aside, but I could still clearly hear him shout back "I'm NOT hitting on the survey girl!" Before I knew it, he was back on the line saying, "I'm sorry about that. My wife's glaring at me, so i should stop..."
XD!!!!!!
Made. My. Night.
Getting funny people like that is great. X3
We call some interesting names sometimes, too. O.o I know one of my friends once got Stephen King, and another got Ronald McDonald.
It's not the most glamorous job, admittedly. But all I do is sit, talk on the phone, and read or something in between calls. =3 Sure, sometimes my voice gets tired of going through the intro over and over and over again, especially if the calls are coming really fast, and getting a few angry people can ruin my night sometimes. But I'm feeling good about it right now (which doesn't happen all that often), so I'm not gonna be too harsh. ^_^
All I wish is that people were polite. I hardly ever care if someone doesn't want to take a survey, but saying "no thanks" without allowing us to check with the person listed is frustrating on both ends since we have to mark it as "unavailable" so we call back later asking for the person again. And shouting at us either gets us equally upset or vindictive. We can, and sometimes do, set a callback time for people really rude. I've only done it once or twice, but I knwo some people do it more often than that.
This is basically the tele-surveyer's equivalent to when waiters or people in the food service will spit in a customer's food. Should it happen? No, but it's our form of revenge, and we're going to anyway.
Also, regarding the U.S.'s Do Not Call list...
We are just conducting surveys, not selling anything, so I'm afraid it doesn't actually apply to us. We have our own set of rules separate from tele-marketers. We have our own Do Not Call list which we will be happy to put you on if you ask us. However, I'm afraid I don't know if that list applies only to our list or to all tele-surveying companies. Something to look into, I guess...
But really, all we're asking for is respect. Sure, our job isn't the best, but we're making money for ourselves and our families with a respectable company. Where do you think those statistics in the news come from, anyway? Besides, it's not as if we're whoring ourselves out or anything--we're just working a part-time job like anyone else.
And if you've got a good sense of humor about it, that's always appreciated. =3 Although, admittedly, we're not supposed to laugh or something on the phone 'cause we have to act professionally or some bullshit. (I never follow that.)
Like the lady who told me Britney Spears jokes after the survey... That was pretty awesome. X3
But um.. yeah, I think that's all for today.
Oh, P.S. one of my supervisors is hot! <3 And he's so nice, too... I don't care to date him or anything, but I do like him. ^^ (As do half the other girls working there.)
Ah, eye-candy.... *o,*
But sometimes, just sometimes, you'll get someone really funny who really does make your night.
Last night I called a guy on some survey where we could only speak with the listed person, and I think he was drunk. Not only did he mention he'd had a little to drink, he kept going off topic quite easily. We got to the end, and I said something like "Ok, I just have a few background questions left--" and he interrupted, saying, "Well, I'm handsome..." And then there was some shouting on his end, and he put the phone aside, but I could still clearly hear him shout back "I'm NOT hitting on the survey girl!" Before I knew it, he was back on the line saying, "I'm sorry about that. My wife's glaring at me, so i should stop..."
XD!!!!!!
Made. My. Night.
Getting funny people like that is great. X3
We call some interesting names sometimes, too. O.o I know one of my friends once got Stephen King, and another got Ronald McDonald.
It's not the most glamorous job, admittedly. But all I do is sit, talk on the phone, and read or something in between calls. =3 Sure, sometimes my voice gets tired of going through the intro over and over and over again, especially if the calls are coming really fast, and getting a few angry people can ruin my night sometimes. But I'm feeling good about it right now (which doesn't happen all that often), so I'm not gonna be too harsh. ^_^
All I wish is that people were polite. I hardly ever care if someone doesn't want to take a survey, but saying "no thanks" without allowing us to check with the person listed is frustrating on both ends since we have to mark it as "unavailable" so we call back later asking for the person again. And shouting at us either gets us equally upset or vindictive. We can, and sometimes do, set a callback time for people really rude. I've only done it once or twice, but I knwo some people do it more often than that.
This is basically the tele-surveyer's equivalent to when waiters or people in the food service will spit in a customer's food. Should it happen? No, but it's our form of revenge, and we're going to anyway.
Also, regarding the U.S.'s Do Not Call list...
We are just conducting surveys, not selling anything, so I'm afraid it doesn't actually apply to us. We have our own set of rules separate from tele-marketers. We have our own Do Not Call list which we will be happy to put you on if you ask us. However, I'm afraid I don't know if that list applies only to our list or to all tele-surveying companies. Something to look into, I guess...
But really, all we're asking for is respect. Sure, our job isn't the best, but we're making money for ourselves and our families with a respectable company. Where do you think those statistics in the news come from, anyway? Besides, it's not as if we're whoring ourselves out or anything--we're just working a part-time job like anyone else.
And if you've got a good sense of humor about it, that's always appreciated. =3 Although, admittedly, we're not supposed to laugh or something on the phone 'cause we have to act professionally or some bullshit. (I never follow that.)
Like the lady who told me Britney Spears jokes after the survey... That was pretty awesome. X3
But um.. yeah, I think that's all for today.
Oh, P.S. one of my supervisors is hot! <3 And he's so nice, too... I don't care to date him or anything, but I do like him. ^^ (As do half the other girls working there.)
Ah, eye-candy.... *o,*