Recently I’ve been getting almost daily calls from telemarketers offering me mainly insurance or cellphone contract upgrades. Despite asking to be removed from their lists, the calls have persisted.
There are four types of prospects for telemarketers:
1. Impressionables : People who will buy the product because they were called (and wouldn’t have otherwise);
2. Customers: People who would have bought the product whether they were called or not;
3. Indifferents: People who won’t buy the product whether they were called or not; and
4. Boycotters: People who will decide NOT to buy the product BECAUSE they were called.
Out of the four types, telemarketers only gain from calling Impressionables – they waste time and money on the rest.
Unless I’ve specifically asked a company to call me, I’m a number 4 – a Boycotter. Unsolicited telemarketing, like all spam, is abhorrent to me. So not only is it a waste of time calling me, but it’s actually counter-productive for the companies concerned.
However, in SA the responsibility is currently on the consumer to somehow get removed from these call lists. You’re supposed to go here (DMASA website – nothing there) or here to opt out. Unfortunately, as Andrew Rens has pointed out: Opting out of Direct Marketing in South Africa Doesn’t Work.
Telemarketing is a numbers game though, so it hardly matters to the call-centre agent whether one customer is peeved about them doing their job – if they contact enough people in a day, they’re sure to make a couple of sales. This is why they don’t seem to respond to requests to be removed from their lists – there’s no incentive for them to do so.
If telesales is not to be banned, then companies who practice it need to start responding to complaints themselves, and adapt their databases, offers, incentives and calls accordingly.
I can’t believe the lack of accountability that appears common in so many cases just like yours. I’ve tried playing hardball before and asking to speak to the floor manager or whoever is in charge and the way you get shrugged off is almost as offensive as the call in the first place.
Do you think the fact that they have a 1% conversion rate or whatever surely doesn’t still give them the right to persist?
I think we should fight back and start a movement that supports a systematic pranking of these evil buggers.
This is old, but a brilliant way to deal with telemarketers, as illustrated below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un_PjRXV5l8
Another great topical post Dave, thanks!
Thanks Dave,
On Twitter, you called this post a rant…you’re too hard on yourself. Although you are more than entitled to a rant about this topic, you made intelligent and well thought out comments. I just thought I’d let you know that I thought so.
What really gets me about telemarketing in this country is when they contact you telling you that you have been selected to get a new credit card! With the people financial intelligence the way it is in this country, selling credit is criminal if you ask me! Having said that, I haven’t had a call like that in a while…maybe it’s already been outlawed – if not it should be!
Thanks
Adin
In a round about way, glad i’m not the only one dealing with the irritation of being called everyday by someone trying to sell something i never asked for, and the cellphone calls are the worst! Call me on a cellphone to offer me a cellphone? What? Worst part is you normally have the option to say no to recieving marketing calls and material when opening accounts, but it’s very seldom adhered to.
It’s definitely a numbers game, throw 50 darts, 1 is at least going to hit the board, even if it’s a pain in the a** for the call reciever
I agree, I’m a #4.
I decided to try get myself of the mysterious ‘SA Marketing List’…after many searches and 4 links deep I found the website where you remove your number from the “Master” list.
Now, with my glee, besides calls from my bank and perhaps cellphone provider, I no longer get these ‘out of nowhere’ telemarketing calls…
Now, if only I could remember the link to remove yourself…watch this space.
Thanks for the comments and support on this, chaps. I’m going to try find out what the actual numbers are regarding conversions, and why their databases suck.
Also of interest will be to discover what other complaints mechanisms exist. If you hear of anything, please share!
@Stew Please let us know if you remember!
I’m not sure if this is the same form, but try this:
http://www.optout.co.za/
or Direct: http://www.facilities.co.za/dma/dnc.aspx
I remember, in my research, that the database our SA telemarketers where using, was actually based in the USA, and this is how they got around certain local “restrictions” as the data is actually stored abroad apparently, but I’m not sure.
Here is another blog on the issue:
http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/our-work/blogs/opt-out-direct-marketing-doesn%E2%80%99t-work-ban-telemarketing
And
https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/14/25773.html
Good luck!
Thank you Dave for raising this topic. It is my pet peeve…
Just last week I managed to get a little of my own back with a telemarketer from my bank. I had had a run in with him in March when I told him that I didn’t have time to take his call and that I’d prefer being emailed the information before he impolitely huffed, mumbled and slammed down the phone on me. I couldn’t believe it! I got called only to be harrassed – and there was no avenue for me to lay a complaint (believe me, I tried). How delighted was I when the VERY SAME telemarketer called me last Thursday to sell me something else, at exactly the same inconvenient time?
This time he didn’t get very far! I got an apology but I don’t believe that he will remove me from their mailing list like I requested!!
(Sorry, this does seem like a rant – but, I’m sure you will all agree, something needs to be done!)
Thanks so much, Stew.
Nice article, thanks! It is an absolute pain in the neck. For mobile marketing you need to opt-in and can complain to WASPA, who are on the ball and dish out fines, but it seems you can get away with telemarketing.
My issue is that they always block their caller ID when calling, so you are never sure who it is. 99% of the time it is telemarketing.
Good post Dave , I wasn’t even aware that we had optout lists in SA , although they don’t seem to be working.
I find this type of marketing unproductive and wasteful as these companies could spend their $ more wisely and generate more meaningful leads if they moved with the times.
A customer driven approach will yield a much higher ROI on marketing spend.
I thought that it was now illegal to make unsolicited telesales> Wasnt that one o fthe cornerstones of the credit act? What am I missing here?
This is how to deal with telemarketers: http://howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com/
A topic that makes my blood boil! Especially the midnight SMSes I constantly receive. Through bleary eyes I check it isn’t a friend or family member in need and then promptly delete as soon as I see an unknown number. I am glad the WASPA does come down hard on offenders who don’t include opt out details, but the fact of the matter is that most people aren’t aware that they have a body they can complain to. Time to spread the word.
Sure they’re annoying, but I don’t know why people can’t just go “sorry, I’m not interested, but thanks for calling” and put the phone down.
Essentially anything more than that is wasting your time, their time and unless you’re a sloth, time is money.
I think it’s a polite way to end an unsolicited phonecall without too much hassle or time wasted and quite frankly if you just put the phone down after that, you’ve been polite and ended the call, so any retort but the sales person is just met with a dead line.
Sadly… any form you fill in to remove yourself from a database… is simply another database that you will be added to… Fight Club had the right idea, if you ask me!!!
To add to the above, you cannot complete their forms without filling in ALL fields. What if I don’t have a home number, cell phone, etc. More importantly, what if I don’t trust the buggers and have no desire to put my home address (what could they possibly need it for …) into the database of people who refuse to take no for an answer.
Ross, do you actually have success in getting them off your line in less than 30 seconds? I keep trying and have had no success. They insist and insist and just carry on talking at you.
And it takes time to tell 5 of them a day that you are not interested … especially when it is the same company that called for the same product just a few days ago.
I’m with you on this, Priya. Basically, it seems they want to make it as difficult as possible to opt-out. This is short-sighted though, because government will need to intervene and enforce more stringent privacy protection measures. The industry should be taking the lead and doing a better job at respecting consumer preferences.
I don’t understand… you’re in control. Put the phone down, press the red button, whatever you do to end the call. You have no obligation to listen to them. Just hang up…
Its not rude if you just go “thanksforcallingbutnotinterestedbye.click”. If you like, practice saying it in the mirror. I can do that in about 2 seconds
So, 5 calls including their introduction will amount to… perhaps less than a minute?
Just got another call 2 minuted ago, and found your site googling how to get myself off this list
As much as Im a techno-geek and enjoy my mobile device, I hate it at the same time.
When I think back to when mobile phones weren’t common place, my parents were only contactable at work or at home, never in between. So no calls while your in a meeting, driving, on the toilet, having lunch.
I simply put the phone down these days, no point in wasting my time and my phones battery life on their nonsense.