Since Ginny posted the link recently regarding some new laws or restrictions under consideration for the telemarketing industry, I was wondering:
1) How others feel about telemarketers.
2) Whether some feel telemarketers are protected by certain rights inherent in our society today.
3) How could the new restrictions be implemented/enforced?


My opinion is:

1) I despise telemarketing phone calls. I don't have time to answer every call & try to talk over them (because they never stop to take a breath) to ask them to "please remove my number from your list" & then keep a list myself of those companies I have made this request to, check the list each time I receive a call, & then go through the trouble of reporting them if they're on the list. Ugh! My life is way too busy to become a captive audience for a saleperson in my own home all throughout the day. I consider it a blatant invasion of my privacy.
2) Since our laws & regulations are (usually) designed so that one person's rights end where another's begin, then telemarketers are obviously infringing on others' privacy rights & so should not be allowed to call any consumer who indicates they do not wish to receive these type calls.
3) As for enforcement, I guess it'll basically boil down to having to do some of what we're doing right now, keeping a list of telemarketers who call you & reporting them. Then what if you change your phone number, move, & such? You'd have to be sure to add your new number to the list. I think it would be a good idea to have the phone company add to their regular phone service sign-up procedure the standard question, "Do you wish to receive telemarketing phone calls? (Can you imagine anyone saying, "Yes?")

By Karen55 on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 12:16 pm:

Nope, I can't! I usually don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the number on caller ID, but if one happens to catch me, I cut them right off, say Thank you, I'm not interested, and hang up. We pretty much have the same opinions on this issue.

By Colette on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 12:53 pm:

I tell them I am not interested right away and hang up as well. I do feel bad for telemarketers, a lot do not make any money unless they are able to get you to sign up to try something. It is a rotten job.

By Cybermommyx4 on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 01:34 pm:

That's the best part about caller ID! We never answer our phone if we don't know who it is, but we can hear the machine pick up and if they leave a message. Most bill collectors will leave messages, but telemarketers almost never do, and we must get about 6-8 of those calls per day!!!! I even invested in "call waiting caller ID" so that we don't get stuck having to be rude and hang up (I say "no thanks not interested" all in one breath and hang up, but I hate being put in that position) GRRRR!!

By Paige on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 02:57 pm:

Having done a 3-week stint as a telemarketer (I had to quit because what I was being ask to do was not kosher with my conscience!) ...I can tell you their job SUCKS. You wouldn't believe the stuff people would say to me. Hateful, aweful things. Things I couldn't even post on this board! Of course knowing the otherside, I understood, but still...hearing that crap nearly every minute of every day...day in and day out? It's the pits! So now I have a little sympathy for them. When they call, I politely interrupt and say something to the effect of: "I'm sure your product is great! However I am not interested. Thanks for calling and have a wonderful day!" All said in a cheery voice. They are usually very nice in return by not continuing to push their product, thanking me for my time...and hanging up before I do. I'm tellin ya...I'd rather stand on a street corner than be a telemarketer again. Ok, maybe not a street corner, but you get my point. lol

By Sandie on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 07:41 pm:

I hate telemarketer phone calls, not the actual person. I mean, hey, everyone needs to make a living. We try to think up creative answers to these people, when we have the time. My dh loves to let them go through the entire speach, then asks them a whole load of questions. Then tell them that hes not interested. I like to out my 2 yr old on the phone, He comes up with all kinds of funny things to tell them. I just tell them, Hey leave me your number and I will call you back if I am interested.
To some it may be awfully mean, but we had one laughing so hard, she thanked us for not just hanging up on her.