Thursday, 10 July 2008

Don't call me, ok

Last evening the Rural Fire Brigade just lost my support.

I just received a call from them wanting some money. Well, it wasn't them, but a company that are paid to ring people at random to solicit donations on their behalf.

Some time ago, I wrote about the Government's new Do Not Call register. Largely, it's been effective.
However, what makes the new 'Do not call' system a joke is that the government allowed a number of organisations to ignore that new law. Religious, government, and research are three areas that are exempt from abiding by this rules.

You would think that if someone, like me, didn't want un-solicited calls, I don't want un-solicited calls, full stop. So these businesses, who call folk that have clearly expressed a desire to not have any interference and intrusion, should be respected. I mean, it's hardly good for business when the over-ride our explicit request.

One research institute told me last week when they called at 8:35pm in the evening that they were exempt. I told them that they were not listening to my wishes.

All companies are meant to check their numbers against the register before calling. If you get a call you objected to receiving, you can lodge a complaint here.I'd like to hear how many others have problems with unsolicited sales calls at home.

A 'research' caller, or even the Fire Brigade 'fund-raising', are clearly sales calls in my estimation. No debate about it.

If you are on a list, a government list at that, that is called the DO NOT CALL list. What do you think your wishes are?

My tactic is to turn the conversation around 180 degrees. You be the one with all the questions. Don't let them get a word in edgeways. Ask a heap of irrelevant, pointless and personal questions. Don't let up. They soon get the picture.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm on the don't call register too, and still getting the "charities" ringing me, also had an unsolicited call from the Optus Indian call centre. It doesn't work!

Anonymous said...

Our number is on the Do Not Call register, yet I still get phone calls. *urgh*

Anonymous said...

If a business has had a 'relationship' with you at any time, they are exempt from the 'do not call' ruling. We had Westpac call us (after 8pm) and specifically ask for my husband. When I asked what it was regarding, they threw the ol' privacy ruling at me.... like, that was going to make me cooperate....HA!! The last time we dealt with Westpac was over 10 years ago so they were really trolling through their data base to find possible recipients to make fabulous offers to.....
....of course, it can come back and bite you in the nether regions when someone legitimately calls from Thailand at 8pm...but that's another humorous story....