Advertising Is Good For You

A message for all the telemarketers, fundraisers and political activists who've been annoying me nonstop with their calls

Via George Takei

Telemarketers are human beings, too

Source: WTF?! urls

The number of people working as telemarketers is expected to decline 21% from 2006 - 2016.

Only 21% in ten years?

You can speed up telemarketing's demise -- and improve the quality of life on our planet -- by signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry.

I don't typically celebrate others' misfortune, but this is one profession I'm glad to see waning, however slowly.

Image: Elizabeth Thomsen      Source: AOL

Mitt Romney likes telemarketing

Yes But No But Yes has posted a short clip created by an Iowa family that returned from a two-day holiday to find Mitt Romney's campaign had been busy leaving the family phone messages. Click here to watch the clip.

To be fair, I'm sure all the candidates with any serious money in their war chests are using some sort of telemarketing, too.

Unfortunately, nothing can protect you from these calls, not even the National Do Not Call Registry -- the registry doesn't apply to political candidates.

ADDENDUM (posted 3 February 2008)

Well, with Super Tuesday coming up, Mitt's started telemarketing in Massachusetts. In the last week or so, I've received three taped messages from Ann Romney asking me to vote for her husband. It's getting annoying.

I hate telemarketers, too

Yes, I realize that career-wise I'm related to telemarketers. I don't care. I still hate them.

I crossed the line in the sand when telemarketers starting using so-called robots. You know, that's when you pick up the phone, say Hello and there's no one on the other line because the robot did the dialing and an actual human being has not yet gotten on the line to give you the spiel? If telemarketers can't be bothered to be on the line when I answer the phone, screw 'em.

Don't even get me started on the latest telemarketing abomination: the recording that tells you to stay on the line for an important message from the telemarketer.

So, here's an early holiday gift from me to you: two ways to get yourself off telemarketers' calling lists.

Opt out by phone by calling 1-888-382-1222.

Or opt out online at DoNotCall.gov.

You're welcome.

New Customer Service Technology for Turning Angry Customers into Satisfied Ones

Growing up, there were eight words I dreaded hearing pass from my mother's lips: I would like to speak to the manager. The exchange that followed always made me cringe with discomfort.

I didn't inherit my mother's chutzpah -- this is a character flaw I've been trying for decades to correct -- but there may be hope for me yet thanks to NICE Systems.

It's kind of like a customer service mood ring.

NICE Systems has created a new emotion detection technology to be used during those customer service calls when the exchange is being recorded "for quality assurance purposes."

NICE's technology monitors the customer's voice; when the system detects frustration and/or anger, a manager is alerted who then comes on the line to intervene and resolve the matter to the customer's satisfaction.

This should resolve customers' problems more expeditiously. My mother would approve.

Source: Retail Design Diva

A telemarketing call turns into payback time.

I loathe telemarketing, both as a consumer and as an advertising/marketing geek.

For one thing, cold-call telemarketing erodes a brand. How could phone calls NO ONE wants to receive do anything but hurt a brand?

Here's how one man deals with unwanted telemarketing calls. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

Photo: Telemarketers No More

Source: AdRants