roy@cs.umn.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) (11/19/90)
[Moderator's Note: As promised, in this issue, I saved the best for
first. Following his confession, I'll entertain messages in response
from the High Priests among you who wish to cast the stones. PAT]
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Right off the bat, I'll state that I only took the job I'm about to
describe because of _severe_ poverty and a need to make rent. Thus
disclaimed....
bcsaic!carroll@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Jeff Carroll) writes:
> Actually, here in Bellevue, the police department (or, rather,
> the Police Officers' Guild) *does* engage in telemarketing. I was
> interrupted during the second game of the World Series by a police
> officer seeking a rather large donation ($25/head) to pay for "tickets
> for disadvantaged youth" to a circus that was coming to town.
> Being wrapped up in the ball game, I didn't bother to
> investigate further, but it did sound a little fishy -- not to mention
> the uncomfortable feeling that accompanies receiving phone calls from
> local cops asking for money.
About four years ago, I took a temporary telemarketing job which
involved (in a way) the police department. (nN, I'm not going to say
which one :-) The job was concerned with a fund-raising concert.
During the day, we sold ads in the 'souvenir program' to be
distributed at the concert. (Ads were priced from $60 to $1500.)
These calls were to businesses, many of which had donated the previous
year. During the evening, we canvassed homes to sell tickets to the
affair. (tickets were $15/each) The home calls were out of the phone
book. We did not sequentially dial for this project.
As do all telemarketing creatures, I had a script that I was to
follow. I would identify myself as calling for the (name of state)
Peace Officer's Association. (Note that we said "for", not "with".)
At no time was I to say that I was actually a police officer.
Telemarketers frequently have a manager breathing down their necks,
and this job was no exception. The manager exhorted us to "sound like
police officers." His explanation was that the mark on the phone
would be guilted into purchasing ads/tickets if he/she were to believe
us to be actual officers. If the mark actually asked "are you a police
officer?", I was to give a friendly chuckle and say "Aww, Joe, they'd
never let _me_ carry a gun!", but not to deny it any further.
I stuck the job out to completion, for the experience as well as the
rent money. (a job like this is much like swimming in the Bering Sea
... you only need to do it once to claim the experience ... it's also
just about as comfortable.) After it was finished, I came away with
tickets to the show (which was less than wonderful) and a sense of
relief. I was also glad that I could maintain a character voice, so
that friends in the small town didn't know that I had sold them their
tickets.
I also made the firm resolution never to take another telemarketing
job!
Roy M. Silvernail |+| roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu