Confessions of a Telemarketer

Unlike most Americans, when a telemarketer phones my house I listen to what they have to say. I am courteous and kind, and I give them respect. I rarely get angry when they continue to pressure me into buying what it is they are selling despite the fact that I have already said no at least 4 times. You see, I myself used to be a telemarketer.

When my husband was out of work and the jobs I applied to offered me a less than average salary, I opted to take a higher paying telemarketing job at a telecommunications firm a few miles from my home. The job was going to be temporary, I told myself, so it couldn't be that bad, right?

Upon being hired I was given my own cubicle, desk, computer and phone. A headset attached into the phone allowing me to free up both hands for typing while talking. The space was ample and I felt at home after setting up family photos next to my cute cats calendar. The people in my department were friendly and helpful, and everyone welcomed me. I had a decent salary, health insurance, and a nice boss that seemed to truly enjoy her job. So far, so good.

Training began on the second day and I painstakingly learned how to navigate the computer system loaded with customer information. Each screen had the customer's personal information including payment history, credit card information and other pertinent facts all in what seemed to be like a foreign language of codes and symbols. There was no reference manual, no guide for learning to use the system. When I asked for the program manual I was laughed at.

As a telemarketer it was my responsibility to make calls to each customer in my queue in an attempt to upgrade the service they had with us. If an answering machine picked up I was supposed to hang up and the customer would go into tomorrow's queue. Additionally it was my job to answer any incoming customer service calls regarding billing.

At first the job seemed easy enough. I answered a few calls and placed many more. I helped people understand charges on their bills and I did my best to plead my case for upgrading. I commented to a fellow employee who worked at the company for many years and asked her why she seemed so overwhelmed. Every day she fretted about, faxing this and filing that. Checking messages and placing calls on hold. Barely taking a break. I remember how she chuckled and said, "Just wait until you start to make more calls." Since I was new, the company started me off slow. I was only making about 20 calls a day compared to her 100.

Once the amount of calls I made each day began to increase, I learned exactly what my fellow employee was fretting about. Being hung up on was a pleasure compared to the other aspects of the job. I was cursed at, screamed at, even threatened. A few men even asked me what I was wearing or if I was available for a date. It seemed that for every 20 calls I made, only 1 or 2 people were actually interested in what I had to offer.

You may ask yourself why anyone would put themselves through this torture. What's the point? No one listens to telemarketers, no one cares what we have to say. What does a telemarketer do for this world?

The truth is, I'm not sure. One thing I do know is that the telemarketing job saved my mortgage and kept food on my table while my husband was out of work. It paid significantly higher than any retail job and they provided me with health insurance, sick time and vacation days. Had I stayed, there was opportunity for growth in the company. In today's tough economy it would seem foolish to despise the telemarketer, struggling to make ends meet.

So the next time you pick up the phone and hear a voice on the other end ask if you are interested in upgrading your service, why not take a few minutes to listen? You have the ability to give the person on the other end a moment of peace and who knows, they may even offer something worth your while.