Back in my middle school days, my hindi teacher’s favourite topic for essay writing used to be ‘Vigyan: abhishap ya vardan?’ (Science: a boon or a curse?). I thought it was boring but it had to be done. FIrst I would write about the different ways in which science has helped us. Then followed some unconvincing reasons to explain why science was bad for us (because the rule was that if you didn’t write about both sides, your effort wasn’t good enough). Anybody familiar with the Indian education system would confirm that. Now of course if I were asked to write about it again I’m sure I have a valid point when I consider that science has created a Frankenstein. Telemarketers.
As children we were so excited when the phone rang, always wondering if it was a school friend or a favourite relative. The excitement was understandable because very few people had phones in the good old days. My kids tell me that we grew up in the dark ages. I have something positive to say about the days without telephones.
Forget about the time wasted chatting on phone. The telemarketers make your life miserable. You are sitting for dinner, taking a nap or cooking your favourite meal, the phone rings. The hello on the other side doesn’t sound familiar although it sounds sweet. Do you have 5 minutes to spare, ma’am? I would like to give you some tax saving tips; she means she is offering some financial schemes to invest in. You feel like screaming, I’ll bother about the tax man after I have eaten. A quiet thank you and you gently keep the phone. You dig a spoon in your favourite ice-cream; you are already feeling guilty because of the number of calories you are going to consume and to increase your misery the phone rings. This time it is some body from some bank trying to sell you a credit card. It is the turn of a car financier next. This one was informative. I show some interest, the result is an improved general knowledge. You get a better price if you get your car financed. You end up losing money if you make a down payment. As if the tele marketers selling credit cards and bank loans were not enough, property dealers have started calling to enquire if I am intersted in selling or renting my house. The best is yet to come. Today I received a call from a person asking me if there is anybody of a marriageable age is in my family. The call was from a matrimonial agency. I couldn’t believe my ears. Times are changing faster than I reckoned.
from Vishesh :)
from Reema :)
12 Comments
July 19, 2008 at 11:19 am
I didnt know that telemarketers have become that much pain in India too..
July 19, 2008 at 11:43 am
@ Prerna:
I can identify with this post
But my view is not all rosy..
When I was a child, we were probably 1 of 25 or 20 houses in our neighbourhood which had a phone. So guess what? I was sent to fetch neighbours when a call came for them; sometimes we had to pass messages to them; sometimes they would leave messages to be passed on. We were like ‘betaar ka taar’ which was very irritating at times.
Now I am off the phone directory and do not give out my number to anyone online etc. Peace rules! Sometimes however random diallers can get through in which case I ask what company etc and then calmly threaten that I will report them to OFCOM. That puts paid to that.
But on an older number, I used to get telesales calls. My tricks were several – to let the caller say things then say ‘haaaaiin, koi ghar pe nahin hai’ and they would hang up thinking ‘another illiterate desi’; sometimes I pick the phone, then leave it on the side and go and cook in the kitchen while the caller blabbers; sometimes I said something in a language they weren’t to understand. Miraculously the calls stopped
Anyway if that matrimonial guy rang, I would like to ask him – how many people actually say ‘yes’ to that question and if they have had any success “closing a deal” that way?
July 19, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Matrimonial guy? Well that is a new one.
And I can never understand how these guys get hold of our numbers.
July 19, 2008 at 6:12 pm
lol they surely are…wow!
July 19, 2008 at 7:45 pm
The matrimonial one is not new to me. Few calls have come of such telemarketers on our landline number. Somehow in our city there is not much prob of telemarketers. Infact now Airtel people have also stopped calling on mobiles. I wonder why.
July 20, 2008 at 2:59 am
Haha, Prerna, this is a surprise! For some reasons I never got telemarketing calls in Mumbai, maybe becoz I registered on the DND registry? dont know.
July 20, 2008 at 1:51 pm
More apt thing to say was Telephone a boon or a curse .
July 20, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I completely understand where this is coming from..the best way to tackle them is to ask them about everything they have offer including the things they don’t, then blandly refuse to take anything..or maybe u should have asked that person is there anyone of marriagable age in his/her family
July 21, 2008 at 12:09 pm
well we have more phones than people in most homes..
July 21, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Welcome and thanks @ moukound.
Unfortunately yes @ lallopallo.
Shefaly, I can relate to your experience.
//how many people actually say ‘yes’ to that question and if they have had any success “closing a deal” that way?// good idea! If he calls me again I will ask the question for you.
Thanks Amit, Vishesh, Rahul, Priyank, Reema and Prax.
July 22, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Lol.. Call from a matrimonial agency.. Thats strange… I havnt heard about it before !
July 24, 2008 at 2:51 am
There is a Do not call registry in India too now, right? Does that keep out everyone, or do telemarketers still get through?
You should tell the matrimonial agency that there is a 50 yr old at home, and what, isn’t that a “marriageable age”?