Today in office, while in the middle of preparing a presentation, I got a call and this is how the conversation went:
Caller: Hi, is that Anuradha
I: Yes, it is
Caller: Hi Anuradha, this is Sandeep here (as if he is my long lost friend). You asked me to call you on Monday / Tuesday?
I: Sandeep, from?
Caller: MetLife Insurance
I: But I never asked you to call me
Caller: No, you did
I: I am sure I never did…
Caller: Ok (Hanged the phone)
The next minute my colleague who was working with me, got a similar call from another Insurance company. Needless to say we lost our concentration, and were pissed off like anything. Reminds me of another conversation that I had with some other insurance tele-marketer, apparently I had some time on hand that minute:
Caller: Ma’m, I am calling from so-n-so Insurance Company, do you have life insurance?
I: No, and I don’t need one
Caller: No Ma’m, you must have one.
I: Why?
Caller: If something happens to you, what will happen to your dependents?
I: I have no dependents
Caller: How is that possible? Your kids?
I: I am not married, and I don’t have kids.
Caller: (After some pause), you must be having parents?
I: Yes I have, but they are not dependent on me.
Caller: No Ma’m, if something happens to you, they must get some money.
I: They have enough money for themselves. They don’t need my money.
Caller: No M’am, you should still have Insurance.
I: Ok, give me a reason for having Insurance
Caller: No M’am, you should have it
I had to hang the phone, it looked like she was stuck on ‘No M’am, you should have it’
At the rate at which I get calls, I am sure I can put a figure to the business loss that these calls have caused me along with all the mental agony you have to go through dealing with those pathetic agents, who so not even understand what they are talking about.
One question to all these Insurance companies ‘Are you insured for the claim that I may put on you for disturbing me?’
The tele-marketing business is so irritating in the US. Nowadays, if they ask for me, I tell them that I am not at home :-)
ReplyDeleteHai anuradha...
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to know that u put across conversation with insurance company's caller in words .i enjoyed reading ur other postings.i would like to chat to u in yahoo messanger in suresh2479 [ suresh2479@yahoo.co.in
suresh
92434-53021
Nowadays i think telecallers call random callers.
ReplyDeleteNowadays they call me and then ask me my name ... :-(
May be I am in the lowest economic category as per the databases with telecallers.
Nowadays i think telecallers call randomly.
ReplyDeleteNowadays they call me and then ask me my name ... :-(
May be I am in the lowest economic category as per the databases with telecallers.
you sure do get a lot of unsolicited attention!
ReplyDeleteCan it be called mobile eve teasing?
Haha
Anu,
ReplyDeleteMy 2 cents-
Tele-Marketing is one of the successful marketing model worldwide.All Corporation - small or big have a tele-marketing team.
In India it still in Infancy stage though.Wheather its going to be successul or not is debatable,quite like - Will e-commerce survive in India.?
Answer these.
- Does Infy has a tele-marketing team.?
-Does Infy has a sales team making cold call all through the day ?
The answer will most likely be -Yes.Infact the project you are working on may be outcome of one of those tele-marketing call made once upon a time:).Fortunately for you its not part of your job responsibility but someone has to do it.
The call you got was just may be a screening call,who knows.May be Insurance company has outsourced the screening of the leads DB to some company who might just rate the calls.
By speaking to them you have upgraded yourself to say - "Willing to speak - needs persuasion" category.
The best to deal with these calls is to avoid them.Within 5 seconds one knows the call is not for him - Be arrogant and cut the call or may be - "sorry,not interested".The key is do not let them complete there sale pitch.
The best to beat them in there game is learn a trick or 2.You can't control the call's and neither can you control the business and the economy.The thing that you can control is that small red button on your cell phone.
Ma'am I was just going to post a comment about the marketing blitzkrieg in India... but the comment from the guy who is trying to be all that sweet and pick you up online is making me laugh like hell.. ahh the perils of being an Indian Male hahahahaa.
ReplyDelete@Arrogantly.com - you have a nice observation and a perfect answer too :) i agree - it is indeed so stupid!
ReplyDeleteNow Anuradha and others - let me give you one information that can help you. You can infact tell such callers that you are going to report their number to the police. They have no right to call you - and that they should IMMEDIATELY remove your number from their database. You can report this as tele-harrasment and there is a law too for it (very recently made). Do it - just try - see how it scares the shit out of them. I have done it and believe me it works.
hahahahahaa...ooh i've had that so often Anu...its actually irritating...
ReplyDeleteforget insurance,... a club card, another mobile phone number and every damn thing they cant possibly sell otherwise. damn! i liked the way you gave it..
so well. just you!
@Suresh - Do you give away your mobile number to everyone?
ReplyDelete