From: oneil@cwis.unomaha.edu (Sharon O'Neil)
Subject: Re: How can I stop telemarketers from calling??
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 04:54:03 GMT

sasbrb@rolypoly.unx.sas.com (Brendan Bailey) writes:
>   Does anyone know the name and phone number of the group that
>helps consumers reduce/stop telemarketers from calling?  I seem 
>to remember a story about this group on 20/20 a few years 
>ago.  Supposedly this group will help remove your name from mailing 
>lists and will notify telemarketers that if they call you, they will 
>be billed $25.00 for taking your time.

   There are better ways to deal with the harrassment.  I'd suggest
contacting Direct Marketing.  Direct Marketing can have your name removed
from lists from which direct mail and telemarketers work.  

   You'll never be able to completely eradicate such calls -- a lot of
people work from phone books.  But you can cut down on them.

   I used to do outbound telemarketing.  One way people get their names
on telemarketing lists is by putting their phone numbers on product 
registration cards.  I always write "unlisted" when a company asks for my
number.  

   Sometimes a company will crosslist.  In other words, a magazine usually
won't ask your phone number on the subscription card.  Crosslisting is often
used to match the phone number to your address.  I doubt if you can stop 
those kinds of calls.

   The best way I know of to deal with a telemarketer is to maintain control
of the call.  Don't let yourself be hassled.  If you want, hang up.  Most 
honest folks who telemarket -- and there are quite a few, believe me --
don't mind.  We'd rather move on to the next person who might actually renew
their magazine.  Otherwise, if you are too polite, just say "I'm not
interested" two or three times.  Most telemarketers are required to do two
or three tries.  Where I worked, we had to do a second effort.  If I got
two "I'm not interested" I was pretty much free to move on to the next call.

    I live in Omaha.  The telemarketing industry is /huge/ here.  Absolutely
huge.  Most companies around here are quite reputable.  But there are a lot
of jerks who give the industry a bad name.     

>   Did anyone see an episode of NOVA several years ago about 
>telemarketing where a telemarketer talked of a scale that they quantify
>each zip code on what type of people live in that area?  This scale
>helps telemarketers target their audience.  If I remember, the scale
>is quite funny in it's divisions.  Does anyone know more about this
>scale, and specifically the different divisions?  I must be in a hot
>zip (27713) because I get at least 3-4 calls a week.  

Oh heck!  We get a lot more than that at my house.  And it's not because
we want them either.  And yes, I'm likely to hang up on a telemarketer
myself.  :-)  We average about one a day, sometimes two.

>                    "No, I STILL don't want the Sears Extended Warranty."

A final suggestion: you might ask the telemarketer to have your name 
removed from his/her company's list.  The company I worked for (Dial America)
will always remove a person's name and number from their databanks if it is
requested.  Of course, Dial would always provide answers to ANY question.
They were utterly honest, or I'd never have worked for them.  But they are
also the oldest telemarketing firm in the nation -- 20 years plus.  And
major contributors to Special Olympics and the Leukemia Society.  

I actually enjoyed working for them.  It's really not such a bad job.  If
no one bought, they'd go out of business.  Let me tell you, I took home 
good commissions: usually 7-10 dollars per hour.  For part-time work -- not
bad.

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Brendan Bailey                         "The NFL is on record saying that if 
>SAS Institute, Inc - QA/Graph           it adds 150 expansion teams or hell 
>sasbrb@unx.sas.com                      freezes over -- whichever comes      
>Go Heels! Go Hornets! Go Panthers!      first -- Raleigh will be awarded a
>The NFL in Charlotte! Target: 1994!!!   franchise." - The Charlotte Observer
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------