Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Time to 'fess up...

The phone rang early at my house (especially early as it is Spring Break week at our school and my kids are getting the chance to sleep in) and I grabbed it quickly, hoping a couple of my kids would stay sleeping.
Guess what? It was an "important call" to let me know about the big sale this week at Fashion Bug. Are you serious???? I hung up thinking, "I totally understand why there is such a thing as road rage on the interstates."
Now I am wondering who it is that gives out my number to these automated, computer-generated call lists. I mean seriously. I have not been in a Fashion Bug store, much less made a purchase in one since before my last home perm...which has to be at least almost 20 years now. So, how is it that these people feel the need to call me first thing on a 'sleep-in morning' and expect me to be excited about their sale's call? It's ridiculous.
I told Chip the other day that someone out there is "ruining it for the rest of us". If it is YOU, it's time to confess. You see, apparantly some people actually refinance their home or get a bid for new siding or go shop at Fashion Bug when they get calls such as these. I truly believe that if nobody responded positively to these telemarketer calls, then they would have to go away eventually. But, as long as people actually get sucked into the sales pitch, well then, I guess I can expect to keep getting these computer-generated calls, which don't even give me the opportunity to be 'rude' about hanging up, or give me the chance to hand the phone to my kids for a few minutes of fun while they tell knock-knock jokes.
I'm over them. Life has enough stuff for me to 'weed through' without throwing in lame phonecalls and 'not-to-miss-sales'.
I'm not mad. I'm just surprised that telemarketing still works. If you are a telemarketer, you can take me off your call list and make my day. I've learned my lesson from the Fashion Bug today...I will be letting my 'machine' screen all my 'important calls' from now on. =) And I can't believe I just gave them as much 'free marketing' here as I did. Shame on me. I guess their telemarketing scheme actually did work- in a way. Even if it's negative press. It's till press, huh?!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you have "do not call" laws in your state? We do here in CA. Here, you can register on a website. I still get some calls, but not the amount you continue to get.

karen (in CA)

Hilary said...

No land line at my home.
LAN sure helps with the telemarketing calls.
Our time will end soon once Sidney get's a bit older but until then...peace be with me. :D

Allison said...

www.donotcall.gov

go to this website and register your number(s), cell phones included. The only people that should call you once they add you to the list are companies that you already have a relationship with. I COMPLETELY understand your frustration, I LOATH telemarketers.

Anonymous said...

I had a Fashion Bug call today! We do have caller ID, but I often fail to use it!! I just kept pressing the # key at them, not sure if it did any good, but it made me feel better. It was kind of like giving them the finger!

Now my BIL is one to call before the rooster crows, and that's downright rude! I think I'd rater deal with a telemarketer than him somedays!!

Anonymous said...

We just had elections in our state and the computer generated "vote for...." calls were so aggravating AND we are on the "do NOT call list"!! So why do these people think they have the right to call? Another type are the tax-free (supposedly) people calling for donations! Argggghhhhhh!!!
We love that we don't get too many calls anymore however. But I can "feel" your pain...I'd have been angry as well!!

Tiffany said...

I think I'm on a do-not-call-list but sometimes they still get through. Sometimes I'll listen to their spiel just so they can get to the end and I can say No politely. Usually only takes about 10 No(s) and then THEY hang up. As if? :D

Valerie said...

right now i'm being stalked by Earthlink.
they.must.die.

Anonymous said...

Oh man... You brought back a stream of memories to your "home perm" reference. You ALWAYS had to wait until AFTER your perm to get a hair cut because you just knew going in that there would be ends that got bent in the rollers and had to be trimmed off or else you'd have a fuzz-ball from hell hairdo. Hilarious!

Meanwhile, I agree with the others who suggest adding your phone number to the donotcall list. I do think it makes a difference.

Thanks for the chuckle,
Lynette
Tulsa, OK

Anonymous said...

Oh man... You brought back a stream of memories with your reference "home perms." I had so many back in the day. And, I ALWAYS had to wait until AFTER my perm to get a hair cut because I just knew going in that there would be ends that got bent in the rollers and had to be trimmed off or else I'd have a fuzz-ball from hell hairdo. What the heck were we thinking???? Hilarious!

Meanwhile, I agree with the others who suggested adding your phone number to the donotcall list. I do think it makes a difference.

Thanks for the chuckle,
Lynette
Tulsa, OK

gloria said...

whoa.
they *call* you to tell you about sales?!
i get glossies from like 84,000 stores here, and not one of them makes it past my front door.
i would go insane if they called me on a "sleep in" day.
seriously.

.Tom Kapanka said...

There's only one thing worse than waking up to an automated call on your Spring Break--waking up to a couple inches of SNOW! Can you believe this? (Your folks got it much worse in MN.)
Actually, it seems like we get an April Snow (a la where the rose grows in that song, "Evergreen") every few years.

Anonymous said...

www.donotcall.gov