Sunday, July 30, 2006

Annoying PeoplePC, science, projects, furnishings, centaur, tmnt

I just recently finished an angry email to PeoplePC because their Contact Center has telemarketted me 3 times in the last two weeks. It is obviously an offshore Indian call center (which generally I don't have issues with; just when they are really bad like this one), though they all gave "American" names. I don't like it when they do this. It is belittling to them by having to use a fake name (especially when sometimes they have trouble pronouncing it) and everyone knows that they are lying. The first agent kept up even though I said "no" seven or eight times. I try to be respectful, so I took the time to explain why my 5MB cable model is better than the dial-up he was offering. He was not understanding me and trying to stick to the script, so he responded with "So is your main concern about tying up your phone line?".
The next call was after 8PM on a Sunday (not against the law to my knowledge, but I thought general courtesy of telemarketers is to avoid this time). I told the agent I already had a call and was not interested. She proceeded to tell me I was hasty in declining and was argumentative.
The third call was relatively straightforward; the agent said OK and goodbye after I said this was the third call.
I don't see how any company expects to do business like this, but it is getting more and more common.
Anyway, here are some unrelated links for me to browse while waiting for the inevitable fourth call:

2 comments:

Kahnman said...

That's easier for me to read now. Thanks for making that change.

That 8th grade science quiz was really easy, and I got 8/8 as well.

Are you on the state and federal do not call lists? That really limits the number of solicitors I get. Of course, if you ever did business with peoplepc in the past, that's not going to work for you.

Brian Whitmarsh said...

I'm not on any do not call lists. I don't mind telemarketers in general as long as they are polite and follow the rules (which is getting to be very few). I have done a lot of work with our Call Center, so I used to like the calls to hear what others are doing (scripting, technology, etc.), but since I don't work in that area as much, I should probably just register.
And by the way, past business relationship allows 18 month window for a purchase, and 3 month window on inquiry; not indefinite calling you in the future. (And I have never purchased or inquired from PeoplePC.)

They responded today with a link to the DMA Consumers page that recommends I register for Do Not Call. Since I asked in the email to be added to the company do not call and to get their written policy sent to me (both still legal requirements), I will probably not be letting this one go yet.