Sally's World

At five to six this morning, my phone rang. I picked it up worried that something was wrong, only to be met with someone asking me if I could have one two or three windows in my house replaced for free, what would I choose? I bit back what I actually wanted to say…which was… 'nothing I’d burn my house to the ground rather than let you anywhere near it now you've woken me up you dozy cow!’

I was pissed off, its school holidays, it was also my one chance this week of getting a lay in. Now the kids were awake too…no hope of getting back to bed.

But instead of yelling at her, I said “look, its six o’clock, go away, and before you even think about ringing back later, I have new windows, I don’t need any replaced.”

Five minutes later, the same woman wanted to know if I needed a conservatory, ‘NO!’

Five minutes later a porch! ‘NO again!’

But this time I asked for her phone number…to which she replied with a shocked “why?”… “So I can ring you at an ungodly hour of the morning about something useless, irrelevant and that you have no interest in, then I’ll proceed to ring you every ten minutes until you want to scream and rip the phone out of the wall….then you’ll know how these phone calls make me feel.”

Why are there a bunch of companies out there who think we are not intelligent enough to source what we need? If I needed a new kitchen/bathroom/windows/advice on endowment mortgages/loan reductions or accident cover, then I am more than intelligent enough to find a company, get the best deal and go ahead and get it done.

Do they think there are hundreds of people sitting in their homes saying, “crikey, we really need new windows, these are practically falling out…if only a telemarketer would ring.” They sit huddled round the phone anxiously waiting for a call….the phone rings, they snatch it up…no, disappointment, just someone selling kitchens, they have to wait again!!!

Exactly…NO! WE DO NOT!

Considering most of us have enough technology in our homes to communicate with Jupiter if we should so wish, why on earth would we not be able to phone or e-mail a couple of companies and get a quote on what we need.

I get that people need to supplement their income, I get that times are hard, so yes, we now get unproportionately high numbers of cold calling from people with second jobs. And okay, I admire the work ethic. But please people, after eight in the morning, before eight at night, take no for an answer and once someone has said ‘no’ take them off your list and never ever call them again!

Grumpy from less than three hours sleep.