Nanna,
I'm with you, with a small exception. I also get very few telemarketer calls, but I do not break in on their initial spiel. When they get to their first pause, *then* I politely tell them I'm not interested (and what my policy is ¯ same as yours ¯ if necessary). If they persist, I say something like, "You know (whatever their name is), you're doing a fine job, but you need to understand when to take no for an answer." That *always* works. Result: We part on friendly terms and I have not treated another poor working stiff in a high-handed, peremptory manner.
I have known people who have taken such jobs because they can't get anything else. We all know that they're reading from a script and just doing the best they can. I can spare a minute and a half (vs. 45 seconds) for that.
Thanks.
Dave C.
*********************
David C. Clark, JD, MLIS
Law Librarian
Lightfoot, Franklin, & White, L.L.C.
The Clark Building
400 20th Street North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(205) 581-0768
(205) 581-0799 (FAX)
Opinions are solely my own.
*The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.*
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Lewis Carroll
>>> <nfrye@ix.netcom.com> 01/27 12:34 AM >>>
It's time for some counterpoint. First of all, I applaud Jim and
Margie for realizing that just because we *can* do something does not mean
that we should and thus I welcome the creation of a task force to oversee
the development/enhancements of our web site.
That being said, I think some members have gone way overboard on the
sensitivity scale re: the directory information being placed on the web. Do
you honestly think the directory is the only source for this information?
Heck, there are lots of other ways to get e-mail addresses and as
information professionals, you should already know that. It would not take
long at all to cull the e-mail addresses from our print directory and
supplement it with addresses from other sources. Business e-mail addresses
are becoming standardized in format so even if one doesn't know a person's
address, one can make a pretty good educated guess as to what it is.
Bracing myself (but then I've got a tough skin) for flaming, I would
place some of the "blame" for excess telemarketing on librarians themselves.
I get less than a dozen telemarketing calls each year but I am on nearly
everyone's mailing list and that's the way I want it. How did I get to that
stage? I simply and firmly tell telemarketers that I never (emphasis on
*never*) buy anything via telemarketing calls but welcome them sending me a
brochure. And then I make good on that. Do NOT chat about your policy
because once they get you talking, they feel they have their foot in the
door. Everyone should be savvy enough to recognize a sales pitch coming so
you break in, ask if this is a telemarketing call and then relate your
policy. Voila, you are off the phone in 45 secs. and they have crossed your
name off the list for future calls. Stop being a victim and take action.
Lastly, I want to vent about the poor treatment of our very
hardworking AALL officers & AALL staff members via law-lib. There are some
people on this listserv who need to think about the vehement critiques they
post. Ask yourself who would want to volunteer to perform AALL projects if
they may be subjected to such a diatribe? It is difficult enough to get
sufficient volunteers without scaring off some of them. Consider using the
"honey" approach rather than the "fireworks" approach.
Nanna K. Frye
Court of Appeal
San Diego, CA
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