One of the interesting phenomena I've noticed is the odd conversations that can occur when two offshore telemarketers end up randomly connected to each other.
While it is immensely fun to autodial them 1000 times in a row, sometimes when I've got a couple of minutes to kill, I'll conference them with each other manually and try to get them conversing. Usually this takes a little effort; reps may answer at different times, their proficiency in English may be of varying degrees, they may hang up pretty quickly, or one will silently listen for a few seconds before simply hanging up on the other and moving on.
But when the stars line up and they are actually communicating with each other, the same bizarre scenario has played out a half dozen times: one of the reps will begin to order from the other. They'll then get halfway through the fake order process and suddenly hang up. They never get any specific information, like prices, so there's no indication that they do this for any useful reason. It just seems like they've gone into some hypnotized state. I can't explain it. Maybe they really do need a refill, but come to the sudden realization that they can just go back to the inventory area at their own call center and help themselves.
And what may be even more bizarre is that they never seem to think that maybe someone has conferenced them together as a prank or a joke. They never attempt to even ask the most basic inquisitive question about why they've been conferenced with some other pharmacy telemarketer for the 64th time today. Wouldn't you at some point try to get to the bottom of the situation if there were actually a strange live voice on the other end of the line, reading from roughly the same script, and that voice was asking if you needed something?
Maybe something like this:
Rep # 1 Hi, this is USSecureNetHealthWebRefillPills, how can I help you?
Rep # 2 Hi, this is AmericaMedHealthPillRx Services, how can I help you?
Rep # 1 I believe you called me.
Rep # 2 No actually you called me.
Rep # 1 Well this is the 64th time this has happened today, who did you say you worked for?
Rep # 2 I refill prescription medications for AmericaMedHealthPillRx Services
Rep # 1 Wow, wait, I do the same thing for USSecureNetHealthWebRefillPills!
Rep # 2 No shit, I think you're three streets away.
Rep # 1 Well how the hell does this keep happening? It's been happening all day.
Rep # 2 I have no idea, but it really is fucked up.
Rep # 1 Yeah, it is. Let's tell our managers. We have to do something, block the number, something! It's driving me nuts-- so nuts I think I gotta go have a drink down at the (insert liquor establishment).
Rep # 2 Okay, I'll meet you there.
I mean, c'mon. Are you telling me that they know so little English that they can't accomplish at least part of the above conversation?
It hasn't happened, not even once.
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Dear Vig:
I was looking up a pharmacy for a client tonight when I came across your site via whocalledus. Mine is a pharmacy comparison site and I do much the same kind of thing you do, except I try to help people steer clear of bogus pharmacies.
Like you, back a few years ago, I had no second thought about giving my phone number. When pharmacies began to close and someone decided to make a few extra bucks by selling client lists, the calls started coming.
Now, if I find the pharmacy I'm referring is using a call center or spamming, (I like to use unique email addy's for order placement), I pull them from the site and report it to clients.
But the thing I found most amusing about your website is the idea of calling them back multiple times to tie them up and cost them money.
I do this often myself when I'm here working and get a call. I will redial them over and over until I get the same operator at least once or until I hear:
> Sigh <, it's HIM again!
on the other end of the phone.
I salute what you're doing and think it's "all's fair" when it comes to these telemarketers.
I take my business very seriously and endeavor to help those who are in need of help, and have for the last 8 years. Call centers are the worst thing to happen to this business and my hope is that as clients become more aware, they'll stop buying from them and force them out of business.
One of the most common complaints I get on my blog is about telemarketers and what to do about them. I always tell my customers that they owe these people nothing. Just because they call you doesn't obligate you to talk to them for one second.
But it takes others, people like yourself, who have the understanding of the systems involved to make an impact on the call centers directly.
I am going to link your site to my blog for people who have the time ability to get involved.
Great job!
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