[user104658]

Ammi just got schooled...

Anyway, on topic, I remember being taught in schools that one of the reasons it's "really bad" to make prank phone calls to random numbers is because you might phone some old person who might jump up to answer the phone and fall and break their hip... Something like that. I'm pretty sure this was just a sensationalist deterrent but it's always struck me that these days it wouldn't matter if kids were peak calling everyone - because landlines ring 20 times a day anyway with charities, salesmen and "you might be owed PPI" calls. I keep mine unplugged most of the time unless I actually need to use it because it just rings constantly...

Oh I also went for an interview at a call centre once and during the course of the interview found out that the job basically involved cold calling elderly people to try to get them to sign up for a service to prepare their last will and testament! Wtf! "Hello, Mrs Smith? Our database shows that you are old and will most likely die soon, do you have a will sorted?". Wtf is that?? Thankfully I didn't get that particular job. I think my "wut???" face in the interview probably put them off.


However... All of these things pale in comparison to my pet peeve : charity salespeople that stop you in the street. No no no no no no just go away and leave me alone!

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Ammi just got schooled... Anyway, on topic, I remember being taught in schools that one of the reasons it's "really bad" to make prank phone calls to random numbers is because you might phone some old person who might jump up to answer the phone and fall and break their hip... Something like that. I'm pretty sure this was just a sensationalist deterrent but it's always struck me that these days it wouldn't matter if kids were peak calling everyone - because landlines ring 20 times a day anyway with charities, salesmen and "you might be owed PPI" calls. I keep mine unplugged most of the time unless I actually need to use it because it just rings constantly...

Oh I also went for an interview at a call centre once and during the course of the interview found out that the job basically involved cold calling elderly people to try to get them to sign up for a service to prepare their last will and testament! Wtf! "Hello, Mrs Smith? Our database shows that you are old and will most likely die soon, do you have a will sorted?". Wtf is that?? Thankfully I didn't get that particular job. I think my "wut???" face in the interview probably put them off.


However... All of these things pale in comparison to my pet peeve : charity salespeople that stop you in the street. No no no no no no just go away and leave me alone!

....schooled and scalped, ouch...I know someone, it was quite a few years ago, who was interviewed..(and offered..) an insurance sales job where basically he was told that the 'pitch' was to put fears' into people and of course, targeting elderly people was part of it as well...and they were a large 'reputable' company....fortunately he got offered another job so never had to do it but many people have to because otherwise they would be unemployed....people who really need a job are 'victims' as well I think in many cases...I have to say that one of my pet hates is targeting older people because quite often they're lonely as well and will commit to things because time is spent talking to them in the persuading...