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EE fans - next time you receive a cold call


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Old 08-11-2016, 13:21
starry_rune
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Your attitude to them could make the difference between someone like Lee going home to their family happy or depressed / suicidal.

Remember they are just trying to scrape by. If you really aren't interested offer a happy quote, be polite, thank them for calling etc.

Of course, the right wing people will just scoff and say "he should go to uni if he doesn't want treated like sh*t".

So just something for you to think about. Happy quotes below


http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/happy.html
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Old 08-11-2016, 13:54
_elly001
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Good point, Starry. I have to admit I've been quite rude with cold callers in the past without really thinking about it but they really are just trying to make an honest living at the end of the day and it's easy to forget that the person you're speaking to is just that: a person, with their own issues and challenges that we can't see. I get cold calls a lot where I work and I'm going to make it my new resolution to be polite to them. It's horrible to think there could be someone like Lee on the end of the phone who is struggling to keep his head above water.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:01
Kirk Angel
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My air horn covers all of that.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:03
vald
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It's not that simple. Lee is not suddenly going to be happy whatever happens. He could win the lottery and he will still be suffering from clinical depression. People are getting side tracked by looking for causes or solutions when the fact is it can happen to anyone at any time without rhyme or reason. In fact it only makes it worse for sufferers if they feel that they have no reason to be depressed, when all is fine in their lives. It just piles guilt onto the depression. Lee is a good example of this. Like any illness it is indiscriminate.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:15
kitkat1971
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It is something I've always considered and I've actually told friends and relatives I've heard give them a hard time thst I think they are being wuite cruel as they're just doing their job, probably don't like their job but don't have a choice re getting alternative work and they need to earn money.

You can say you're not interested and keep the call short so you don't waste their time as well as yours without being nasry, rude or abusive and that includes just hanging up.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:25
kitkat1971
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It's not that simple. Lee is not suddenly going to be happy whatever happens. He could win the lottery and he will still be suffering from clinical depression. People are getting side tracked by looking for causes or solutions when the fact is it can happen to anyone at any time without rhyme or reason. In fact it only makes it worse for sufferers if they feel that they have no reason to be depressed, when all is fine in their lives. It just piles guilt onto the depression. Lee is a good example of this. Like any illness it is indiscriminate.
That is very true. People couldn't understand why I was depressed when furst diagnosed as I seemed to have it all, good job, money, new home, nice boyfriend, caring friends, loving parents and I was well aware of all that, that I was much better off than many if not most people and shouldn't feel bad. It was selfish, ungrateful, unfair to everyone around me and that guilt just makes the depression even worse.

There is no cause for Clinical Depression except possibly your own brain chemistry.

But, being in a negative, competitive environment like a call centre whete you will face rejection and hostility constantly. Even if from people you've never met at the end of the phone, won't help and could well be the straw that broke the camels back to somebody with depression as you can't separate the rejection from abstract to personal. At least in my experience.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:30
_elly001
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That is very true. People couldn't understand why I was depressed when furst diagnosed as I seemed to have it all, good job, money, new home, nice boyfriend, caring friends, loving parents and I was well aware of all that, that I was much better off than many if not most people and shouldn't feel bad. It was selfish, ungrateful, unfair to everyone around me and that guilt just makes the depression even worse.

There is no cause for Clinical Depression except possibly your own brain chemistry.

But, being in a negative, competitive environment like a call centre whete you will face rejection and hostility constantly. Even if from people you've never met at the end of the phone, won't help and could well be the straw that broke the camels back to somebody with depression as you can't separate the rejection from abstract to personal. At least in my experience.
Agreed. People being nice to Lee won't cure his depression but I've learnt from my own depression that small gestures of kindness and warmth from fellow human beings makes a big difference to my ability to cope from day-to-day.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:43
vald
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That is very true. People couldn't understand why I was depressed when furst diagnosed as I seemed to have it all, good job, money, new home, nice boyfriend, caring friends, loving parents and I was well aware of all that, that I was much better off than many if not most people and shouldn't feel bad. It was selfish, ungrateful, unfair to everyone around me and that guilt just makes the depression even worse.

There is no cause for Clinical Depression except possibly your own brain chemistry.

But, being in a negative, competitive environment like a call centre whete you will face rejection and hostility constantly. Even if from people you've never met at the end of the phone, won't help and could well be the straw that broke the camels back to somebody with depression as you can't separate the rejection from abstract to personal. At least in my experience.
Oh I agree that the call centre is the wrong place for him. Mind you it goes both ways....the person you're calling could just have suffered a bereavement or have a raging tooth ache.

In all seriousness though, going back to Lee, it was that remark from his army buddy about him punching above his weight and Whitney being too good for him that seems to have embedded itself deep and helped to escalate his feeling of inadequacy. On the surface it was just a bit of ribbing, Billy has it said to him on a regular basis, but it's eating away at him and I suspect it's part of the reason why he feels the need to spoil her.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:45
kitkat1971
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Agreed. People being nice to Lee won't cure his depression but I've learnt from my own depression that small gestures of kindness and warmth from fellow human beings makes a big difference to my ability to cope from day-to-day.
They really do.

It's nearly 20 years ago now but I could recount all the lovely little gestures from people that helped me during that time.

On the flip side, also the things that drove me further down, nearly all of which would have been unintentional and done without malice by colleagues, friends, relatives, even strangers on the phone or in the street ir shops.

It sounds pious I know,but I always try and treat people as though they have as many, if not more problems than I do and need that level of care and kindness. Because you just don't know.
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Old 08-11-2016, 14:59
kitkat1971
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Oh I agree that the call centre is the wrong place for him. Mind you it goes both ways....the person you're calling could just have suffered a bereavement or have a raging tooth ache.

In all seriousness though, going back to Lee, it was that remark from his army buddy about him punching above his weight and Whitney being too good for him that seems to have embedded itself deep and helped to escalate his feeling of inadequacy. On the surface it was just a bit of ribbing, Billy has it said to him on a regular basis, but it's eating away at him and I suspect it's part of the reason why he feels the need to spoil her.
Oh yes I agree. I know from my own experiencevthat rationally I would know that they coukd just have had a bad day themselves, you could have interrupted them during dinner, they could be nursing a terminally ill relative, anything which ecplains their reaction (as in my last post, I always try and work on the basis that everybody I deal with has as many problems as I do, if not more) but I know that although I understood that rationally, emotionally it would hurt on a personal level.

I agree, that comment hit home and that is partly what I meant about nowhere being a great place to be when that emotionally vulnerable. He wasn't even 'safe' at his iwn wedding amongst his family and friends.

There have been countless things like that, jokey or well meaning comments which just make him feel worse about himself.
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Old 08-11-2016, 15:07
Nefersitra
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I hate businesses who cold call from old phone books - my father died suddenly in 1994 (he was 39) and we were in the phone book under his name. It was really upsetting especially when the calls were still coming years later. We still got calls asking for Dad until 2005 when we registered on the TPS.

On the plus side, telling the cold-caller that the person they are asking for is dead brings the call to a quick and painless end. Some will apologise and say goodbye, some tell you they'll get the number taken off their system and on one occasion the caller just hung up on me. So if a cold caller asks to speak to "Mr Joe Bloggs" or whoever, just say "You can't. He died."

However, the TPS has worked brilliantly for us. Not having the calls means you don't have to worry about being polite to the callers and we've gone from 6-7 cold calls a day (asking for Dad, Mum, The Homeowner) to just the automated PPI and green energy ones - they're not affected by the TPS.

Not having the calls means you don't have to worry about being polite to the callers!
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Old 08-11-2016, 15:12
FusionFury
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I just put the phone straight down on them.

Better than abusing them.

I'd rather clean the bogs than do such a scummy job preying on vulnerable people.
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Old 08-11-2016, 15:22
Ten_Ben
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Cold calls like Lee's is one thing, it may be intrusive and uninvited but it is legal and providing a service which some people may benefit from in being able to get a better energy deal.

Other cold callers trying to scam you or defrauding insurance companies by encouraging false injury claims etc deserve everything they get, whether it's being hung up on, airhorns, whistles, silence, or just having their time-wasted.
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Old 08-11-2016, 15:52
Nefersitra
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Cold calls like Lee's is one thing, it may be intrusive and uninvited but it is legal and providing a service which some people may benefit from in being able to get a better energy deal.

Other cold callers trying to scam you or defrauding insurance companies by encouraging false injury claims etc deserve everything they get, whether it's being hung up on, airhorns, whistles, silence, or just having their time-wasted.
BIB - I used to work in an inbound call centre dealing with complaints about the transfer process - about 70% of the complaints were down to the people on the outbound calls promising a better deal but that not being the customer's experience. It was because just like Lee, they were paid on commission. Be careful - if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you are thinking about switching your energy supplier or you know someone who is make sure you know what you use a year is KWH and if there are any special deals on your current plan - if you need too ask them to wait while you find out or call back.
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Old 08-11-2016, 15:57
mossy2103
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Mind you it goes both ways....the person you're calling could just have suffered a bereavement or have a raging tooth ache.
And after all, you are invading their privacy too, especially if they are busy or engrossed in something.
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Old 08-11-2016, 18:45
danyell
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Lee would be very unfortunate if he called my Dad. He would scream and swear at him for twenty minutes! Lol
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Old 08-11-2016, 18:48
Aura101
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Working in a cold calling centre really must be absolute hell. I just couldn't fathom ever doing it.
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Old 08-11-2016, 19:14
starry_rune
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This is an interesting talk about addictions. The basis is if they feel "disconnected from family and / or society" it can make them worse. I think the same is true of depression.

https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_har...ng?language=en
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Old 08-11-2016, 19:27
haphash
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Abusing cold callers is pointless anyway. It's best just to say no thanks and put the phone down quick.
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