Okay, I know this is an old topic, but recently I have been getting a lot of telemarkting calls during dinner time. I know these people are only doing their job, and there's no need to be rude to them - it's just that when I say "I'm not interested", they just keep talking to me.
I find this very frustrating. I am quite happy to be polite and say "I'm not interested" even if I say it 4 or 5 times. It just that the persistence of the caller makes me a little upset.
I have found a way to make these calls, not a reason to get frustrated or upset, but perhaps to have a little fun, and at not too much expense for the caller:
Me: "Hello"
Caller: "Hello Mr Yap, you have been selected to receive a new mobile phone"
Me: "I think you have the wrong number"
Caller: "Is this [my phone number]?"
Me: "Yes it is"
Caller: "Then I have the right number - in order to receive your free phone, I just need to ask you a few questions - do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "Hang on, I don't understand. Why are you calling me? I don't remember entering any competition. Are you sure you have the right person?"
Caller: "Yes, I am sure you are the right person. Do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "I don't understand - but why are you calling ME?"
Caller: "I'm not just calling you, you have been selected among a group of residents from your county... uh suburb."
Me: "My suburb? - Yes, but why are you calling me?"
Caller: "I'm not just calling you, a few other people from your suburb have also been selected."
Me: "Oh, I see. But how did I get selected?"
Caller: "You have been chosen at random. According to a survey, people in your suburb spend on average, between $40 to $50 in mobile phone calls. Do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "Hang on, why are you calling me again? I don't understand, why are you calling me?"
Caller: "Do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "I don't know why you're calling me, I don't feel comfortable answering that question. Can we please end this conversation."
Caller: "Thank you" [hangs up]
As you can see, this call went for about 2 minutes, a lot longer than the usual "GO AWAY" type conversation. But the difference is, I came away from that conversation feeling, well, a little amused, rather than frustrated. And I didn't even have to get nasty with the caller.
So, if you find yourself getting regularly frustrated with cold callers at inopportune time, perhaps its time you had a little fun. You may want to try something like this:
Me: "Hello?"
Caller: "Hello, this is Bob from So-And-So Communications - "
Me: "Please enter your password, followed by the hash key."
Caller; "Hello?"
Me: "Please enter your password, followed by the hash key."
Or something like this:
Me: "Hello?"
Caller: "Hello {blah blah} do you own a mobile phone?
Me: "Blue"
Caller: "Sorry, I didn't hear you, do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "About 4pm, give or take half an hour."
Caller: "Sir, I'm not quite sure I understand you, do you own a mobile phone?"
Me: "Woollen jumpers are my preference, they keep you warm even if they get wet. Did you know professional kayakers wear wool?"
etc etc.
Any way - have fun with it. Remember, be polite.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Communications Infrastructure - what the?
Can anyone please tell me why Australia, the country renowned for its innovation and creativity, has such a poor telecommunications system?
I've been scratching my head lately as to why Telstra hasn't been privatised already. Or at the very least, why the darn thing hasn't been split in half.
I know some of you would say that since its a government enterprise, built with taxpayer's money - it should remain in taxpayer's hands. I'm not so sure about that. I know Chob will want to qualify me severely on this one, but the practice of privatising government owned businesses (otherwise known as Public Trading Enterprises "PTEs") stems from at least two things:
1. An underlying ideological belief (whether founded or not) that the private sector is more efficient at running certain enterprises.
and
2. The government needs money, lots of it, and really soon.
How do we all feel about the privatisation of the Commonwealth Bank (1991 through to 1998 - raising a total of $8.1 billion), or QANTAS (1993 and 1996 - raising a total of $2 billion), or Australian Airlines (whoops - 1992 - $400 million). Are you still burning with anger?
As for staying in the public's hands - the government isn't giving it away - its getting money for it. I suppose what the government does with the proceeds is a related yet separate issue.
Now to Telstra. It owns pretty much all of the copper wire and telephone exchanges that carries all of our usual phone calls on the Publicly Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) otherwise known as the good old Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). Only recently has Optus laid some of its own cable and infrastucture.
So - how do you get phone services from other carriers like AAPT or Primus Telecom? These companies rent the phone lines from Telstra via wholesale, and rent the lines back to you via retail. So Telstra is a wholesaler. However, you can all get Telstra phone services to your place. This also makes Telstra a retailer.
No big deal right? No until Telstra the Wholesaler and Telstra the Retailer do something like this:
OPTUS: Hello Mr Telstra Wholesaler - I would like to rent some wholesale phone line from you.
TELSTRA THE WHOLESALER: Certainly, that will be $30.36 per month.
OPTUS: Umm, but your good buddy, Telstra Retailer is offering phone line rental to the general public for $26.95. I can't even sell to the public at that price.
TELSTRA THE WHOLESALER: That's why he's MY buddy. Now bugger off or pay.
OPTUS: Or go to the ACCC.
And it did happen in December 2005.
And even if Optus wins the court case, the fact remains that Telstra is one company that does two things.
Although the plan to operationally separate Telstra has been approved by the government, its still one company - which will always carry the risk of "internal collusion". In my opinion, the best way to ensure that Telstra the Wholesaler treats Telstra the Retailer just like every retailer is to fully privatise Telstra the Retailer. As for Telstra the Wholesaler - I'm not sure what we should do about that one. Perhaps we could keep in in the government's hands for now. However, the government doesn't exactly have a good track record with encouraging or producing an environment conducive to rolliing out fibre optic cable or whatever else is better than the good ol' twisted pair copper lines we all know and love.
So I say, split Telstra, flog off the retail part, and keep the wholesale part for now. Maybe then we'll see some decent pricing on phone line rental, which is the major sticking point for consumers trying to get a good deal on ADSL.
I've been scratching my head lately as to why Telstra hasn't been privatised already. Or at the very least, why the darn thing hasn't been split in half.
I know some of you would say that since its a government enterprise, built with taxpayer's money - it should remain in taxpayer's hands. I'm not so sure about that. I know Chob will want to qualify me severely on this one, but the practice of privatising government owned businesses (otherwise known as Public Trading Enterprises "PTEs") stems from at least two things:
1. An underlying ideological belief (whether founded or not) that the private sector is more efficient at running certain enterprises.
and
2. The government needs money, lots of it, and really soon.
How do we all feel about the privatisation of the Commonwealth Bank (1991 through to 1998 - raising a total of $8.1 billion), or QANTAS (1993 and 1996 - raising a total of $2 billion), or Australian Airlines (whoops - 1992 - $400 million). Are you still burning with anger?
As for staying in the public's hands - the government isn't giving it away - its getting money for it. I suppose what the government does with the proceeds is a related yet separate issue.
Now to Telstra. It owns pretty much all of the copper wire and telephone exchanges that carries all of our usual phone calls on the Publicly Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) otherwise known as the good old Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). Only recently has Optus laid some of its own cable and infrastucture.
So - how do you get phone services from other carriers like AAPT or Primus Telecom? These companies rent the phone lines from Telstra via wholesale, and rent the lines back to you via retail. So Telstra is a wholesaler. However, you can all get Telstra phone services to your place. This also makes Telstra a retailer.
No big deal right? No until Telstra the Wholesaler and Telstra the Retailer do something like this:
OPTUS: Hello Mr Telstra Wholesaler - I would like to rent some wholesale phone line from you.
TELSTRA THE WHOLESALER: Certainly, that will be $30.36 per month.
OPTUS: Umm, but your good buddy, Telstra Retailer is offering phone line rental to the general public for $26.95. I can't even sell to the public at that price.
TELSTRA THE WHOLESALER: That's why he's MY buddy. Now bugger off or pay.
OPTUS: Or go to the ACCC.
And it did happen in December 2005.
And even if Optus wins the court case, the fact remains that Telstra is one company that does two things.
Although the plan to operationally separate Telstra has been approved by the government, its still one company - which will always carry the risk of "internal collusion". In my opinion, the best way to ensure that Telstra the Wholesaler treats Telstra the Retailer just like every retailer is to fully privatise Telstra the Retailer. As for Telstra the Wholesaler - I'm not sure what we should do about that one. Perhaps we could keep in in the government's hands for now. However, the government doesn't exactly have a good track record with encouraging or producing an environment conducive to rolliing out fibre optic cable or whatever else is better than the good ol' twisted pair copper lines we all know and love.
So I say, split Telstra, flog off the retail part, and keep the wholesale part for now. Maybe then we'll see some decent pricing on phone line rental, which is the major sticking point for consumers trying to get a good deal on ADSL.
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