Recently while I was in the office catching up with my admin the phone rang. Actually, do the phones of today ring? As often the ring tone can be anything but a ring. My phone plays the 1812 Overture, but without the cannons as I’d hate to wake the neighbours. Anyway, it ‘rang’ and I answered. The voice at the other end boldly and quite forcefully asked, ‘Can I speak to your IT person?’
I said, ‘No,’ and then I hung up.
The phone rang a second time and the same voice as before said, ‘my time is very valuable, so let’s
not waste any time, do you agree?’
I said, ‘I agree, one way to save YOUR valuable time is by not making phone calls.’ Then, I hung up.
The phone rang a third time and the same voice said, ‘That’s rude.’
I said, ‘You’re absolutely right that was very rude, you call me, you don’t tell me who you are or which company you’re from. You ask me for private information and don’t even say please.
You also phone me back telling me how valuable YOUR time is without considering the value of MY time.
If I, a complete stranger, ran up to you in the street and, without introducing myself, asked you to give me private information without consideration for YOUR time and having the common courtesy of saying please, what would you do?’
Then… he hung up.
Like most people I hate telesales people and yet I tolerate them; why? Because we all have a job to do and business is business. How I respond depends on the approach of the caller and I tend to treat them as they treat me.
I’m also tolerant because I’ve even done some telesales in my time and at some point in the future will hire people to make telesales calls for me. The thing is, there’s a right way and wrong way to do it.
Any relationship in business and socially has to be based on respect.
My cold calling ‘friend’ was obviously inexperienced and either needed training or was poorly trained. Either way he didn’t show me any respect and didn’t get any in return.
I believe, in the main, we’re all decent people; it’s just that sometimes we forget ourselves. We might be in a rush or bad mood, and when we talk to someone we could possibly offend them. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve done it myself; thankfully it’s a rare occurrence, I hope.
And is that what we really want to do? I doubt it. The trick is, no matter how busy we become, we have to be aware of our behaviour at all times and ALWAYS treat people with respect, in particular prospective and current customers and clients. ALWAYS treat people how we would like to be treated ourselves.
If we don’t then they’ll just… hang up.