I had this telemarketing job once. I was in a tight spot, and really needed some money. However, despite my financial desperation, I was only able to last for about a week.
Not because it was confrontational, or difficult or high pressure. It was because it was incredibly, absolutely, and utterly boring.
There was this automatic dialer, and as soon as the person answered the phone, their name would pop up on the screen.
Then we had to go through a memorized pitch, until they either bought the product (which was some kind of long distance service) or hung up.
The only time I didn’t feel like jumping out of the nearest window was when somebody started yelling at me. The longer, the better.
Why?
Because it broke up the monotony. Saying the same, memorized script hundreds of times a day, and getting the same responses, over and over and over again, made time absolutely crawl.
Which is why those wonderful tirades against me, against telemarketers in general, or whatever else they came up with (and believe me, some people came up with some doozies).
But one thing I learned from those rare but wonderful tirades.
All I had to do was listen, and say, “I understand.”
After all, I wasn’t getting paid by commission, I was getting paid by the hour.
When I would gladly listen to people scream about whatever was on their mind, and then calmly tell them that I understood their problems, and I agreed with whatever they were angry or upset with.
In fact, many of them actually thanked me for listening to them.
It always got me thinking of all the people out there, wandering around filled with fears, frustrations, anger, anxiety, compassion, love, generosity, but too timid to let it out.
It takes an anonymous telemarketer calling them during dinner time to be the straw that finally breaks the camels back.
And to tell you the truth, after getting yelled at, and then being thanked for listening and understanding, I felt a lot better than making a sale. (If you DID make over a certain amount you got extra pay).
Humans are meant to communicate. We’re not meant to keep stuff bottled up for years. We’re meant to open up new relationships with each other.
Express ourselves to each other and find similarities, so we can collectively get much, much more out of life.
Don’t wait for a telemarketer to unload.
Learn to speak your mind.
Calmly, persuasively, compassionately and effectively.
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