Tell you what, I’m a millionaire now! The amount of damages I have won thanks to those text messages reminding me of all the falls and accidents at work I never had but had forgotten about! I don’t have to work any more!
Of course I am being sarcastic! I’m sure that most of you have been getting those rather annoying spam text messages over the last few months, either about an accident you never had or about reclaiming PPI mis-sold by banks. Well it seems that this latest spate of cold calling may have been the final straw.
The last few days and weeks has seen growing calls for cold calling of all types to be banned. It seems the general public is now well and truly sick to the back teeth of companies badgering the living shit out of the consumer to buy something. Personally, I’m surprised that it has taken this long for the anger to reach this point. But I’m glad it has.
The whole cold calling issue is now reaching the higher echelons of power and hopefully there will be debates and further action to outlaw a practise which has tarnished, unfairly, whole industries.
We know from our own experience that cold callers from the big nationals has added to the overall negative image that our industry has. Those constant knocks at the door asking you if you want to buy double glazing just like that has done some serious damage. And things can get nasty. I have been told anecdotal evidence that some door knockers get rather aggressive and nasty if they are shown the door. We simply cannot have these idiotic and unprofessional practises continuing to do damage while the more genuine side of our industry tries it’s very best to improve the image of fenestration.
Say cold calling does get banned, this is going to cause some serious problems to companies like Safestyle. Their whole business model seems to hinge on cold calling and reps and tele-canvassers bugging the hell out of people just to make appointments. What happens when they’re not allowed to do this? They don’t have showrooms so it’s not as if people can walk in off the street as see what they have to offer? They could use the website but it’s not the greatest so that won’t act as a good selling tool either. The reality is companies like Safestyle will find it very difficult to trade in a cold-calling free market where for the last 15 years they have built a business shaped around cold-calling.
If you have built a business around a good reputation, word of mouth and recommendation then well done, the above comments mean absolutely nothing to you and you will continue to trade well in a very consumer-savvy market. However, if you have built a business around cold-calling then I would start to feel a bit nervous. Cold-calling won’t get banned quickly, these things take time. But when it does, unless you change the way your business operates, you’re going to find it incredibly difficult to sustain a business. The act of cold-calling is unprofessional, unwanted and unnecessary. The sooner it is banned the better!
The thing is though we only ever see the negatives, remember when this is implemeented and it will be at some point soon, any new business setting out to build (who do not have big advertising budgets) are going to be dead before they begin. How do the new business tell people about the new business then? how do you gain a customer base to retain repeat and referalls? The country and business is heading for a huge fall because we are not educating and stoping pests calls, instead all we will do is lump everyone in the same boat… Read more »
I used to work as a manager for Anglian and around 80% of their leads are from the tele canvassing and foot canvassing operations. The tele canvassing operation was a professional outfit, however the canvassers are left to do what they please in order to get a lead. The main problem is that only young kids, usually still in college will consider foot canvassing, therefore you get someone who is not very professional. I think that there should be more of a governing body in direct marketing, it should receive complaints about companies and then ban them if too many… Read more »
Canvassers can be professional in approach in the same way as a salesperson can be; they can also be amateurish and simply view the job of canvassing as about getting leads at whatever cost and by whatever tactic, It’s the latter that give the industry a bad name as much as the salesperson who sells badly using questionable tactics. I dislike cold callers as much as anyone, but am polite to those who call at the door or on the phone (although we are on the national database for no marketing calls from anyone) when the companies are marketing a… Read more »
I think a smart business man will make success of a business without cold calling. Whether cold callers are nice on the door step or not, people no longer want to be hassled with cold callers, whether businesses like it or not the consumer has changed so you have to adapt. If a company has a good business plan and puts some money in to decent marketing (and no it doesn’t have to be large amounts), can make a stab at their business. PS I dont think Crimewatch helps, how many old ladies do you see robbed on there by… Read more »
I have to totally agree with you on this one Chadders! There are ways on which to do business in this modern era without having to cold call and without having to spend a ton of money on marketing. The public are more than just aware about cold calling now. Whether it’s a nice call or one that’s designed to annoy, people don’t want it. The whole image of cold calling is a negative oneand I think we’re beyond the point of being able to repair it. Time to move on and do business in the modernway.
I agree Smart business plans help and you need to be clever and innovative in business but if you take away phone calls, direct marketing, email marketing sms marketing the only way to grow business is asking people to find you, the only way to do that is to spend money on local or national ads or SEO this is all fine but if you are a new start up you are then competing against established companies with budgets in place and established customers, small budgets become less effective as every company adjust making it mission impossible. It will possibly… Read more »
I agree with both of your comments! Legislation needs to be tighter and companies will have to adjust to ensure they are providing a professional service in regards to cold calling; it is a very demoralising job (I did it for a while) but you must always maintain a professional manner, even if you have doors or phones slammed on you…what used to grate on me was rude, impolite people. It’s a job like any others, we all have bills to pay; manners and politeness costs nothing.
It is really encouraging running a Federation which does its best to disencourage cold calling to hear most of these comments. It proves what I believe; that this business is generally peopled by decent hard working folk, who do not want to adopt the unacceptable, so called sales tactics which the large companies have adopted. Cold calling is an intrusion of privacy, whether it is on the doorstep or by telephone. It is also taking advantage of the natural hospitality displayed by all decent people. With regards to smaller companies, it is the largest concerns that have the most lose… Read more »
Been to job today for elderly couple.They have misted unit in top light centre of bay.Safestyle called and said can’t change glass need complete bay.Disgusting.
Surely good argument for outlawing cold callers.
what a bunch of idiots you lot are. Nearly every company to some extent makes cold calls. Without it, new business will not be generated so effectively. I hate adverts on TV and YouTube, but Im forced to view them as they invade my home during my favorite program. That should be banned first… and then after that, ban idiots from answering their front door.
sadly cold calling works so the likes of everest ,anglian etc etc probably sell more in one week than many smc do in a year. it will never be outlawed the taxman would lose too much
Cold calling….oh what a time consuming event. What a joy to spend all day ringing 100 prospects only to be told by the receptionist they don’t take cold calls. And then you get through to somebody who seems genuinely interested but actually is using you to bench mark their own Internet research before they politely tell you they won’t be needing you as they have everything sorted……..The consumer doesn’t seem to need the salesman anymore. They do their own buying online. So how do we add value to the sale. How do we get on their side. Be worthwhile? So… Read more »