Telemarketers Have Feelings Too

     I love telemarketers!  Said, No One Ever!

     My first mistake was answering my cell phone without looking at the caller.  Something I rarely do, but he caught me at a busy moment and I answered in a bright cheery voice," Hi, this is Carey."  That was instantly followed by a groan and eye rolling as he began his prepared introduction.  

     Each one of us has encountered these individuals, reacted similarly or have taken it farther by hanging up, being terse with them or taking out your day on the person who is at the other end of the call. 

     This man had no idea what kind of business he was calling, mine was just on a list with my name attached.  I let him get in two sentences when I imported the word, NO into our conversation.  Of course that does not deter these thick skinned creatures of the marketing world.  

     Finally I had to explain Why I could not run a full time photography business anymore and would not be needing a credit card machine on a continuous basis.

     Pause.

     When he responded his voice had changed.  It was soft, emotional and empathetic.  He says to me, " I completely understand.  When my daughter was four years old, I rolled our Tahoe.  She had taken off her seat belt and I did not know it.  She was thrown out of the window and we could not find her after the accident.  She died twice before reaching the hospital.  She has some handicaps but has recovered well for the severity of the accident."

     Pause.

     Well cripes, he is human.  He just made himself a person to me.  I was caught up in him interrupting my day with something that I was not going to purchase and I never really thought about him as a human being.  He was just a nuisance until that point in the conversation.  

     Not another word was spoken about why he was really calling.  We exchanged condolences and encouragement for each other and he ended the call with, "God bless." 

     Even if he had asked, he would not have made a sale that day, but this call had a purpose other than selling a product.  

     Each time I get caught up in life and don't take the time to pay attention, I get a wake up call.  Although this one was small, it was needed.  It is up to me to listen and take action. 

     There are those we never really see as people with feelings because we never look past their exterior.  There was no reason for me to get intimate with a telemarketer, that is just how it worked out.  I never would have viewed him as anything other than that.  I would not have thought about his family or that he needs this job to pay for his daughter's medical bills.  

     This call did teach me to slow down and look at those around me as I would my own family and friends.  They may be rude and crude, but underneath that rough surface is someone trying to survive, just like me.

  

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