Real Life Stories Of Telemarketers: $400 Of Magazine Clippings

Joanne, installation artist, 42

Once when I was between arts grants, I went to see what all the fuss was about. I phoned an office selling food boxes which sounded like something people always need. The head honcho spooked me by describing what I looked like as I stood in the phone booth. Amazing! I knew he was a little psychic, which has probably helped him in his shady career.

I really liked him when I met him. If he was a crook, he was the type that can be deceitful to people a thousand miles away, not to the circle of people right around him. My friends have worked in far worse places. He never fired anyone. He was running an old-fashioned office, where all the salespeople have their own desks, can put their feet up, take their lunches when they want. The boss paid fast and a straight 25% of every sale.

He was honest and kind to all in the office, and encouraged the women equally with the men. He prided himself on taking a young girl from a lower-middle class background who was working at a fast-food place and retraining her to earn $50,000 a year. Her earnings dipped sharply on their last project, selling bonds, because people do not like to buy bonds from a young sounding voice.

The food vouchers were something I could understand. I saw through the three prizes offered - $50,000 cash, a new convertible, or a sports boat.

I have this type of thing coming at me in the mail all the time. I do think you win the third prize and get whatever you pay. I started sitting in on the other people, which is how they train you in these commission only places.

One hilarious call was to a trans-sexual in Calgary. Just the thought that there were trans-sexuals in a place like Calgary seemed hilarious. Amazing.

Don't ask me how we knew this, we sure did, though. The tone of voice, I think. The person even said, it's not that blue boat place, again, is it?

It was and it is, and I could not believe my ears that the young girl was hooking him a second time for the little rubber sports boat. She told him right out too, and read off the boat prize exactly, as he himself had just described it.

She told me another amazing client of hers was a man who travelled all the way to Montreal, found out where their office was, and stormed the doors looking for her.

The young women at this office were friendly to me, and advised me on solving all my arts projects bills by following their lead. I worried that the people on the other end of the phone had enough money to afford this folly. They gave me helpful romantic advice as well, telling me never to get involved with guys who work in telemarketing!

I worked there a few days then I saw the food vouchers were not neatly printed sheets of discount coupons as I imagined. One worker sat clipping coupons from magazines! Amazing!