Salespeople are Rapists part deux
We're moving Sunday, and I needed to order a truck. So I decided I'd call around in the phonebook to find the cheapest rates. The first place I called, The Big U, wanted my credit card number before they gave me their rates. I told them I just wanted to know prices, and the woman said, "The rates can go up by the time you want to move, if you want to lock in this rate, I'll put in your credit card number, and you'll be set. If you decide to cancel, you can do so without any charge as long as it is 24 hours prior to the pickup of the truck." So, I said, "Sure, fine, whatever, as long as I can cancel for free." Well, upon calling around, I found a cheaper place. So I scheduled with them and immediately called to cancel with The Big U. I was told, after spending far too long giving name, number, address and reservation number (Why couldn't I have just given reservation number???) that I would receive a cancellation confirmation within two hours. I thought to myself, "Why can't you just confirm that I'm cancelling now?" But whatever. Three hours went by and I received no call. So I called them again. Gave all my information. Again. And again, I was told, "Ok, you've cancelled. You won't be charged anything, blah blah blah." So, the next day, I see I have a voicemail on my phone telling me the pickup location for my Big U truck. I am starting to get really mad. I call to cancel A THIRD TIME and I am told AGAIN that I will receive a confirmation phonecall in two hours. WHY THE FUCK CAN THEY NOT JUST CLICK A CANCEL BUTTON? I check my email, and again--"Just emailing to confirm your truck pickup is at such and such a place" and then I realized that these fucks are trying to stall the cancellation time to charge me for a late cancellation. I wrote a nasty email and finally got a response saying, "Ok, you're cancelled. Have a wonderful day."
Apparently, like not being raped, you have to be a bitch. "No" and "I wish to not engage in this transaction with you" were repeatedly ignored, and I was forced to go to Bitch Mode. And, after Bitch Mode was enacted, they were so super nice with the "have a wonderful day" that it almost made me feel guilty about being a bitch. Almost. It's like, "I'VE TOLD YOU NO NO NO, YOU STUPID FUCK!" And then someone saying, "Jeez, it's ok! Of COURSE you have a right to say no--noone is arguing with you--have a wonderful day!" Creeps. I SO was not going to be ripped off. This is coming days after I bitched out a garbage service for sending me bitchy bills that were not mine but had my name and information on them--with a 40.00 "late fee." This shit sounds illegal. Isn't it? Or, like rape, the onus of not getting fucked is on me--to do more than say no?
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8 comments:
I wish predatory sales/lending tactics were illegal. But I don't think they are. It's a lot easier for businesses to lobby the government and donate money to campaigns, and so their interests are the ones that the government protects. Even though businesses aren't people and even though the government's job supposedly "by the people, for the people". After Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle" I think a lot of new government regulations were put in place to protect people. But republicans have been slowly eroding those protections ever since. For example, I think there used to be a usury law which is basically gone/meaningless now.
Also, you should write a book about how awful sales people are. Not because they're terrible human beings - I'm sure these people hate their jobs - but because of terrible business practices designed to maximize profit at the expense of human souls. That would be a super interesting book.
That's the thing though, they don't necessarily hate their jobs. I watched a documentary the other day called "Maxed Out" which was about, obviously, debt. It included interviews from people who are paid to be assholes to people who got screwed over by their credit card company.. you know, when the credit card company sells the debt to a third party, and the third party harasses the person in debt as well as their neighbors and family. Anyways, I figured the assholes would hate their jobs of being mean to people, but they described it as "a rush, like you get when you score a touchdown".
So that's a little off topic since it deals with debt instead of sales, but they seem to run in similar ways. And both involve commission, which is merely a motivator of unsavory behaviors such as those described by the Jmo.
And I highly recommend the movie - although you'll want to view it on as large of a screen as possible because they have a lot of text screens with the dumbest possible font that is next to impossible to quickly read (especially on my tiny TV screen).
We have Maxed Out waiting on our Apple TV to watch! Glad it is good, and we'll bump it up on the must watch now list :)
Sorry, you had to deal with Big U jerks Jamie! I hope your move goes okay!
That's so funny, because Maxed Out just came in on my cue on Netflix. Woo-hoooo.
Jamie, you're not the only one getting raped by salespeople. My car insurance company is doing the same kind of high-pressure shit. I have to renew my insurance by July 15, and I currently pay a lump sum for 6 months of coverage rather than dealing with monthly bills.
I got my "your payment is due soon" reminder the other day, and I called to see if I could switch to the monthly billing plan since I'm going to have to cancel my insurance on August 1 anyway, being that I'm selling the car. It seemed easier than the hassle of trying to get a refund for the remaining 5.5 months...and I could certainly use the money rather than having it sit in Geico's account while they take their sweet time cutting me a refund check.
Well, Geico decided to be difficult about it. I had to explain why I wanted to switch about 50 times, and they kept saying, "but you can transfer the insurance to a new car!" Jesus. I don't want your insurance anymore. Go away. When it comes time to insure another vehicle, I may give you a call -- but probably not if you keep this shit up.
Your problem is that you're using Geico. My mom says companies like Geico and E-Surance are crap.
True enough -- but they gave me the cheapest rate on the minimum legal Alaska insurance requirements, so that's who I'm with.
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