wahlau's online hut

got a call yesterday that i could not answer on time, and guessed it has to be from the service provider 1und1 (1&1) in Germany. I somehow wanted to confirm this and tried to google for it - guess what, i came accross this website: who calls me.

Now talk about interesting-ness... now there is a site that allows people to post unknown numbers and seek clarifications. On top of this you can even discuss about the number, which in this case the number I've got has the name for trying to get people to call back and then they can legally offer you something else (note: sell you something). As far as i am concerned, no company is allowed to call up someone (even if he is a customer) to try to sell something. But if you call back, you are asking for the service instead and this is of course legal.

after seeing this site i think we should post those suspicious numbers that often appear on our phones and try to sell us things we do not need. If it is from the service department to solve certain problems i am all fine for that. If you want to recommend me something better i am ok. But if you try to hard sell something without letting me to think over it, i find that a little too pushy in marketting. As customer i have the right to rethink what i am exactly buying, and also to say no if i am unsure. Often these people will say "but you will save money" or "you are missing the great deal". I have learnt then a skill to act stupid - "i don't care about that, i can afford it". This usually gives them a set back, though some will express their disguss at the answer but they will have no choice but to leave me alone.

if i really want a new deal, i rather make my own research and go to a physical shop to ask about new possible deals. If these service providers really want to help me, they should have offer me good deals not right after i want to cancel a contract, or when i decide to take the cheapest deal because i do not need anything else. Customer service and loyalty rewards seem to be no difference in different places I've lived...

Hope we can also be wise not to fall into any suspicious marketting traps.