From their website:"Trading Standards has seen an increase in the number of serious cases it has dealt with arising from doorstep incidents and it has therefore begun a programme of establishing 'No Cold Calling Zones' in neighbourhoods where all the residents do not want any cold callers. The zones are highlighted by displaying notices throughout the area warning traders that it is a 'No Cold Calling Zone'. If traders do cold call, Trading Standards or the police will attend and take whatever action is appropriate."
It's worked well, gone are the people selling cheap electricity, roof repairs and the like. However, today a team of people came down our street knocking on the doors. They were MacMillan Cancer Support volunteers.
When I was doorstepped, they told me that they weren't cold-calling, which they were. So I terminated our discussion over whether I'd like to give them money for their worthy cause there. I don't see how tactics that annoys me is intended to make me support them, but it's not me that I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about the other residents of this estate who might not find it so easy to say no.
I'm not saying McMillan don't do a valuable job. Of course I'm not, and I know they need to raise money somehow - I just don't agree with the tactics I experienced today. Certainly when I've been involved in raising money for the local Sue Ryder hospice or the Yorkshire Air Ambulance we didn't do anything antagonistic.
So, in true affluent 21st century style, I posted on Twitter: ".@macmillancancer I've just had 1of your volunteers cold calling at my home. I live in a no-cold-calling area. Do you believe you're exempt?"
Not 10 minutes later they responded "@kevfrost Hi, sorry to hear that, if you send us some more details we'll look into that for you http://j.mp/osL2DD". Delighted at that response, so we'll see how this pans out.
No comments:
Post a Comment