My gran called me just before I went away. She’d been called by a British Gas salesperson telling her she should switch because she’s wasting money. Actually I’ve made sure she’s with Staywarm (see gas & elec article) which is the best for her.
What’s so annoying is she always calls to check because she thinks these people are public servants, because she’s remembering the pre-deregulation days. I find it hard not to get frustrated each time telling her “they’re salespeople, they’re there to flog to you, they don’t know you or care about you, they’re lying to you to sell you things, just put the phone down and tell them never to call again.”
Yet she finds this difficult. These calls and persuasive technique are divisive enough but when it’s to older people who find the whole situation difficult it is offensive. My gran gets upset by these calls worrying she’s got it wrong – with comments such as “but he says I’m paying too much.” Really these cold calls must stop, the person that called didn’t know what her tariff was. It’s outrageous and sickening.