Afraid to pick up phone

Whereas it is the privilege of any company to use available marketing strategies, companies like international banks and multinationals should be well aware that telemarketing, i.e. employing a horde of people to ring up each and every phone number is not, and never has been, an honorable way of gaining clients. Cheap realtors, secondhand car dealers and these sorts of people resort to this tactic occasionally.

What these people do not understand is that they are blocking the telephone lines, which could otherwise be used for the subscribers own purposes.

I cannot block my company's main line and every call from a telemarketer disrupts the work in my office, and thus costs me money, which I cannot charge to the culprits. This is additionally bad when it comes to unsolicited faxes, which not only block the line, but cost real money in terms of paper, ink and use of the machine (including the shredder).

Unfortunately, e-mail spam is increasing as well, and as usual the senders show their crooked natures by not revealing their return addresses. Fortunately, I have a good spam-Killer, but it is still a nuisance, and I cannot understand why these people, including the Multis, use this kind of marketing. They are consorting with the cheapest of the cheap.

Surprisingly, even well-known companies are sending out unsolicitated e-mails containing viruses, worms and other nasty creatures. That makes it clear that they do not care about good cooperation with potential clients (anti-virus applications can cost less than US$100 per annum for small offices).

I would appreciate if more of your readers start complaining. I don't believe they like the present situation.

HARM G. FREY Jakarta