Uncategorized 27 Jun 2010 06:06 pm
No, really, a penny for my thoughts
I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I regret hanging up on a telephone survey person. Because now I’m wondering what on earth her script would have had her say next. Even more, I wonder how long she could have kept up that colossal perkiness. At some point, you’d think, just about anybody would start to deflate.
| Surveyor: | “Hello!!! I am from Famous Media Research Company!!!! We are conducting a survey today about movies in your area and we want your opinion!!! How are you today?!” |
| Cam: | “I’m fine, thanks. Would I receive any compensation for my opinion?” |
| Surveyor: | [pauses, her gears almost audibly grinding, as she flips frantically through her script looking for a response] “Uh. Well!!! We are conducting research for the Big Hollywood Studios!!! They–” |
| Cam: | “If the Big Hollywood Studios want my opinion, they can pay me for it.” |
| Surveyor: | “Eh–” |
| *click* |
Our opinions are worth something; that’s why these media researchers can bundle them up and sell them. But we don’t get a cut of that money, not even a micropayment to the charity of our choice. It’s daft. I’m not going to agree to that, and certainly not to someone who’s just pulled me away from my book.
If you enjoy discomfiting people who call you up and bug you for your opinion, you could do worse than to ask whether you’ll be paid.
on 27 Jun 2010 at 7:02 pm 1.Miz_hatbox said …
*giggle*
I will have to try that next time.
on 28 Jun 2010 at 6:05 am 2.Caro said …
I’ve been asking, “how much” for a while now….I figure if they can pay me for answering a survey online, they should be able to pay me for a phone call.
A few weeks ago I asked and the person said, $150.
I nearly fell over. Then I figured out that it was a qualifying call and the survey itself was in person. I’m always up for those, but I did not qualify. Alas.
on 28 Jun 2010 at 8:45 am 3.Gene said …
I’ve ended up winning a few hundred bucks over, say, the past 10 years of filling out surveys. It doesn’t counteract the time-spent, but $100 for a grad student generates meaningful gratefulness that definitely lingers..