Am I alone in thinking that more people are asking impertinent, private questions?

libertysurf

Two examples from yesterday alone!

A garage phoned. 'Would you please telephone us back to let us know the mileage on your car'.
I asked why we would do that.
'Because we like to keep a record'.
On further questioning, the guy said the car was last there in 2009. So I don’t think it’s their concern, so I asked again.
'Because we offer a free MOT if you have a service here.'
So I asked for any offers to be sent in the post to us. Bloody cheeky, I think. Straight out of the blue, asking us to phone them with information that they have no right to know. Intrusive.

Secondly, our gas boiler needs attention and we are covered by a service contract. After a conversation about this and an appointment is agreed, the service company rep asks what company provides our electricity and gas. What relevance has that to anything that has gone on before. We weren’t even talking about electricity.

There is no ‘excuse me for asking’, or ‘do you mind if’ – just straight in with their intrusive and prying questions that they have no right to ask or to demand answers to.
And when you say you’d rather not answer, they get shirty with you! Surely that's the wrong way round! :eek:

Outpost

Companies ask questions in order to try and sell you products or services. Gas companies ask who provides your electricity in order to get you to change to them. Garages also keep information so they can remind you when servicing and MOTs are due so that they can sell these services to you and not a competitor. I wouldn't necessarily class such questions as 'private' or 'impertinent', I just see it as businesses doing what they can make more money.

That's just how business works in the modern world really.

And while I don't think I'd consider my car's mileage as 'private' as such, if I don't want to answer the question I'd politely refuse. No harm done.

fadetogrey

libertysurf wrote: »

Two examples from yesterday alone!

A garage phoned. 'Would you please telephone us back to let us know the mileage on your car'.
I asked why we would do that.
'Because we like to keep a record'.
On further questioning, the guy said the car was last there in 2009. So I don’t think it’s their concern, so I asked again.
'Because we offer a free MOT if you have a service here.'
So I asked for any offers to be sent in the post to us. Bloody cheeky, I think. Straight out of the blue, asking us to phone them with information that they have no right to know. Intrusive.

Secondly, our gas boiler needs attention and we are covered by a service contract. After a conversation about this and an appointment is agreed, the service company rep asks what company provides our electricity and gas. What relevance has that to anything that has gone on before. We weren’t even talking about electricity.

There is no ‘excuse me for asking’, or ‘do you mind if’ – just straight in with their intrusive and prying questions that they have no right to ask or to demand answers to.
And when you say you’d rather not answer, they get shirty with you! Surely that's the wrong way round! :eek:

absolutely. now can I ask you a few questions about your sex life??:D:D

Widelats

Yes, a call centre just asked me "Well why did you say you'd buy it then cancel?"

So i asked "whats that got to do with you?" I'm not telling him i decided its too expensive, then he asked again, so i said "you had your answer" and i hung up.

This was a virgin media sales rep.

mttylad

The op is right, we are getting asked more & more personal information etc.

Take the recent census for example.

FlamingMoes

The cencus is a bit different. It helps get a better idea of where funds and services are needed in our country not just to flog us gas or electricity!

fluffnutter

mttylad wrote: »

The op is right, we are getting asked more & more personal information etc.

Take the recent census for example.

Yeah. I was outraged when they asked me if I had central heating and how many rooms there are in my house. What a cheek!

Jennikay

We get the odd 'are you with....' sky/broadband provider/whatever. The only people who need to know that are the companies themselves, and by definition they'd know that already I just ask them why they need to know and they usually hang up...

trumpton

The continual 'up-selling' is annoying. You can't just buy one product, they then want info on other stuff so they can see what else they can flog you. All the personal info is just so they can work out what else to sell you.