Charities which repeatedly ring but leave no message

katejo

I give a monthly donation to the NSPCC. In my opinion it is my decision whether or not to increase that payment and being pestered irritates me no end. They keep ringing on my landline and mobile and i just ignore the calls. It should be a requirement that they leave a message to say who they are and to ask if you wish to increase your donation. If you don't reply, you should be left in peace.
I am sorely tempted to cancel my monthly donation and move to another charity. I would also avoid all those who use chuggers in the street.

PlutoinCapricorn

Most large charities have a way of indicating on their databases that the donor does not wish to receive phone calls.

You have to let them know though, as the default is that they will try to get you to increase the amount from time to time.

monty-doggy

I had the same thing with cancer research, when I Answered there was a young man pleading with me to increase my payments from £5 to £10, and when I said I can't he spent ages trying to negotiate any sort of increase, I had to tell him that if he didn't stop I'd cancel altogether. Cancer research is close to my heart and I always donate when friends and family do race for life ect so they get a lot from me but I'm not being pushed into giving more on a direct debit!

mazy_m

I've had this too from RSPCA. They kept ringing and ringing and ringing and when finally they got through to me when I was in they were very persistant I doubled my donation to £20 a month. I explained that £10 was the most I was giving any charity and i'd infact just taken in a stray cat that was about to go to the RSPCA. She kept trying even just £1 extra anything will do.

But again as you say it's about our choices we shouldn't feel pushed into doing it. I felt like cancelling mine but then thought what to prove a point so decided against it but it's not nice to be guilt tripped and made to feel bad.
I've been donating for years to charities every month despite having loads of debt before and to be honest can't afford to go out much or at all and all the donations together would pay for a decent night! So why are they trying to make me feel like i'm a bad person for not donating more it's a shame as I imagine loads of customers would end up cancelling from it.

katejo

monty-doggy wrote: »

I had the same thing with cancer research, when I Answered there was a young man pleading with me to increase my payments from £5 to £10, and when I said I can't he spent ages trying to negotiate any sort of increase, I had to tell him that if he didn't stop I'd cancel altogether. Cancer research is close to my heart and I always donate when friends and family do race for life ect so they get a lot from me but I'm not being pushed into giving more on a direct debit!

Same here. I also support Cancer Research and have sponsored friends taking part in events but it is for me to decide what to give and when.

katejo

mazy_m wrote: »

I've had this too from RSPCA. They kept ringing and ringing and ringing and when finally they got through to me when I was in they were very persistant I doubled my donation to £20 a month. I explained that £10 was the most I was giving any charity and i'd infact just taken in a stray cat that was about to go to the RSPCA. She kept trying even just £1 extra anything will do.

But again as you say it's about our choices we shouldn't feel pushed into doing it. I felt like cancelling mine but then thought what to prove a point so decided against it but it's not nice to be guilt tripped and made to feel bad.
I've been donating for years to charities every month despite having loads of debt before and to be honest can't afford to go out much or at all and all the donations together would pay for a decent night! So why are they trying to make me feel like i'm a bad person for not donating more it's a shame as I imagine loads of customers would end up cancelling from it.

Both my phones have caller display so I simply never answer at all. You'd think that they would take the point. If I get caught out at any time, I will simply hang up on them. I donated recently to the Syria campaign which was advertised in the tube. For about a month afterwards they kept ringing me bt eventually gave up. If I make any other donations in response to such ads., I will give fictitious phone numbers.
I once swore at a chugger in the street. Normally I swerve to avoid them but one charity had 5 chuggers all close together and the last tried to block my path.

HeadAboveWater

Where they getting the money to pay for all these phonecalls they're making?? :huh: Are the staff all volunteers or are they paying them to make the calls too?

Kite2010

If they keep bugging me for more money, I cancel my direct debit.

And if they ask why I stopped, I will say "I got fed up with the phone-calls asking for more money"

Most likely the sales people will be on commission, get someone to increase their DD payment and get £X

katejo

Kite2010 wrote: »

If they keep bugging me for more money, I cancel my direct debit.

And if they ask why I stopped, I will say "I got fed up with the phone-calls asking for more money"

Most likely the sales people will be on commission, get someone to increase their DD payment and get £X

That is what i am thinking of doing.

PlutoinCapricorn

The big charities usually use agencies to make the calls.

fluffnutter

Why did you give them your phone numbers?