Hong Kong cold callers are harder on the ears than tuneless buskers

Hong Kong economy

Letters

Published: 5:03pm, 20 Aug 2018

Why you can trust SCMP

Your recent editorial, “Annoying buskers must face the music” (August 17) was no doubt greeted with a chorus of approval from music lovers throughout the city. However, it should be pointed out that there are much more annoying aspects of local life which, unlike our tuneless buskers, cannot be avoided.

I refer in particular to the people who call residents up several times every day and attempt to sell them things most of them neither want nor need. These salespersons of the telephone lines are probably annoying to Cantonese-speakers, but especially infuriating to lesser mortals who cannot speak the language, since we cannot determine which companies are behind these unwarranted intrusions into our daily lives and thus cannot boycott them as punishment for their disgraceful behaviour.

I understand these poor salespeople are paid for every call which is connected, so they really do not care whether the recipient can understand them or not.

In any event, my repeated requests that they stop calling me have not borne fruit. Indeed, I suspect they have redoubled their efforts. I don’t know if the sound of a non-Cantonese-speaker having an apoplectic fit brings some amusement into their lives, their repeated calls certainly bring no joy into mine.

Can Hong Kong finally say bye to cold calls from telemarketers?

Why do our legislators and civil servants permit this disgraceful state of affairs to continue? I can only assume it is because, unlike most of us, they employ minions to answer their telephones, so they have no idea how much time is wasted and how much annoyance is created.

Alan Loynd, Lai Chi Kok

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