I wonder if I could interest you in...

Over the last few days I seem to have had a number of unsolicited sales phone calls. I had hoped that being a British Telecom Ex-Directory customer would allow me not to be disturbed by people wanting just a few minutes of my time to sell me something I have absolutely no interest in. And up until a few days ago it seemed to be working. But then it happened.

Is that Mr X?
I'm sorry who?
Mr X?
I'm afraid there's no-one of that name here.
Is that (telephone number)?
Yes, but there's no-one of that name here.
Well maybe you can help. I work for Inconsequential Sales Inc. Could you spare a few minutes to answer some questions?
No. I'm just walking out the door.
It will just take a few minutes.
No, I really have to go.
Thank you.

Then there was another one this morning that my girlfriend dealt with. Then I got another one this evening. I'm afraid I got a bit annoyed. I was polite, but told the guy I wasn't interested in buying anything over the phone and would they please remove my number from their database. It was one of the reasons I went Ex-Directory I said. To which the smart-ass decided to ask "What makes you think going Ex-Directory will reduce your sales calls"? Not really what I wanted to hear. So he got a brusque "Please don't call here again" at which point I put the phone down. Unfortunately he's right. Being Ex-Directory doesn't protect you against unwanted sales calls. BT have launched a new 'privacy' service allowing sales companies access to a database of the numbers of people who don't want sales calls. And caller display. I registered right after I put the phone down.

Now I have two questions. The first is this. Why aren't all forms of communication protected from the parasites of cold-calling from the start. Spam emails. Junk mail. People lying in wait on the pavements with their clipboards. Unsolicited sales calls. It shouldn't be a case of opting out. It should be a case of opting in. The second is why do sales companies think they have the right to disturb me at home? What indication have I given them that I will in any way welcome their call?

Phones, like any means of labour-saving communication, do not save labour. They add to it. "Be in contact with whoever you like, whenever you like" they say. What they never advertise is "Be available to anyone else whenever they like".

Now I realise that I'm not the most tolerant man alive in certain circumstances, although I tend to hide that fact quite well. But there are certain groups of people who I really don't see a valid purpose for (just read my last blog). You can add cold-callers to the list. They are not providing me with a service I want. They are not providing a service I am willing to tolerate. So let me serve fair warning here and now. I don't like cold-callers. And if they phone me again, they'll find out for themselves.