Summary of Key Points
Recently, people are receiving fewer unknown calls, as most of them are from loan companies, insurance providers, real estate agencies, or even AI robots. As a result, people have developed the habit of immediately hanging up on unfamiliar numbers. This phenomenon not only affects everyday life but also reflects underlying economic and technological issues.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why are all unknown calls promotional? — A low-cost shortcut for businesses to acquire customers
Businesses need to spend money on acquiring new customers. Online advertising (such as on social media or TikTok) is becoming increasingly expensive, while telemarketing is relatively inexpensive. Companies can purchase a large number of phone numbers and hire staff or use robots to make calls, which is much cheaper than online advertising. Additionally, many people have had their phone numbers leaked (for example, when registering for apps, filling out surveys, or buying/selling homes), making it easy for businesses to obtain these numbers and make bulk calls. For instance, loan companies use telemarketing to reach people in need of money, as it is a direct and cost-effective method.
2. The impact on ordinary people
- Disturbance in daily life: Unexpected promotional calls during meetings, while sleeping, or when with family can be frustrating.
- Missed important information: Some unknown calls may be from deliveries, hospitals, or schools, and hanging up could lead to misunderstandings.
- Scam risk: Some calls are fraudulent, such as pretending to be from loan companies to charge fees or from insurance companies to steal personal information.
- Privacy concerns: People often feel that their phone numbers are being monitored and worry about how much information has been leaked.
3. Why are AI robots the main force in telemarketing? — A cost-saving solution for businesses
Using AI robots is much more economical than hiring humans:
- No need for salaries: Once the software is purchased, the robots can work 24/7.
- High efficiency: A human can make at most 100 calls a day, while a robot can make thousands.
- Authentic sound: AI voices are becoming more realistic, and the initial greeting (“Hello, how may I help?”) can make people think it’s a real person, lowering their guard.
4. Can this be controlled? — From regulation to personal measures
- Regulatory measures: Countries have laws to protect personal information, such as the Personal Information Protection Law, which prohibit the illegal collection and sale of personal data. Authorities are also cracking down harder on such practices (by penalizing companies that leak information and blocking harassing calls).
- Personal measures: You can use phone features to block calls or download specialized apps to block unwanted calls. Be cautious when providing your phone number to unknown platforms (for example, when scanning codes for free gifts).
5. The economic implications: Intense competition in certain industries
The prevalence of promotional calls indicates fierce competition in industries such as loans, insurance, and real estate:
- Real estate agencies: With difficulty in selling homes, they rely on making numerous calls to potential buyers.
- Loan companies: The small loan market is highly competitive, so they need to use calls to reach customers in need of funds.
- Insurance: Many insurance products are hard to sell, so companies rely on telemarketing to reach a wider audience.
This reflects the pressure these industries face to acquire customers, as business is tough, and they resort to these aggressive methods.
Conclusion
The proliferation of telemarketing calls is a result of the conflict between businesses’ need to acquire customers at low cost and individuals’ desire to protect their privacy. Although regulations are being enforced, a complete solution requires more standardized practices by businesses and greater vigilance by individuals. Next time you receive an unknown call, don’t hang up immediately. Listen for a few seconds; if it’s a promotion, simply mark it as a spam call and block it.