I have two parents in their late 80's, fortunately still fairly healthy, lucid and active. Memories are slipping somewhat, but I imagine me and my siblings are recipients of their genes. I hope we will be unless there is something we aren't aware of.
Some of you and your parents might be quite aware of the following topic, while others may not and/or you just don't have the personal contact or communicate with your parents like you once did.
"Sharks to left, sharks to the right", but they aren't "the only girl" (senior female or otherwise) "in town". Thank you Jimmy Buffett.
Seniors, our parents, are being bombarded with scams and frauds in ways they were and never have been accustom to via so many venues. Unfortunately, being a trusting soul from an era where being so was probably the norm is now a handicap and probably a huge financial one.
I could write pages about this, but please spend time with your parents discussing things they need not do or not react to.
I've been in sales for many years, in many fashions and practices, seeing a lot for which I did not partake, always ethical and proud of the services or products I sold and how I presented and sold them.
Also, many of our current customers are seniors and we will help them doing most anything if we feel we can. I hear so many horror stories of how they have been misled and neglected.
So I just want to bring up a few points and things to look for:
• Short of life threatening injury, nothing needs to be done immediately. "Sense of urgency" is a prominent sales technique and also, "fear of loss" is another.
• Nothing offered for free is FREE, particularly when you see a national ad campaign on television. They didn't spend so much money on advertising to give something away. You may receive the bare bones on the surface for free, but there will be much more needed to get what you truly need.
• People take celebrities doing a commercial as an endorsement, particularly professional athletes and actors. Well, firstly, people place too much value on what celebrities say, particularly actors, whom are simply doing what they've always been paid to do, act. You won't see many celebrities endorsing much of anything during their prime - they don't need the money then.
• If one can offer anything on TV for $9.95 or $19.99 and it's attractive enough to get thousands or millions of orders (Thousands or millions in revenue), it doesn't really have to do what is promoted. "But wait, we'll give you another 'thingy' for free if you call now. Just pay separate shipping and handling." People typically don't want to or spend the time to return something of such little value. And, if they do, the company offering such product just made a killing on separate shipping and handling, even if you do return the product, whether or not you had to pay shipping to return it. We are guppies.
• Offers stating you have some account reserved (or in whatever manner) in your name for more than a dollar are scams.
• Some, or many, home and car technicians are being trained (poorly) by their employers to also be salespeople. I was once both (technician and salesperson in business-to-business sales, several times actually), but I was qualified to be both and I knew both sides of the business, and was ethical. I have heard the oddest shit come out of some of these people's mouths to the point of being predatory, pathetic and stupid, yet it often works.
• Government agencies don't call (Actually they rarely call at all - an official document is usually part of the process, i.e., a formal letter,) making threats or leaving pre-recorded messages not identifying you or regarding a particular issue. Rarely do companies do this, particularly those for which you have a relationship.
• Nothing offered for free is FREE, particularly when you see a national ad campaign on television. They didn't spend so much money on advertising to give something away. You may receive the bare bones on the surface for free, but there will be much more needed to get what you truly need.
• People take celebrities doing a commercial as an endorsement, particularly professional athletes and actors. Well, firstly, people place too much value on what celebrities say, particularly actors, whom are simply doing what they've always been paid to do, act. You won't see many celebrities endorsing much of anything during their prime - they don't need the money then.
• If one can offer anything on TV for $9.95 or $19.99 and it's attractive enough to get thousands or millions of orders (Thousands or millions in revenue), it doesn't really have to do what is promoted. "But wait, we'll give you another 'thingy' for free if you call now. Just pay separate shipping and handling." People typically don't want to or spend the time to return something of such little value. And, if they do, the company offering such product just made a killing on separate shipping and handling, even if you do return the product, whether or not you had to pay shipping to return it. We are guppies.
• Offers stating you have some account reserved (or in whatever manner) in your name for more than a dollar are scams.
• Some, or many, home and car technicians are being trained (poorly) by their employers to also be salespeople. I was once both (technician and salesperson in business-to-business sales, several times actually), but I was qualified to be both and I knew both sides of the business, and was ethical. I have heard the oddest shit come out of some of these people's mouths to the point of being predatory, pathetic and stupid, yet it often works.
• Government agencies don't call (Actually they rarely call at all - an official document is usually part of the process, i.e., a formal letter,) making threats or leaving pre-recorded messages not identifying you or regarding a particular issue. Rarely do companies do this, particularly those for which you have a relationship.
Traditional advertising (television and other media), e-mail, internet and phone soliciting are all part of a numbers game. If they reach enough people, enough are going to respond and purchase or invest in something they are offering - legit or not. I'm all for advertising, marketing and the Internet, but beware.
We are considering discussing providing services for seniors and their families with an acquaintance of ours who already deals with abuse of seniors in many fashions, whereas we arbitrate services offered, basic home repairs and other services. It's a huge undertaking, the most difficult making the service attractive, affordable, referral-free, low-liability along with a sound agreement communicating this with the senior and/or their family.
Please give us your thoughts.
Thank you.
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