ERIC Number: ED394086
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1996-Aug-11
Pages: 11
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
"Countersociopathy": Dealing with Today's Aggressive Telemarketers and Salespeople.
Tentoni, Stuart C.
The purpose of this paper is to propose the construct of "countersociopathy" and specific activities consumers can undertake in a variety of sales conditions and situations. These activities are not only designed to passively neutralize the telemarketer's or salesperson's aggressiveness, but can lead to the salesperson wanting to quickly terminate the encounter with the consumer, rather than the other way around. The basic tenet of "countersociopathy" is for consumers to become passively concrete in expressing themselves. For example, if approached in a store by a salesperson asking, "May I help you?", the appropriate passively concrete response would be, "What would you like to help me do?", said with a quizzical or blank look on one's face. "Countersociopathy" can become an empowering and entertaining modality for those who use it in response to overly aggressive salespeople and solicitors. It does not require one to become hostile when using it, and the response tends to throw the samesperson or solicitor so off guard that they do not know how to respond. (TS)
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Guides - Non-Classroom
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A