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OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

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PFolbrecht(at)starkinvest
Guest

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Anybody else getting phone calls urging a donation to AOPA's ASF?  Since

I normally don't pickup a call from an area code I don't recognize, I

let the first few go to voicemail.  Of course, no messages were left.

Today, I picked up, and, after listening patiently for awhile, politely

declined to make a donation.  After two more subsequent "Sorry, can't

help out right now" (my rule is to never give money as a result of an

unsolicited phone call), a hangup was required.



I've been an AOPA member for about four years now and haven't had to

deal with an unsolicited money-grab call before.  They'll be getting an

email from me.  I'm personally about 100x more likely to give money to

an org that doesn't insult me with such a call.  If it happens again

I'll be extremely displeased with them.



Ok.  Done venting.



Do not archive

Dale Ensing

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 571
Location: Aero Plantation Weddington NC

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:25 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Have been a member of AOPA for 20 years and do not remember ever getting a

phone solicitation from them. Is this a scam?

Dale Ensing

do not achieve

_________________
Dale Ensing
RV-6A
Aero Plantation
Weddington NC

Bob Collins

Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 470
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 4:47 am Post subject: Re: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

I usually don't take calls for donations but I make it clear in my house that the exeption is the Air Safety Foundation. What they provide us -- free -- is massively helpful, all designed to keep us from killing ourselves.



If you still don't want to be insulted by someone trying to keep you from dying, then all you have to do is tell them to add your phone number to their Do Not Call List. And they will do so, courteously and efficiently, the same way they deliver their great service to us.

_________________
Bob Collins
St. Paul, Minn.
Letters from Flyover Country
http://rvnewsletter.blogspot.com/

PFolbrecht(at)starkinvest
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:43 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Bob,



Understand your sentiments.  I thought about this too - certainly, we're

all getting something from this.



I will tell you that it was the caller's PERSISTENCE that got to me.

Continuing a sales pitch after THREE declines is unprofessional and

simply uncalled-for in any situation.  



Upon further thought, I suspect that AOPA, like any other company,

simply hires some outfit to make these calls, and those folks are

probably conditioned to be as unrelenting as possible.  Perhaps making

them aware of the tactics being used would result in some change.  That

is additional motivation for me to write.



On the whole, I admire the AOPA and recognize what it does for me; I've

never considered letting my membership expire.



Paul



Do not archive



--

Bob Collins

Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 470
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:06 am Post subject: Re: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Agreed.



Minnesota adopted a do-not-call orginance a few years ago so the ASF calls automatically stopped.  Instead they send a letter and a free calendar and some mailing labels. So I send 'em a check. No calls or pushing telemarketers (and, yeah, they probably have decided to outsource their telemarketing,  which saves them money, no doubt, but I think increases the complaints).



anyway, I try to send them money and gently remind them not to waste it on calendars and mailing labels.  (g)



B

_________________
Bob Collins
St. Paul, Minn.
Letters from Flyover Country
http://rvnewsletter.blogspot.com/

jamie(at)jpainter.org
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:11 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Folbrecht, Paul wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I will tell you that it was the caller's PERSISTENCE that got to me.

Continuing a sales pitch after THREE declines is unprofessional and

simply uncalled-for in any situation.  

rchive

  



Agreed.  I got a call from them asking for ASF donations.  I listened to 
	


what the lady had to say and then she solicited a $50 donation.  I told 

her no.  She said, "How about 30 dollars?  Don't you think what we do is 

worth 30 dollars?".  I said...no.  "Ok, how about 20 dollars?"  I kindly 

said, "No, I'm not interested.  I don't respond to solicitations over 

the phone."



So yeah...she was pretty persistant and annoying with me, but I havn't 

gotten any calls since.



do not archive

Matt Dralle
Site Admin

Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 26320
Location: Livermore CA USA

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:07 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

At 04:18 AM 4/18/2006  Tuesday, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

Have been a member of AOPA for 20 years and do not remember ever getting a

phone solicitation from them. Is this a scam?

Dale Ensing

do not achieve


	


No, I don't think it is.  I got a "reminder call" last year too and it was legit.  They are pretty persistent, that's for sure.  Its a good cause, though, if you value your right to fly in the US.



Matt



Matt G Dralle | Matronics | PO Box 347 | Livermore | CA | 94551

925-606-1001 V | 925-606-6281 F | dralle(at)matronics.com Email

http://www.matronics.com/ WWW | Featuring Products For Aircraft

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Matt Dralle
Matronics Email List Administrator

ronlee(at)pcisys.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:13 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Some of these calling companies get a grossly high percentage of

what they collect.  If you want to contribute do it directly.



Ron Lee



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emrath(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:14 pm Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

I received a call awhile back, not the "urgent" or insistent type you

mentioned. The caller was an off duty NY policyman. We did have a nice chat

and you can guess the rest. This was not a high pressure type call IMHO.

Do not archive

Marty

dvanwinkle(at)royell.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 5:32 am Post subject: OT - AOPA donation-solicitation phone calls

Matt and Dale



I believe that this is the third year in a row that I have had a 

solicitation call from AOPA Air Safety Foundation.  Each time I have told 

them to send a notice to me and I will respond with a check, just to ensure 

that it is a legitimate call. They respond promptly.  I plan to attend one 

of their  Safety Seminars in Springfield, Illinois next week.  I agree that 

AOPA is a good cause.



Dean Van Winkle

RV-9A  Fuselage/Finish



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