Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Wednesday, October 21, 1998
Kokua Line
I received numerous phone calls from Habilitat soliciting Christmas trees, most from the same person. During the second call I informed the caller that I would call him if we were interested in purchasing a tree. But he continued to call. I feel the calls were harassment, especially since I asked, after the fifth time, never to be called again. What is Habilitat's policy on solicitations and are they aware that such tactics are being used? Repeat calls to solicit
yule trees are annoying"We do everything we can to avoid that kind of problem," said Vickie Marino, Habilitat's clinical coordinator.
"Our telemarketing crew consists of residents enrolled in the Habilitat (drug rehabilitation) program who are trained by senior crew members, also residents," she said. A staff member supervises the callers on both day and night shifts "to ensure that they are courteous, professional and honest in their dealings with the public."
Sometimes they may get over-anxious or over-zealous and "they will make mistakes," she said. Marino said she did speak to the young man you identified.
Basically, Habilitat tells telemarketing trainees to follow-up with customers periodically if they need more time to make a decision, Marino said.
"We receive very few, if any, complaints from employers or private residents about our telemarketers' diligence," she said. If there are complaints, they are instructed to inform a staff member, who will then speak to the customer.
Asked about how requests for no more calls are handled, Marino said the policy is to record the information on a "no-call" list. However, she said Habilitat subscribes to a cross-reference directory, with the names and addresses of businesses and residences on Oahu which is published annually.
"We have no control over their name being published in next year's directory," she said, which means your number may be called again. A separate "preferred customer" list, for people who have purchased a tree in the past, is kept. Your name will be removed from that database if requested, Marino said.
The only sure way not to be called by any telemarketer is to have a private unlisted number, she said.
There is no state law that covers your situation, said Jo Ann Uchida, executive director of the state Office of Consumer Protection.
There is a federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which deals with telemarketers, but that covers only interstate transactions and does not apply to calls made by or on behalf of a tax-exempt non-profit organization, she said.
Marino said Habilitat has been selling Christmas trees as a fund-raiser for at least 25 years.
"This is the kind of project that helps us to help the people of Hawaii. We try our best to do it the right way, but we're dealing with untrained people and mistakes happen. By no means do we intend to offend anyone."
Free: A set of 10-year-old, like-new encyclopedias to any one who may want it. First come, first served. Call Kokua Line, 525-8686. Free encyclopedias
To all the people who put their automated trash bins in neighbors' driveways instead of your own, just because it's closer to where you keep your bins. I guess you choose convenience over common courtesy or common sense. Don't you have any thought about our feelings? -- No name Auwe
To an unknown neighbor in the Aluwiki Street area who saw our dog running loose on her chain on Thursday, Sept. 17, and tied her up on a sidewalk, where she could be seen from the main road. Thanks also to the mailman who told me where to find my dog. -- Mrs. M. Mahalo
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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