Chugging

[Jonathan Jarvis]

There are three main pedestrian thoroughfares through my local town.

Chuggers ambushed me on all three on Saturday.

Nuisance or Necessity?

 

[Liberasit]

I find them a nuisance as I do all my giving through church.

 

[Oafman]

I only give online, so I can read up on what they do with the money. Chuggers sometimes seem to know very little about the charity they're collecting for.

But I guess they are effective, seeing as there are so many around. If it's bringing in money for charities then I don't disapprove.

 

[theFijian]

They're only a necessity for charities where the CEO earns a six-figure salary.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

I worked for a charity for a year which supposedly supported elderly people. We visited them in their homes and in nursing homes if that was where they were living provided lunch for them once a week in a hall somewhere, took them to hospital appointments, helped them with form filling, but all the person in charge was interested in was whether there was enough money lifted in door to door collections to pay the charity's phone bill. As well as us home visitation officers, she had people working for her as fund raisers and I think they were her favourite people. While they spent their time during the day working on fund raising, everyone had to give up evenings to do door to door collections and heaven help you if you didn't do it. It was embarrassing asking people for money when we couldn't guarantee that it would actually be used to help the elderly and if we only managed to collect a little, we would be asked, 'Is that all you could get?'!

Gillian

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

It's becoming a nuisance which is a real shame due to the fact that I give when I can. When I was out of work I use to get quite a few knocking at my door asking for money. It was blatantly obvious that I didn't have the funds to give but they wouldn't take no for an answer. Even the ones where I said that I had contributed online and will do so again when my circumstances improved.

 

[Oafman]

We British struggle with the line between assertiveness and rudeness. It's not rude to say 'no thanks' and keep on walking. It's not even rude to immediately interrupt their spiel, and quickly explain that you only give money online, or through your church, or whatever. Actually, it's good for them if you do this, as they don't need to waste any more time on you and can go and find someone who might actually be interested in donating.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

We British struggle with the line between assertiveness and rudeness. It's not rude to say 'no thanks' and keep on walking. It's not even rude to immediately interrupt their spiel, and quickly explain that you only give money online, or through your church, or whatever. Actually, it's good for them if you do this, as they don't need to waste any more time on you and can go and find someone who might actually be interested in donating.

100%

I actually do cut them short and very quickly (and politely) explain why on this occasion I cannot give and they are fine with it. Even the ones who still try to persist, eventually thank you and then move on.

 

[Oafman]

We went up to stay with my Mum at the weekend. She was never the most assertive, and has probably become even less so as she's got older.

We were all having a cup of tea and a chat when the phone rang. My Mum answered, and for what must have been at least 2 or 3 minutes, I just heard her giving one word answers with long pauses in between, as she listened to the voice at the other end. Eventually she started to become a tiny bit flustered, and started apologising; "I'm sorry....", she must have apologised about 5 times: "I'm really sorry, but we're not interested".

When she had finally put down the phone, I asked who it was. "It was a sales call dear, they won't let you get a word in edgeways..."

"MUM! JUST HANG UP ON THEM!"

I certainly would not like us to become a less polite nation, but some people really do take politeness too far!

 

[HantsUK]

Another problem with 'chuggers' is how much of your money goes to pay the 'chugger' and how much to fund the actual purposes of the charity. Some organisations think that if £10 spent on fund raising gains an additional £20, or £30 then this will have paid the costs involved, leaving £10, or £20 extra income for their real purpose. The organisation may think this a gain. However, I would be unhappy about a such a high proportion of my giving going on fund raising instead of the actual charity's purposes.

 

[MiniEmu]

I tend to get engrossed in very long conversations with street fund raisers, actually any fund raisers. I've gotten better recently, but still find it difficult not to talk to them. Sometimes it's out of amusement, the assumptions they make regarding my awareness/experience of certain things and my ability to commit to direct debits. Sometimes it's because I'm genuinely interested.

I have the same issue with all those people who hand out leaflets. I'll take them all, thank them, and end up with a handbag full of things I'll never look at again. My friends are always telling me off for being so soft about it all .

Do I think they're a nuisance? Not when they're well trained and effective at what they do. There are however a lot of people out there who know full well their pay depends on the numbers of leads they generate, and in some cases how many of these actually go forward to established direct debits. Otherwise I find them quite interesting, not sure I'd say they're a necessity though. Perhaps they are, I've never really looked into fund raising.

 

[The-Doctor]

Generally I say no thanks since I already support a charity.

 

[ianb321red]

Tip for avoiding chuggers - take your mobile phone out of your pocket and pretend to be speaking to someone as you carry on walking towards them. You'll be ignored and left alone out of politeness - guranteed

 

[Amatorreginae]

Handing over bank details is a very risky action; not advisable. Expect your personal details to be sold to other companies and to be rung up at all hours. Charities ought to give the option of donating some other way.