Some of you may have seen our recent post on netizens being annoyed by agents stopping them on the streets. Well, recently the topic has been brought up again on online forums like EDMW due to agents stepping up their game.
Someone has started a new thread, detailing that agents are now approaching commuters not just at MRT station gantries or open spaces but even at the train platforms!
This is something interesting to note as everyone has probably either been one of those agents or volunteers promoting a deal or at least been stopped by one at some point in their lives! This can be in the form of charity donations, product sales or promoting of contracts. Well, some netizens have shared their own tactics when facing such a situation!
A netizen explained that generally agents who waylay commuters on the way home may seem like a nuisance as they block the paths and congest the already packed stations.
Here are some funny responses and witty suggestions as to how you can avoid being stopped if you are in a hurry or simply not in the mood to listen to promotions:
Some netizens of course brought out the good old method of pretending to be busy, under the assumption that people would not approach you if you are preoccupied with another task!
Others were more cheeky and gave suggestions of making use of another agent’s number. However, try this at your own risk as this may rile up someone else in the process!
In a very practical way, another netizen suggested that agents would approach commuters selectively given that some commuters dress in a casual way that may be taken as an indication of their probability to be sold.
Of course, this is just a generalisation and it is untrue that one’s dressing totally reflects their social economic status!
However, here’s another take on the issue:
A netizen also showed the importance of such agents who promote deals such as charities or insurance. After all, it is true that “prevention is better than cure”! While one may feel annoyed when stopped by agents trying to sell a deal, such a deal may end up being extremely useful in the future – who knows?
For those who have experienced being in this line, they are also pretty empathetic as it is, after all, a legitimate job and some may even be doing it as they truly believe in the cause. Many, though, are often unsatisfied with the job after a while and leave the profession as admittedly it can get tiring chasing after disgruntled people along the streets all day!
Furthermore, sometimes there are actually some pretty good deals out there, if you could take the time to stop and listen!
What are your thoughts on the issue? Let us know!
