Clipboard Sharks: Amnesty International (Amnesty International)

Member Name: Logan33

Product:	Amnesty International
Date:	08/03/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic charity, please give as much as you can

Disadvantages: Bullying collection methods is a worry

Before I begin, I would just like to make it clear that I respect and hold in high regard all of the work that the various charities and in particular Amnesty International do. However, there appears to be a familiar trait occurring on every high street in Britain, something I like to call the "Clipboard Sharks".

My most recent run in with the clipboard sharks came this weekend and whilst usually the Red Cross bare the brunt of my mutterings, this time it was Amnesty International........A charity I have supported many times in the past.
Just as a quick synopsis, Amnesty International are a charity based around the protection of peoples humans rights. To quote their website,

"We stand up for humans wherever justice, freedom and truth are denied."
As a charity they're work is exceptional, dealing with human rights issues all over the globe from issues such as violence to women, through to the abolishment of the death penalty. They deal with real issues that can otherwise remain hidden by the cloak of corrupt governments the world over.

This is a fantastic charity to support as is the red cross and the many other admirable charities out there. However I find myself writing a negative review regarding the above mentioned charity why?
I'm sure some of you out there will be familiar with the story I'm about to tell you. It's Thursday Afternoon and I've nipped into town to pick up a few bits and meet my girlfriend. Problem is I've only got about 15 minutes so I've got to be quick.

So I'm walking down the high street, when I notice the "clipboard sharks" in front of me. Now at this point I don't even know who this person is representing but what I do know is I haven't got time to engage in a long winded conversation, no matter how good the cause. I just don't have the time.
So operation "Don't make eye contact" begins. The problem is, this never seems to work. Infact it seems to have the opposite effect and draws the clipboard shark towards me like a moth to a flame. Only one thing for it, operation "deviate away". I find myself joining the school of other nervous individuals who are cutting a path either side of the clipboard Nazi's in a huddled avoidance technique. It reminds me of watching planet earth and seeing the tuna fish swimming closely together to avoid being eaten by its larger more deadly predator. The clipboard shark has successfully cut a swathe through the high street, however nature has taught them a few tricks......

Namely, they can move! Infact once locked onto they're prey, they adopt some extremely arrogant manoeuvres. Now having been in sales for a good few years, I will break down they're cunning for you. Here's how it works..........

1) They stand right in front of you blocking your path. incredibly rude in my opinion but I guess it has the desired effect of slowing you down.

2) They will say Hi, introduce themselves and hold out they're hand to shake yours. Now this is clever, I natural human response when seeing an extended hand is to shake it back....if you don't your deemed as being rude. It forces you to stop and engage conversation.
3) They will start with a couple of closed questions to get you engaged e.g "have you heard of Amnesty International". This is designed to give a yes or no answer. The reason for this is it engages you into the conversation, but also ensures that the person asking the question (The charity) stay's in control of the conversation. That way they can move the conversation forward in the direction they wish, giving you no "get out"

4) They will then begin to ask leading questions, I.e "its terrible that this issue isn't being dealt with isn't it". You obviously will say "Yes" and that's the plan. Keep you saying yes so when at the end you are asked to make a contribution, you will also say "Yes". They will even mirror the way that you stand and nod for you in all the right places to give you subconscious ques to agree with what they are saying.
Now some of you may say well if it makes them more money for they're charity then fair enough, and I would totally agree. But my worry is this.........

This method is based on a "sales model" for creating leads. This is not an awareness campaign, its lead generation. Now where ever you have lead generation, you have targets to hit and wherever you have targets to hit, you create a culture of doing "what ever it takes" to get the leads". Now in this case, this is beautifully reconstructed by the "clipboard sharks". The charities have created sales people, not philanthropic individuals who speak with real passion and emotion regarding they're cause. They have all quite clearly been taught off of que cards ands scripts and apply a little bit of crude salesmanship into the deal.
Now this may well mean that in the short term, they will gain more leads and therefore more contributions. However what is the long term damage to their charities reputation? For me this could do greater harm to them than good. I watch in amusement as people literally turn 90 degree's to avoid the on rushing clipboards and as I mentioned before this is even before you know what charity it is. This is not good. Already you have a negative impression of the person approaching you and I guarantee most people will barely wait long enough to even hear what they are going to say.........................people hate being "sold too" and despite the fact a charity is taking contributions, they are using the same sales model, hence the reaction by the public!!!!!


If they do manage to catch you, then you can never seem to get away from them which actually starts to annoy me more than anything else. I've even been told I'm being rude because I wouldn't stop to talk to them. I think you'll find its my prerogative to make a responsible choice when giving to charity, NOT to be bullied into it. Infact in this first 10 seconds, the damage is already done and the charities reputation has been put into jeopardy. How very sad.
Now I really don't know why charities persist on employing this crude technique, they should leave this to the countless gym and window companies that have actually probably created this adverse public affection to clipboards in the first place. There are many more positive solutions to creating awareness and increasing contributions. Baring in mind charities get free access to nearly everywhere on the high street as well as having huge scope when running a campaign (e.g playing music, handing out leaflets etc etc) they're opportunities are only as limited as the person coming up with the ideas!

I continue to give to charities and always will. I will, even on the rare occasions I meet a nice one of the clipboard sharks, also give to them. However I would implore that charities try a different method of gaining contributions as I fear this technique could tarnish the amazing work that they do on a daily basis.
I would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this.

Kind Regards,
Logan

Summary: A fantastic charity using somewhat ironic ways of collecting money