A dose on ethical behavior!

Ever received those calls from bank sales rep, trying to sell you some policy or the other? You might say, what’s new in that, they are all over the place. Yeah, they keep calling and persuading you about their latest policy which is supposed to give best returns. As long as they don’t get annoying, I maintain a standard answer of not interested currently, however if I do need anything will contact them.
One of these busy mornings I got a call from a similar sales rep from ICICI. She seemed polite and was trying to sell her unit- linked policy. She started off with, the usual niceties and before I could blurt out my standard answer, she went on to say ‘we can promise you double the returns’. Now that got me interested! I asked her a few questions and the plan name so I could check it online, but the lady insisted that I should meet her, coz then she could answer my questions in detail.
Well, that is their usual routine, so I just agreed. What harm could one meeting do? Of course if I don’t find the plan interesting I can always reject it, is what I thought to myself. The day was fixed and I got busy with my daily routine. On the scheduled day, the lady came in promptly, accompanying her, a senior manager. They quickly got down to business. At the start of the discussion the manager asked what was I looking for and I informed him that I was looking for a child plan , however the marketing rep’s talk got me interested in the current plan. He just mentioned they don’t have anything in terms of child plan and got about explaining me in detail their said plan. It was a unit linked plan and the minimum period was 5 years. After listening to their market talk, I just decided I needed more time to understand this plan and also had to do some market research about this. I conveyed the same to them and informed them, in case I need anything I will call the lady as I had her number. The manager asked for tentative time when I would be ready with my decision and I said in a week. He asked the lady to give me a reminder call then and that was the end of it. Two days later I got a call from another sales representative from ICICI asking if I was looking for a child plan. I just assumed the earlier guys had communicated my need to their concerned department and hence was getting this call. Even this sales rep wanted to meet in person and we agreed on a date.
Eventually I did my research and found the double return plan not so attractive, as compared to some other plans. Also the ‘double’ was just a statement based on past record. With market at a high there were no hopes of having double. So all said and done, I just dropped the plan. The earlier marketing rep called me after the said time was over and I informed my decision to her. When I informed her that I had got a call from their other team about child plan and might just go for that, I was in for a rude shock. The lady was suddenly aggressive. Said I should have followed some ethics and called her to confirm if she had asked anyone to contact me. She even made it a point to tell me, that she was in the kitchen cooking and because she remembered about me, she gave a call, how could I not call her, when I had said I would! It was my duty, was her contention. It reminded me of a school teacher scolding her pupil . I reasoned, that I never knew ICICI thought it best to have its own sales rep compete with each other, but in vain. I let the matter be as I thought maybe she was looking forward to this bonus amount and was upset that it was not working out. However I was in for another rude shock when after the call, in about half an hour I got a stinker message from the same person, who gave me more gyan on my behavior. “ You should not waste others time, money and energy. It is painful for some. Please act better next time and it just went on…”
So much for thinking before investing my hard earned money! I never knew I had no right to decide what is best for me! One thing is for sure, the next time I get a call I am not entertaining any of them. If I do need to invest I will just go to my investment portfolio manager. Lot less morally questioning and no hassles of unethical behavior, or worry of hurting someone’s sentiments :P and most importantly he does not expect me to invest in every plan he explains to me!