You can’t trust anyone anymore.
This morning I called my Honda dealership to grab some parts for my precious Accord.
Went about as well as you’d expect.
RIIINNNNGGGGG!
“HELLO. I’m…EMMA. Your local…HONDA representative!” blasted the obviously AI-and-not-actually-Emma on the other end. “How can I direct your call today!?”
😒
Can’t stand these…no matter what you say, half the time the operator has no idea what you’re talking about and they have to redirect you to a real person anyway…
“SERVICE CENTER” I growl.
Emma didn’t care.
“Great! Now directing your call to the…SERVICE CENTER.”
RIIINNNNGGGGG!
“HELLO! Thank you for calling the…SERVICE CENTER. My name is…JONATHAN! Can I help you schedule service for your VEHICLE!?”
The same pauses…the same weird emphasis…
Are you kidding me?
Honda has a DIFFERENT AI operator at the service center? What, Emma was TOO BUSY to work two virtual desks?
😒
I’m starting to feel a little annoyed, so I lay it on really thick for JONATHAN:
“Don’t NEED to schedule service, JONATHAN,” my voice drips with sarcasm. “I need WIPER BLADE inserts.”
‘Jonathan’ pauses. Probably reconnecting to WiFi.
…
“Oh, uh. Oooooooo-kayyy… What CAN I help you with?”
(This AI is good!)
…
…
…
😲
“Jonathan, are you a real person!?”
“Yep, I’m real!” Jonathan replies with just a smidge of disdain.
Whoops.
“Haha, you sound automated!”
…
“Nope.”
…
Sorry, Jonathan.
This awkward exchange was still fresh on my mind later this afternoon, when I was screening freelancers for a Google Ads campaign.
As an Upwork client, every job I post gets flooded with 50+ proposals…
Most of which are OBVIOUSLY AI-generated or copied and pasted.
Yet I read all of them.
And do you know which ones stand out the most?
The ones that put effort into their freelancing BUSINESS.
They don’t treat Upwork like a side hustle. They’re great communicators.
They’re happy to give a little value upfront—because real clients aren’t trying to squeeze free labor out of them.
The more you tell, the more you sell—and sales calls are the perfect vehicle to tell ‘n’ sell.
Almost as perfect as a Honda Accord.
Almost.
And wanna know something funny?
The best way to get over your fear of sales calls…and any other freelancer woes weighing you down…is to jump on ANOTHER kind of call.
With me.
A one-on-one, INTIMATE, coaching call.
We’ll spend 60 minutes on Zoom together—just you and me, working on your freelancing business.
All According to plan,
Nick
P.S. If you’re not quite ready for a coaching call but still want help growing your freelancing business, join my daily email list here:
nickbandy.com/freelance
I think, therefore I am…not a Honda robot named Jonathan.
