Whilst telemarketing is still very much a viable way of attracting customers, most people view them as nuisance calls and they can be; especially when they are scripted and irrelevant to you.
So how can you fight back against nuisance calls?
TPS register
Your first port of call should be to put your phone number on the TPS register http://www.tpsonline.org.uk
The TPS Register is “A free opt-out service enabling you to record your preference on the official register and not receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls.”
(Source: TPS Online website)
Should someone ring you and you are on the register, mention you are on the register. They should backtrack pretty quickly (apologising profusely) and hang up. Should they ignore that and keep calling you then you can make a complaint here: https://complaints.tpsonline.org.uk/consumer
To make a complaint you need:
- Your telephone number must be registered with TPS/CTPS for 28 days or more.
- The call that you are complaining about must be a live unsolicited direct marketing call where you engaged in a live conversation with the caller who tried to sell/market their products/service.
- You must be able to provide as a minimum the company name and/or telephone number, date and time of the call.
- You must consent that some information supplied (name, telephone number, postcode) will be supplied to the company against whom the complaint is made to enable them to coherently investigate the complaint, identify you on their record and remove as appropriate.
(Source: TPS Online website)
Please note that if you have consented to receive marketing then this company is allowed to call you even if you are on the TPS register.
Blocking
Sometimes, a business or individual will try their luck regardless of the TPS register and perhaps, would also ignore the complaint.
You can deal with these by blocking the numbers on your phone system. Most intuitive systems will have this facility built in.
Additionally, most people are under the impression that you can’t block nuisance calls from mobiles. You can. It’s even easier if it’s a work mobile because you should be able to do it from the same phone system your “landlines” are connected to.
Automation
Most phone systems (certainly the ones we advocate) have an automation facility. A few of our customers use them to send nuisance call on an automated journey. Some may call it pay-back, some may just see it is as a good way of weeding out the nuisance call from the viable call. Make of it as you will.
GDPR
The new GDPR legislation has mostly left telemarketing untouched, this is due to the TPS register being available. The main consideration under GDPR is that if you are called and you ask them not to contact you again, they must adhere to this. They will need to note it on their system and ensure that no other person from your business “accidentally” calls you again. Should they break this and you can prove it, then hello, hefty fines!