We all get them, we all dislike them and they are the brunt of more than a few internet jokes.They are those unsolicited calls from telemarketers.This writer receives no less than three a day and often they come from companies who have been told to remove my number from their call lists.This is the reason for the Do Not Call Registry.The question is; Will it work?Additionally will it impede companies with whom you have an existing relationship from calling.The business community has more questions than answers with this and the government line seems to be “We’ll get back to you.”
This legislation is to become effective on September 30, 2008.While the intent is good the application of the legislation has been poorly thought out.
Here are a few of the problems.
Consider a bank that has multiple divisions dealing with numerous financial services.There are divisions for insurance, investment, brokerage as well as banking.If the consumer blocks the brokerage from calling, is contact with other divisions within the rules since s/he already has an established relationship with the bank?
If a business has multiple products to offer, are they banned from offering these new products via telemarketing?Suppose the consumer has a relationship with a communications company such as Rogers and they are subscribing to cable television.Is Rogers prevented from contacting the customer with offerings from its cellular or home phone business?
Are those lovely calls from offshore restricted?The offshore company is contracted for telemarketing services in North America and there is often no way to determine who the real seller is.Number displays are blocked and the consumer is asked to call another number.Is the consumer now making the contact and thus letting the telemarketer and client off the hook?
Businesses will have to request callers to restrict their calls internally.In other words they will be self policing.
So, to be clear, if you have purchased something from a company in the previous 18 months, that company is exempt from the Do Not Call List.It won’t matter if the goods or services were unsatisfactory, you still made the purchase and they or their agents can legally call.Exempt from this legislation are: Political Parties and Candidates, Registered Charities, Polling and Marketing Research Companies and General Circulation Newspapers who are selling subscriptions.
IF the volume of unsolicited calls is reduced that is a good thing, however the next question is will Canada Post benefit from increased paper advertising?That is bad for the environment.
There are a lot more questions to be answered about this legislation and no one, even the government seems to have answers.Should we be surprised?