Certification scheme for telemarketing industry to combat threat from nuisance calls
Howard Lake | 31 October 2013 | News
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) has introduced a certification scheme for the UK telemarketing industry to try to combat the reputational threat of 'nuisance calls' made by businesses that flout the law.
TPS Assured will enable companies to demonstrate to their clients, regulators and the public that they comply with all the rules governing telemarketing, together with industry best practice.
TPS Assured will help companies that make legitimate outbound sales and marketing calls to UK consumers, including fundraising calls to donors, ensure they comply with the relevant regulations. These include the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), Ofcom's guidelines and TPS Assured’s industry best practice guidelines.
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Companies that earn TPS Assured certification will be audited annually to check that they can continue to display the TPS Assured mark.
The TPS Assured scheme has already been piloted by Anglian Home Improvements and consumer group Which?, following its ;'Calling Time' campaign.
Complaints about nuisance calls
According to telecommunications regulator Ofcom, complaints about nuisance calls hit a record monthly high this year, with over 10,000 complaints in February 2013. This clearly represents considerable reputational damage to the legitimate telemarketing industry.
John Mitchison, Head of the Telephone Preference Service, said: "Nuisance calls are not just a problem for consumers, they are also harmful to the legitimate telemarketing industry which is unfortunately tarred with the same brush. This undermines telemarketing’s effectiveness and the businesses that depend on it to drive sales.
"The TPS Assured scheme will help to restore confidence in telemarketing by helping businesses, consumers and regulators to clearly identify those companies that operate on the right side of the law."
Photo: Nuisance call by SoumenNath on Shutterstock.com
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.