| Don’t call my cell phone, lawmaker demands
Wisconsin cracked down on telemarketers on two fronts Wednesday. A bill preventing telemarketers from using cell phone numbers advanced in the state Legislature and the Department of Justice began a lawsuit against a telemarketing company for violating state restrictions. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, would make cell phone numbers eligible for the statewide No Call List, which previously was open only to landlines. “People don't want their cell phones called by telemarketers, that's the bottom line," said Julie Laundrie, spokesperson for Erpenbach. The bill also increased the maximum fine per violation from $100 to $1,000. Erpenbach's bill passed the Joint Committee on Finance with a few minor changes, including one that keeps small businesses from adding their numbers to the list.
Marketing outfit made 46 million illegal calls
A CALIFORNIAN telemarketing company which used automated gear to annoy the world with pre-recorded telemarketing pitches has been fined $180,000 for its antics. The Federal Trade Commission that Voice-Mail Broadcasting Corporation (VMBC) made 46 million illegal calls using the equipment. The FTC wanted to fine the company a million dollars but worked out that VMBC and its owner Jesse Crowe had no way to pay such a steep fine. The calls were flogging debt-consolidation and mortgage brokerage services and other retail and financial services. According to Network World, the equipment was supposed to leave messages on answerphones and it hung up if it got a human. This is illegal, as the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rules say that calls should be connected to a human sales representative within two seconds.
Wisconsin Sues Firm Over Telemarketing, Advertising Violations
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice is accusing an Arizona company of violating the state's telemarketing and deceptive advertising laws. The agency has filed a lawsuit against Preferred Readers Service Inc. after the state received numerous complaints from Wisconsin customers about the company's tactics. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said that the company called homes several times a day for weeks at a time and hung up when customers asked for caller identification. He said that some of those customers were on the state's Do-Not-Call registry. Van Hollen also said that the company received payments to authorize renewals for magazines but didn't have the authority to do so. A phone listing for the company in Glendale, Ariz., was disconnected.
Compliance Tips for Internal Audits in Outbound Telemarketing Services
With the existing telemarketing service environment being what it is, every company that makes outbound calls should be compliant with state and federal telemarketing laws. Consumers who look unfavorably upon telemarketing service provider calls may trigger requests from State Attorney Generals, The Federal Trade Commission, or The Federal Communications Commission regarding the activities of your company and the outbound telemarketing service strategies being utilized. The request can be a Federal Civil Investigation Demand from the government or a simple one number request from a State Bureau of Consumer Protection Administrative Office. The Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry has been accepting registration from consumers since June of 2003. The registry, as of December 4, 2007, had over 151 million telephone numbers listed on it. Because of this, telemarketing services companies have to be aware that some consumers are sensitive to any type of sales call or any call in general that they perceive to be a sales call. The government has done a good job of explaining to consumers that the Federal Do Not Call Registry will stop some but not all calls.
Omaha Steaks Responds to Privacy Complaint
Last week, I raked Omaha Steaks over the coals as a particularly annoying example of the continuing poor privacy practices of many Web sites. Well, I have to give the company credit for listening at least a little. A few hours ago, I got a letter via UPS to my doorstep from Omaha Steaks CEO Bruce Simon. He apologized for my receiving repeated, unwanted telemarketing calls and apparently took me off the company's list. (He also said the company is sending me a complimentary box of filet mignon. While I appreciate the sentiment, journalistic scruples will require me to decline the shipment. So if it hasn't been sent out, Mr. Simon, please hold the steaks.) Still, while it's good that the company at least offers an opt-out alternative for emails and removes customers from telemarketing lists on request, I don't think that's good enough in this day and age of relentless marketing pitches.
I-Vision launches first-class CRM outsourcing services in Abu Dhabi ...
Established in 2000, IVT provides IT and security solutions. The UAE-based company recently created a division, I-Vision Contact Center, in order to offer outsourced services in the GCC region with a specific focus on serving the IT, banking and telecommunications industries. The new contact centre facility is fully powered by Altitude Software technology. I-Vision currently manages outbound telemarketing campaigns on behalf of a major financial institution in the Middle East, as well as customer service operations for an IT solutions provider in the UAE. The outsourcing company is today able to handle various business campaigns including lead generation, inbound customer service, help-desk, appointment scheduling, market research, surveys as well as client retention. Pioneering CRM Service Provider in the World's richest cityI-Vision is positioned as the first and only provider of inbound and outbound CRM outsourcing services in Abu Dhabi, which is considered to be the richest city in the world by leading international publications such as Fortune.
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