New telemarketers' association targets TPS abuses

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 19-Aug-05, 07:00

LONDON – Data Locator and its group data director Richard Webster are spearheading the formation of a telemarketing industry association that intends to lobby for a complete review of the Telephone Preference Service.

The Telemarketing Association will take shape under a steering party of five to 10 founding members, which will be announced in the next month, before further members are recruited. Webster is taking on the role of steering party chairman of the TMA, and is handling membership enquiries.

The TMA has two main criticisms of the way that the TPS is currently working, based on research conducted by Data Locator.

First, it claims telephone numbers are being registered with the TPS without the knowledge of households. Second, it believes that on a large scale, non-compliant telemarketers are still calling registered households and the industry must do more to root them out.

Data Locator surveyed 2,000 TPS registrants from its call centre and found that 53% were not familiar with the service despite the fact they were registered.

Adding to the confusion, half of the people who had heard of the service did not believe they were registered.

"It appears that numbers are being registered through channels other than the householders themselves and the current system is working neither for the industry, nor for consumers," according to the TMA.

Webster pointed out that a number can be registered on the TPS with a call from any number whereas in the US a number can be registered on the TPS equivalent, the Do Not Call List, only by calling from the number itself.

Furthermore, 65% of the people who were aware they had registered said they had continued to receive sales calls. The TMA intends to investigate further on this issue.

The TMA has stressed that it fully supports the DMA's action on telemarketing, and it is being set up to provide an additional and heavily focused effort to effect positive change.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum.