Retailers must meet certain obligations when engaging in any telemarketing activities - including where these services are outsourced.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is responsible for the operation of the Do Not Call Register and for ensuring compliance with rules governing telemarketing activities.
Solar industry-related telemarketing activity is a key focus for the ACMA, due to the high number of complaints received. A large number of these complaints regard calls made by call centres either on behalf of solar businesses or with the intention of gathering customer leads to then on sell to solar businesses.
Remember, it's not just the call centre that can be held liable for telemarketing calls made to people on the register, but also the business that engaged them. Just one call to a registered number could result in a penalty.
If you make telemarketing calls or engage a call centre to make calls on your behalf, you need to ensure all numbers are checked against the Do Not Call Register prior to calling. Even if you purchase telephone numbers or leads from a third party, or you engage a call centre to make calls for you, you are still responsible for ensuring calls are not made to numbers on the register.
You are not allowed to make any unsolicited telemarketing calls to any number listed on the Register.
Even if a number is not on the Do Not Call Register, you must still comply with the rules contained in the industry standard.
The standard contains rules for:
Businesses should familiarise themselves with the industry standard, as failure to comply may result in a penalty.
More information can be found on the Do Not Call Register website.
If you engage a call centre to generate leads for your business, there are some straightforward steps you should follow to avoid calling registered numbers. These include:
For more information visit the Do Not Call Register website.
