Your 8-point guide to UK telemarketing laws and compliance
Telemarketing is a great way to reach your prospects and deliver the most personal message possible, so prospects and callers can interact in a meaningful and genuine two-way conversation that no other lead generation strategy can deliver.
As with most things though, there are rules and regulations that need to be followed. These are monitored and enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
We must stress: this blog does not provide accurate legal advice but is intended as a guide to help you understand what you can and can’t do – always seek qualified legal assistance or contact the ICO directly if you have any concerns.
Do not call Telephone Preference Service (TPS) registered numbers
This is probably the biggest one and also potentially the easiest to avoid as you can buy the latest and up-to-date TPS data directly from the TPS website.
All telemarketing agencies will have a process whereby they cross-check the latest TPS data against the data sources they are dialling to ensure this is avoided – we call it blacklisting.
Do not call people who have asked you not to
Essentially, anyone who has been called and told you not to call them again has opted out. These names and numbers need to be added to your blacklist or do not call list.
Always say who you are
Any dialler must say who they are and who they are calling from. Should the recipient ask for further information, this must be provided. E.g. a contact address and phone number, or even the agency you are calling from if you are dialling on behalf of a client.
Automated calls
If you use automated calls then be aware that restrictions around them are much tighter. A simple opt in to receive live calls alone is not sufficient and the lead must have opted in to receive automated calls in addition to live calls.
Businesses you can call
You may call any business so long as they are not registered on the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS). All business activity should be checked against this and blacklisted in the same way consumer data is from the TPS. Also, any business that has requested not to be called again should be blacklisted to avoid further calls.
Who you can call
You can essentially call anyone that is not registered on the TPS or CTPS, and has not objected to your calls.
You may call those registered on the TPS or CTPS if they have opted in to receive calls from you. For example, if they have requested further information via your website or other marketing material.
But we use marketing lists…
Again, this not illegal but you should check data against the most up-to-date lists from the TPS and CTPS to ensure that you are not illegally contacting anyone.
Further information
There is a wealth of great information available from the ICO and TPS websites (listed below are the links to relevant sections of those websites). If you have any questions about our practices, do not hesitate to get in touch and we will gladly help you.