New laws surrounding B2C cold-calling

Facts

In total there were over 175,000 complaints related to nuisance B2C calls and texts, made to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2014.

However, new legislation has made it easier for companies making unwanted marketing calls and texts to consumers to be hit with fines of up to £500,000.*

But as a business, should this matter to you? And why should you care about telemarketing anyway?

Enforcement

Currently the law requires that before action can be taken, the ICO has to prove that a company caused a consumer ‘substantial damage or substantial distress’, due to their conduct. However, the new law has seen the Government remove this threshold, resulting in the ICO having the power to assist with more cases that are brought to them.

Justice and Civil Liberties Minister Simon Hughes believes that: ‘Being pestered by unwanted marketing calls and texts can bring real misery for the people on the receiving end.’ He went on to say that the new change in the law, which comes into effect from 6th April 2015, will make it easier for the Information Commissioner ‘to take quick and firm action against companies who give so much grief to so many people.’*

But is B2B or B2C telemarketing worth considering anyway?

Recent research would suggest yes. Despite the damage a small number of ‘rogue’ companies might have done to the industry, telemarketing is still in favour with B2B and B2C Sales and Marketing Managers, with each channel producing an ROI of over 400%.**

Need to know more? Get in touch!

Back to News