While the DMA understood the damage silent calls were inflicting on consumer trust and confidence, its voice seemed a cry in the wilderness. The use of predictive diallers spread far beyond our industry, encompassing debt collection and market research as well as many in-house contact centre operations.
It seemed nobody outside the telemarketing industry was listening. Members of the public complained in huge numbers to local radio phone-in programmes, newspapers and TV shows.
Consumers showed their concern by registering with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), which was never designed to prevent silent calls and cannot do so because those outside the telemarketing industry do not clean their databases against the TPS master file.
The problem neared crisis point as MPs' postbags bulged with complaints.
There were debates in the Commons and last June the DMA reached beyond its membership to organise a summit meeting.
In October, Ofcom announced a consultation on its policy statement concerning the persistent misuse of communications networks and its powers under the Communications Act. We now have regulations that apply to any company using automated dialling equipment for whatever purpose. So, is this the end of silent calls?
In a literal sense "yes", because companies using diallers must now deliver a message that identifies the company responsible for the call. They must still keep these calls to a minimum and those who breach the regulations face stiff financial penalties. Nobody can be in any doubt that the silent call plague must end. The problem for the telemarketing industry is how to regain consumer trust.
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