tJP

It seems that the Australian Federal Government will enact a ‘do not call register for business’ after the Senate Committee recommended that the new law be passed.

I fully understand the reason why the law is needed - I once spent a month in an out-bound cold calling call centre. One of those who’s role is to sell you a loyalty card for a hotel chain, or something similar. They are absolutely a pain as they are trained to close the sale there and then. The centre was broken down to those who had spent years there and the newbies that had just been trained - who might last a week or two at most. A business does not want to receive these calls! Hence the drive for a register.

However, in its current form the register will damage business. One client already washes the residential do not call register against the calls to be made - to ensure that they comply - as many small businesses work out of a home office. This has already reduced their capabilities to make customer calls. In my opinion they have over reacted to the privacy laws and the current do not call register - as they(think) they would be hammered in the press if they did not.

Things are likely to get very grey in this area. For example,  imagine Company A has a product that will reduce the cost of building a widget by 50%.

Company A knows that Company B builds widgets and would get benefit from it. But company A cannot contact company B as they are on the DNCR. If the Production manager at Company B hears about the product and wants to know more - but leaves a switchboard number and not his mobile number - his call may not be returned as they are on the DNCR.

Consequences - Company B goes out of business? Or does Company A risk the law and push ahead and make contact?

Industries that may struggle with this include phone, banks, insurance, IT - and not the Optus, Westpac, QBE’s but the thousands of brokers/resellers who distribute their products to other small businesses.

We would all like to get off the call list of hotel loyalty cards, but we don’t want to lose our business because of it!