Six days before the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry regulation takes effect on 2nd January, the commission came out with an exemption that allows companies to continue sending text and fax messages to existing customers even if their numbers are registered on the registry.
This effectively means that you all will still be receiving telemarketing messages from your credit card companies and banks. However, you have the option to unsubscribe from them by contacting these companies individually. The move came in light of ambiguity on the type of "in service" messages that would be considered as telemarketing messages. Another reason quoted was that some consumers may wish to continue receiving such information despite having registered with the DNC Registry. The spokesperson went on to emphasize on "having an ongoing relationship" by explaining that a one-off transaction is not sufficient to establish an ongoing relationship. Isn't it irony? They came out with a regulation and then add in an exemption which literally reverse the whole thing back to its original state. How do you differentiate between one-off transaction and ongoing relationship? Doesn't all ongoing relationship started off with a one-off transaction? I go into a shop to buy something. The business owner keeps in touch with me. I go in a second time to patronize the shop. Let's talk about credit card companies and banks. What is the definition of relationship? Do you consider that a relationship is established just because someone holds a credit card from this company? What if the credit card holder never ever use the credit card to make payment? Well, if you are running a business, this is a relieve to you as you can still continue sending marketing messages to your existing customers. But think about it. Why do consumers hate receiving these messages? Most of the times, these marketing messages are irrelevant. How many times have you receive SMS offering you a housing loan which you have no need for? Or receiving sales information of a store that you do not patronize? So stop spending money sending useless mass telemarketing SMS to your customers and pissing them off. Don't depend on the exemption clause as an excuse to continue Concentrate on finding and serving those who are most likely to buy. And make sure you have something worth saying and an irresistible offer.
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AuthorOutrageous Marketing Archives
May 2020
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