Considering the Telephone Preference Service (TPS)?

It makes no sense to speak to people who don’t want to be spoken to.

by Martin Cawley
Associate Director at Sample Answers Ltd

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) was introduced in 1999 as a way of preventing or reducing the number of unsolicited – or nuisance – calls to households. It subsequently expanded to include postal, fax numbers, business numbers, and mobile phones. Presently, enforcement occurs via the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and those in breach can expect the usual prosecution of fines and threats of court (and even prison for repeat offenders).

Firms whose business is to call households – whether that’s telemarketing, market research, or anything else – have a vested interest in keeping the public on their side. Best practice surely dictates that it makes no sense to try and speak to people who don’t want to be spoken to. If the person on the other end becomes annoyed, we end up in a negative vortex where complaints rise, agencies’ “hit rates” decline, and costs increase. Amongst all of this, market research has to conduct its surveys.