When it comes to business-to-business telemarketing operations, you should be familiar with the terms TPS and CTPS. Consumers and businesses can opt out of being solicited by marketers over the phone by using the Telephone Preference Service and Corporate Telephone Preference Service.
It is aggravating to discover that you cannot reach out to or text a corporation that you suppose would benefit from your product or service. It is, however, illegal to contact people on these lists, therefore adherence to the rules is crucial.
TPS and CTPS – what are they and how do you define them?
“The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a central opt-out registry where people can express their desire not to receive unwanted sales and marketing calls.” Companies must not conduct such calls to TPS-registered lines because it is a regulatory necessity.”
“The Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) is a central opt-out registry where corporate customers can register their desire not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls to all or specific numbers within their business.” Companies are prohibited from making such calls to numbers listed on the CTPS by law.”
When it comes to B2B marketing, companies that do not want to be contacted by other companies can register with either the telephone preference service (TPS) or the corporate telephone preference service (CTPS), or both. For example, a single employee or sole trader may register with TPS, whereas a limited corporation may register with CTPS.
After a number is entered, it takes 28 days (approximately 4 weeks) for it to show on the relevant list; contacting the person or entity linked with that number at this time is illegal.
Our Solution
Here at Intouch Communications, we have a Compliance+ solution that we can provide for you.
Intouch offers TPS and CTPS over-the-phone checkers to assist and help avoid those hefty fines. Our over-the-phone checker will tell you if the number you’re dialling is registered with TPS and CTPS before asking you to go ahead with the call.
It’s as simple as that.
Remove the burden of needing to check the TPS and CTPS registered calls on a monthly basis.
Companies that got caught
Nottingham’s Call Centre Ops and Bournemouth’s House Guard were found to have made around 860,000 unlawful calls between them, prompting complaints to the ICO and the TPS.
Between May and October 2019, Call Centre Ops, a marketing firm, made a total of 159,461 unwanted direct marketing calls, according to the ICO’s investigation. A fine of £120,000 was imposed on them.
The Law
Making unwanted calls to TPS-registered lines has been illegal since May 1999. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is now actively investigating telemarketers that break the law and is considering using their enforcement powers to levy additional fines – failing to comply may be highly damaging to an organization’s reputation and finances.
The law was revised on April 6, 2015, reducing the requirement for customers to prove that unwanted marketing calls were causing significant hardship and injury. Within four months of the move, the ICO had levied £895,000 in fines to firms, with another £1 million on the way.
You do not need to screen against the registers if you are not making a call with the intention of making a sale, i.e., for pure market research. However, if you make a call to someone at the register that starts out as a research call but quickly turns into a sales call, or if you call with market research one day and then try to sell them something the next week, screening is required. This method is known as “Sugging” — selling under the guise of research – and it is used to get around TPS restrictions. Nothing is bypassed, and the activity bears the danger of hefty fines.
Find out more about our TPS and CTPS Checker if you’re determined to avoid a potential costly fee for phoning numbers of households or businesses that have elected not to accept unwanted marketing calls. Then, if you’d like to avoid these hefty fines simply contact us, and we’ll show you how to get set up fast and painlessly.
Frank Partnoy is a tech blogger who loves to share his thoughts about the latest gadgets and technology. He loves everything from smartphones, laptops, tablets and more!
