TPS Advice

[RoseRover]

Hi

I'm aware of the TPS legislation as I have registered my own home number to stop the awful sales calls in the evening when I don't want to be disturbed....

I'm just starting out my new business and want to call up local businesses to see if I can set up some meetings with them. I was going to use web searches and yellow pages to get numers to call. Am I supposed to screen these numbers against TPS type lists or as it's small volume, will I be OK?

Thanks in advance

Rose

 

[ITsoldUK]

Hi

I'm aware of the TPS legislation as I have registered my own home number to stop the awful sales calls in the evening when I don't want to be disturbed....

I'm just starting out my new business and want to call up local businesses to see if I can set up some meetings with them. I was going to use web searches and yellow pages to get numers to call. Am I supposed to screen these numbers against TPS type lists or as it's small volume, will I be OK?

Thanks in advance

Rose

Businesses need to be registered with the corporate tps => http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ctps/what/

IMHO course you should screen, small volume or not.

After all, that is why it is there.

Turn it around, you have registered so would you appreciate cold calls once your number is registered?

HTH

Regards
Daren

 

[Phil Richardson]

Yes you do need to screen again the CTPS, there are tools online where you can screen a single number at a time for free or for a small fee you can screen your whole database.

It is also worth screening on a regular basis because if a company registers with the CTPS all unsolicited sales calls need to stop within 28 days.

There are a whole load of posts on here with companies slagging off telemarketing, one reason is that most companies ignore the CTPS.

 

[DomainsRegistrar]

I agree, following rules will help telesales guys not getting shot down.
TPS is there for a reason, regardless of volume, the one person you call that is on TPS will not care about the volume of data you have he will think that you have broken rules and given ammunition to shoot down the good sales guys.

 

[Adam Loveday]

I can echo what everybody else has said here! You DO need to screen your data agains the CTPS (corporate) register to be compliant. Can I also add that for 100% compliance with current legislation you should also screen against the TPS register (consumer) since Sole Traders and Partnerships (excepting Scotland) can register there, too.

rgds
Adam

 

[kate1]

I use Marketing file, £20 for 2000 number checks. You can use them as you go along or upload a file which is quicker

 

[MACC MIKE]

hi kate1
thats seems very cheap for 2000. Have you got any contact details please. Thanks

 

[kate1]

http://www.marketingfile.com/

 

[Ivanzyt]

All that has been said above may well be true but should be tempered by the fact that no one has ever been prosecuted for breaking TPS rules..... technically you can get fined £5000 but the legislation in place is actually unenforcable.

My opinion of TPS is that it simply sends out a signal that the businesses with it are likely to be difficult to deal with. They are the kind of businesses that have no names policies, encourage prickly attitudes in their gate keepers and generally make doing business with them difficult. I find the culture of such businesses to be uncondusive to the types of relationship I want to foster and so generally make it a policy no to deal with businesses that have TPS if possible. I will sell to such businesses but a TPS listing from a potential supplier is a big red flag in my book.

I can kind of understand having cold calling blocked from home addresses but blocking cold calls from a place of business just smacks of weakness. If you can't handle a few cold calls then I'd seriously question your ability to do your job. Its very easy to deal with cold calls, I do it all the time every day, if they don't grab my interest within the first few seconds I just say no thanks and just hang up! Takes moments. If I'm really busy then I just won't take the call. If they keep calling back and pestering me then I'll simply tell them that regardless of any deal they have I am never going to do business with them ever as a matter of principle but they are welcome to call me back and waste their time if they wish.

 

[bdw]

I can kind of understand having cold calling blocked from home addresses but blocking cold calls from a place of business just smacks of weakness. If you can't handle a few cold calls then I'd seriously question your ability to do your job.

I think you may find that a few people would disagree with that statement.

How on earth can you make any correlation between someone's business ability and their preference not to accept cold callers? :|

.

 

[Fortis]

Hi -

We use https://www.tpsmanage.com/ - they are very cost effective, from £6.00 (plus VAT for 1000) - and if you are happy to check numbers as you go ie manually input each one its Free Of Charge.

Would be worth you taking a look at this. If you need any further assistance feel free to pm me.

Cheers

Rich

 

[maxine]

Another resource is selectabase £10 per month for unlimited manual checks or annual fee for auto check via spreadsheet upload

 

[captaincloser]

I think you may find that a few people would disagree with that statement.

How on earth can you make any correlation between someone's business ability and their preference not to accept cold callers? :|

.

This thread could go the usual way once the guys who work from their bedroom get stuck in.

Business is business. Don't worry folks just check against CTPS and away you go.

 

[Ivanzyt]

I think you may find that a few people would disagree with that statement.

How on earth can you make any correlation between someone's business ability and their preference not to accept cold callers? :|

.

If someone is in a position of authority then they should be able to handle cold callers. Its part of business life and comes with the territory of being a decision maker in a business. More importantly cold callers are often a valuable source of information so any decision maker that blocks them is not doing their job properly as they are not getting all the information available to them.

If someone hides behind TPS it tells me that they are either to weak to just say no, cant organise their time well enough, don't know how to use voice mail, or are somehow worried about being pursuaded to do something they don't want to by the sales guys jedi mind tricks. None of the above are desirable traits in a manager, well not in my business anyway.

But more importantly there are already a 100 ways to avoid cold callers if you don;t want to speak to them. There is this amazing technology in phones these days called a DND button, or there is voice mail, or there is telling your receptionist that you are busy, or just don;t pick up the phone if you are busy or just hang up! We don't need governments interferring with legislation.

 

[bdw]

I have to say that I totally disagree with these most radical of theories but whatever!

.

 

[telemax]

We don't need governments interferring with legislation.

Yep, that's just what the economy needs right now. Dishonest, expense claiming politicians telling Jo Bloggs the Catering shop owner that he's not allowed to ring a few hotels to try and drum up some business.

The terms nanny state, or Soviet Union in the 1980's spring to mind.

 

[bdw]

More importantly cold callers are often a valuable source of information so any decision maker that blocks them is not doing their job properly as they are not getting all the information available to them.

Often?

To each his own I suppose but in my ten plus years in business cold callers have never been a source of anything other than irritation and intrusion. Sorry, but I already know that many more people would be inclined to agree with my take on this than yours ...

<<<comment removed by mod>>>

 

[firstmarket]

... but I have to add that this one is unique in that we have someone telling as that if we don't like cold callers we are not fit to be in business.

.

I think he has a valid point about the mindset and the ability of people who are unable to handle something so simple as a telesales call.

If people are unable to deal with something so simple then it's reasonable to presume they'd struggle with major decisions or problems that occur

 

[bdw]

If people are unable to deal with something so simple then it's reasonable to presume they'd struggle with major decisions or problems that occur

I don't think it is reasonable to assume this at all.

Actually it has absolutely nothing to do with their ability to "deal with" it. They are free to choose whether or not they want to receive cold calls. They are also free to deal with those they receive as they see fit. In fact I would question the logic of anyone who suggests that I should not be in business because I don't like cold callers. That's just ludicrous.

My opinion of TPS is that it simply sends out a signal that the businesses with it are likely to be difficult to deal with. They are the kind of businesses that have no names policies, encourage prickly attitudes in their gate keepers and generally make doing business with them difficult. I find the culture of such businesses to be uncondusive to the types of relationship I want to foster and so generally make it a policy no to deal with businesses that have TPS if possible.

Knowing the extent and depth of feeling that exists against cold calling I would suggest that making it a policy not to deal with people who have signed up for the TPS based solely on the fact that they have done so would be extremely short sighted. I would further suggest that the management skills of anyone who makes such a decision are more likely to be questioned.

.

 

[firstmarket]

I don't think it is reasonable to assume this at all.

Actually it has absolutely nothing to do with their ability to "deal with" it. They are free to choose whether or not they want to receive cold calls. They are also free to deal with those they receive as they see fit. In fact I would question the logic of anyone who suggests that I should not be in business because I don't like cold callers. That's just ludicrous.


.

I would hold you up as a prime example. Your one man mission to highlight the horrors of telesales are pulling you away from otherwise productive work you could be doing to the benefit of your business.

 

[Adam Loveday]

I actually agree with bdw. The fact that he finds telesales an irritation may well be justified and certainly not a sign of weakness. I can fully understand why sole traders, partnerships and very small companies could find sales calls a distraction and irritation if they receive multiple calls per day. This was partly the reason why sole traders and partneships have always had recourse to register with the . The CTPS just extended this to all other businesses.

rgds
Adam

PS - And Yes! I do use 'cold-calling' in my business development role

 

[Ivanzyt]

I don't think it is reasonable to assume this at all.

Actually it has absolutely nothing to do with their ability to "deal with" it. They are free to choose whether or not they want to receive cold calls.

Indeed they are free to deal with cold calls how they see fit, but you don't need to hide behind TPS to do this. If I get a cold call that I don't want or I'm too busy to take calls I either tell them I busy and put the phone down or put DND on my phone. I can handle cold calls without hiding behind sate legislation.

They are also free to deal with those they receive as they see fit. In fact I would question the logic of anyone who suggests that I should not be in business because I don't like cold callers. That's just ludicrous.

Its not a question of liking or not liking cold callers its a question of hiding behind some interfering government legislation. We are in all in business you, me and cold callers. If you can;t handle the normal every day interactions of business then its just bit wet in my opinion. I can understand protecting old grannies from predatory cold callers by have ex directory type services, that makes sense, but extending that to places of business is just the state interfering in business.

Knowing the extent and depth of feeling that exists against cold calling I would suggest that making it a policy not to deal with people who have signed up for the TPS based solely on the fact that they have done so would be extremely short sighted.

I actually said I would not deal with them if possible. Its a red flag not a golden rule. Obviously I'm not going to turn away business just because they are on TPS but if I'm looking to form a long standing relationship with a supplier or, customer for that matter, then I will assess that companies business culture, values and way of opperating. Hiding behind TPS, no names policies and other such measures tells me that the company in question is not open, not friendly and a bit wet. I don't like dealing with such companies, I prefer an open an honest dialogue and I can't stand people who hide behind rules and regulations. So if possible I would avoid getting in bed with such an introveted organisation because it probably won't work out too well in the end.

I would further suggest that the management skills of anyone who makes such a decision are more likely to be questioned.

Really?
You would question the management skills of someone who assess the business culture of those he wants to form relationships with and uses the outwards displays of culture like phone policy and manner as clues to what that culture may be? Seems to be common sense to me.

First impressions count. If my first impression is of that company being an introverted, prickly and unfriendly then it ain't a good impression. Its almost as bad as those morons who seem to take great pains to hide their phone number in some obscure place on their website so its impossible to find or don;t bother putting it on there at all. That just screams to me "we don't like talking to people".

 

[bdw]

I would hold you up as a prime example.

That has happened many time before. I am that type of a guy.

Indeed they are free to deal with cold calls how they see fit, but you don't need to hide behind TPS to do this.

The TPS - invented for failing business people.

... and all of these people are wrong.

"Unwanted phone calls – or cold calls – are one of the UK's most-hated marketing tactics. Don't put up with them - use Which? top tips to keep unwanted phone calls to a minimum."

http://www.which.co.uk/technology/ph...op-cold-calls/

And Money saving expert ...
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/no-more-junk

And Ofcom ...
http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/stop_sales_calls

And the Gov ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy...gulations_2003

And the BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3631969.stm

And the Daily Mail ...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...acy-rules.html

And Citizen's Advice ...
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_20110501

And Moneywise ...
http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2009...ling-companies

And Parliament ...
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05762.pdf

And This is Money ...
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/b...crackdown.html

And the Guardian ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006...ersonaleffects

I can get you some more if you like?
​

 

[bdw]

Your one man mission to highlight the horrors of telesales are pulling you away from otherwise productive work you could be doing to the benefit of your business.

Ah, but I am signed up for the TPS so that makes me incapable of running a business, does it not?

.

 

[kate1]

Lift on third floor, going down.

 

[bdw]

Second floor now.

.

 

[kate1]

Ha ha As long as nobody hits the emergency button....and we get stuck

 

[firstmarket]

That has happened many time before. I am that type of a guy.


The TPS - invented for failing business people.

... and all of these people are wrong.

"Unwanted phone calls – or cold calls – are one of the UK's most-hated marketing tactics. Don't put up with them - use Which? top tips to keep unwanted phone calls to a minimum."

http://www.which.co.uk/technology/ph...op-cold-calls/

And Money saving expert ...
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/no-more-junk

And Ofcom ...
http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/stop_sales_calls

And the Gov ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy...gulations_2003

And the BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3631969.stm

And the Daily Mail ...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...acy-rules.html

And Citizen's Advice ...
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_20110501

And Moneywise ...
http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2009...ling-companies

And Parliament ...
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05762.pdf

And This is Money ...
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/b...crackdown.html

And the Guardian ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006...ersonaleffects

I can get you some more if you like?
​

Yes please.

 

[telemax]

.

"Unwanted phone calls – or cold calls – are one of the UK's most-hated marketing tactics.

Adverts pushing people into taking loans out at 4000% APR

No win no fee solicitors pushing everyone's premiums up and draining the NHS of cash

Silly competitions that get people spending a quid a minute on a phone call

Sweets in supermarkets designed to make kids emotionally blackmail their parents next to the checkout.


The list goes on and on. Lets just legistlate against all of them!!

 

[captaincloser]

Ah, but I am signed up for the TPS so that makes me incapable of running a business, does it not?

.

I think it is grossly unfair on TPS to expect them to shoulder the responsibility for the incapabaility you appear to be suffering in running your business ? (see above)

Surely there is another reason for you being incapable of running a business?

 

[telemax]

."

http://www.which.co.uk/technology/ph...op-cold-calls/​

And the Daily Mail ...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...acy-rules.html​

And the Guardian ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006...ersonaleffects​

I can get you some more if you like? ​

Interesting to note that at some point I've been on the receiving end of advertising sales calls from these 3 organisations.

 

[bdw]

Adverts pushing people into taking loans out at 4000% APR
No win no fee solicitors pushing everyone's premiums up and draining the NHS of cash
Silly competitions that get people spending a quid a minute on a phone call
Sweets in supermarkets designed to make kids emotionally blackmail their parents next to the checkout.

The list goes on and on. Lets just legistlate against all of them!!

#
Good idea, I am with you on that.

.

 

[Ivanzyt]

All those reports from the daily mail, which, the bbc etc seem to be about b2c cold calling. My beef is with businesses which seem to have a problem with be cold called. Rattling off a load of evidence about how people don't like being called in their own homes is thus completely irrelevant to the point I was making. There is a fundamental difference between not wanting to be called in your own home and not being able to handle phone calls into your place of business (the grey area being people that work from home I suppose).

 

[RoseRover]

I wasn't expecting to start quite this debate but thankyou for the advice and the companies I can use to check small volumes. Sounds like the way to go.

Rose

 

[bdw]

You only have to mention cold calling in here to start a war Rose.

Best of luck (but please don't call me).

.

 

[Montaigne]

by the sales guys jedi mind tricks

"These are the PAT Testers you are looking for!"