Re: Industry Reaction Mixed to DNC Ruling (Direct Newsline, Sept. 24)
I want to comment on the recent court decision re the national do not call list..In my opinion, the decision will doubtlessly enable the telemarketing industry to continue to function more lucratively than it would have if the federal law had stood the court test, I believe that the telemarketing industry has just dealt itself the worst public relations black eye imaginable.
The fact that millions of Americans responded to the opportunity to be placed on a national do not call list speaks volumes re the average person’s dismay with ill-timed(for the citizen) phone calls, unwanted products, and in some cases, out and out telemarketing fraud. The national “do not call” list was one of the most welcome changes to federal law enacted in recent years.
In arguing to keep the citizens from the opportunity to have such a national do not call list, the telemarketing industry has just upped the anger scale every time the average consumer has a meal interrupted by a strategically timed call from a telemarketer. In my case, my response to such calls with go from polite “no thank yous”(as is now the case) to anger filled responses to the callers. Unfortunately, those of us whose dinner is cooling at the dining room table while we answer the unwanted calls, will not know whether the telemarketer is going to be a high school girl at a part time job in Omaha, or a professional con man on the coast………..but, the result will be the same….anger…not so much at the individual as it will be directed to the telemarketing industry in general.
In my opinion, the telemarketing industry should take a step back, retool their operations plans to optimize success with those who choose to receive their calls, and perhaps gear up for the area of real potential for growth………..the overseas markets where they are still relative innocents re the ways of the telemarketing industry.
Charles F. Zulfer, Lt. Colonel, USAF (Retired)
Network
