Telephone Preference Service?

bridiej

I've been registered with the TPS for over two years, and it's worked well up to now.

Since my business has been in Yellow Pages suddely seem to have had a flurry of calls - mainly in the last week, with the latest one this morning (on a SUNDAY!!)

They are market research calls and when I tell them that I'm registered with TPS they say that I can still receive market research calls.

Is this correct and, if so, what's the point of TPS then?

nearlyrich

We got a couple of calls last week even though we are TPS registrered, I usually get their full details and input it into the complaint form as they are on the phone if my computer is switched on at the time. Last week we got a call from a company trying to offer me a loan and one from a political party canvassing for the forthcoming elections. Not sure if they were out of order but the political party we are involved with has TPS by our names on all their call/mail lists.

A few months ago I got a " market research" call from an alarm company, I asked if they would be trying to upgrade our security arrangements if their survey showed we needed it and they said yes. I said that it makes it a sales call and they were breaking the law which made them put the phone down quick. Don't let them get away with it, especially on a Sunday.

aeuerby

We are also registered with the TPS but in the last couple of weeks we have had a few calls from various companies.

The latest one was last Friday from Staybright Windows. I let the girl read through her script (in that horrible singing type voice that they use!) and when she asked how many windows I needed to replace I asked her where the number has come from.

She told me it was sequential dialing. When I told her we were registered with the TPS she told me that if that is the case it usually shows up on the system and won't allow them to dial the number. She also told me that her system must be down as she has had no problem all day. I wasn't convinced of this reply ands was going to check this out with the TPS. The explanation came a little too quickly and too well rehearsed to be true!!

Heading off to have a look at the TPS website now.

Angela.

Spendless

Bridie - have you still got your paperwork from when you registered? i seem to remember there being something in it that either excludes market research or excludes if you have given a number out yourself. I haven't got my paperwork so can't tell you but someone else might be able to.

worldtraveller

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a list for people to register their number, in order to stop receiving cold call sales contacts and marketing calls. Anyone undertaking this kind of activity has to purchase the TPS list and screen out all TPS numbers against their target list.

Unfortunately, market research is not this kind of activity and therefore there is no requirement to screen research samples against the TPS. However, if part of the market research includes the collection of personal details to pass on to a client for marketing or sales purposes then the market research company would need to screen against the TPS.

Also, please note that calls from outside the U.K. are also not covered. That's why a lot of the scam lottery calls, and similar calls, originate from overseas.

If you are receiving "silent calls", where you answer and there is nobody there, it's probably generated by automatic dialing equipment where there are not enough operators for the number of dialled calls. In this case you can also register with the Silent Callgard Service on 0870 4443969.

Hope this helps!

bridiej

Thanks worldtraveller.

Still annoying, especially on a flippin' Sunday!!!