| Comment Number: | 525547-00027 |
| Received: | 11/1/2006 5:39:59 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Leslie Christianson |
| State: | WA |
| Subject: | Telemarketing Sales Rule |
| Title: | Request for Public Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
Pre-recorded messages providing information to me as a valued customer, by my service provider, explaining opportunities that I may have otherwise miss out on are critical in today’s competitive marketplace and provide a cost effective way for businesses to communicate and retain their customers. As a consumer there is a large difference between receiving a solicitation over the phone from company that has no idea if I am even interested in their product or services VS. an organization I have an existing relationship with informing me, for example, that as a banking customer I have bounced a check and then provides an offer for overdraft protection. This is viewed more as a service than a solicitation. I have received a call like this in the past, where my airline called with an automated message letting me know that I qualified for an upgrade to first class on my flight for a small nominal fee. I want to know about specific offers that companies I choose to do business with can provide to me if it will offer some benefit or value to me as their customer. Businesses can not afford to provide this type of service and communication with live customer service agents, therefore they seek other means of communication, automated messages being one of them. A majority of the time an automated message is better than a live agent and easier to understand. I wish businesses I purchase goods and services from would inform me more often of discounts and savings on other products or services I am approved for. Organizations providing a pre-recorded marketing message increasing service to their customers coupled with an opt-out option should not be categorized as a pure solicitation or telemarketing annoyance. I feel the FTC and FCC should 1) be on the same page with their rules and regulations and 2) take a closer look at how they define these types of pre-recorded messages in the rules and regulations.