Representatives of Telefonica, Orange,Vodafone, Yoygo and Ono recently signed in Spain a Code of Ethics to regulate their commercial calls to consumers. Under the Code the signatories are committed to implement a series of, what operators call, good practices in the business calls. In this first agreement, which is open to the incorporation of new operators, the signatories assure that they have made a great effort to provide a set of guarantees, specially in the way in which the calls are carried out, frecuency, repetition, and control of the phone calls received by consumers. Anithing is better than nothing.
Evident and reiterated missconduct
The fact that the telecom operators impose themselves a self regulation favouring that calls become more bearable do not mean in any way that they stop being abusive and annoyingly invading consumers’ privacy. The privacy of consumers that in many cases are their customers already or could become clients in future.
Given that the spam is forbidden; given that there is a Law in Spain to protect the personal data (LOPDP), which bans getting in touch directly with citizens using their name, lastname, address and other personal data, unless the data owner gives her/him express consent to send him/her commercial offers or promotional communictions by e-mail or post mail; given that there is a very extended sense and culture against intrusive advertising, also in Spain, one get at least amused by this Code of Ethics.
Are the telecom operators perhaps trying to show that they are good guys?. In fact they are not and probably they are even acting against the existing law.
Telecom operators, do not disturb with commercial phone calls, please, and thatt’s all. Unless the consumer gives his/her express consent, as the law and most elementary respect for people’s privacy demand, don’t call.
Direct marketing, even phone marketing, is welcome, but whenever legal. I wouldn’t “dizzy the hen”, because a dizzy hen doesn’t lay any gold eggs. Even more, a dizzy hen does lay no egg at all.
Image over the headline.- ‘donotdisturb’. © Eastwind.
