CALLCOMMAND RELEASES GUIDELINES FOR PANICKED RETAILERS TO NAVIGATE DO-NOT-CALL LEGISLATION

The creation of a do-not-call list by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) caused a nationwide stir this past week as national news outlets reported the news to consumers across the United States. However, confusion reigned in retail companies across the nation as panicked retailers scrambled to understand how this legislation will affect their business practices. CallCommand, a new Web-based calling system that incorporates the use of Internet technology to help retailers maintain close personal relationships with their customers, has released a set of guidelines to better prepare retail businesses to meet the necessary compliance standards.

For additional information contact:
Sara West-Callahan
Carter-West Public Relations
Phone: 949-369-6980. Fax: 949-369-6986
E-mail: swest@earthlink.net

CALLCOMMAND RELEASES GUIDELINES FOR PANICKED RETAILERS TO NAVIGATE DO-NOT-CALL LEGISLATION

CINCINNATI, OHIO (PRWEB) July 1 2003-The creation of a do-not-call list by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) caused a nationwide stir this past week as national news outlets reported the news to consumers across the United States. However, confusion reigned in retail companies across the nation as panicked retailers scrambled to understand how this legislation will affect their business practices. CallCommand, a new Web-based calling system that incorporates the use of Internet technology to help retailers maintain close personal relationships with their customers, has released a set of guidelines to better prepare retail businesses to meet the necessary compliance standards.

CallCommand has also expanded its product offering to help telemarketers assure compliance to the new do-not-call legislation. The new products include a database data cleansing service, enhanced Company no call list" reporting, State and Federal No Call list reporting and a new section in the training guide; Recommended telemarketing policies and procedures for retailers".

The FCC estimates that telemarketers attempt up to 104 million calls per day and predicts that signing up on this list will prevent 80% of those calls. According to CallCommand CEO Al Babbington, that can mean good news for retailers; namely, unwanted, untimely communications will go away and consumers will be less distracted.

The release of the list has created so much confusion in the market place. However, retailers need to know that this new legislation can be used to their advantage. This will make telephone calls to their customers and prospects that much more effective," Babbington commented.

Successful retailers have always used the telephone to effectively communicate with their customers and prospects. Now call recipients will not have to sort through all the unwanted calls. Timely, personal and relevant communication will be better received," Babbington added.

Retailers must now take steps to assure their business is in compliance prior to the October 1st release. If retailers fail to take action now and change their telephone procedures they could face litigation and severe penalties for each offense.       

However," Babbington adds, for smart retailers this is not necessarily bad news. It is a time to clean up database management systems and mine old databases for current prospects."

The new law states that as of October 1, retailers can only call customers who have made a purchase within the last 18-months, or who have contacted the dealership with an enquiry within the last 90-days. Many retailers have a gold mine of prospects in their databases that fall beyond this time period. It is time to wake up old databases or forever rest in peace. Thousands of prospects will be lost to businesses if they do not act in the next 60-days and solicit those customers," commented Babbington.

CallCommand has issued a set of steps they suggest retailers follow to prepare for the impending legislation:

•   Clean up your customer database. Merge, purge and cleanse the data so that you have a clear understanding of who has done business with you in the last 18 months.

•   Centralize your prospect initiatives. Assure that your Internet, walk-in, and phone prospects are kept in a single file so that you can easily identify prospects that have not inquired in the last 90 days.

•   Talk to your Lost Souls" Your sales customers that have not done business in the last 18 months are great prospects for a Welcome Back" offer. Call them now to deliver your offer, reestablish a relationship or you will lose the right to communicate to them in the future

•   Add opt in language to your privacy policy. Get express permission to communicate to your customer and prospects on an opt in basis.

•   Maintain a company specific no call list. Ensure that all employees that use the telephone understand the importance of compliance.

According to Babbington, if understood and correctly prepared for, the new legislation can in fact be more friend than foe to the majority of retail businesses; the day after the media announced the release of the do-not-call list I was flooded with more than 30 calls from concerned retailers. The fact is that if understood and used correctly, this law is an ally to retailers, not an enemy. Those retailers who act now and put the proper processes in place can benefit from a goldmine of prospects and greatly increased sales potential," Babbington commented.

ABOUT CALL COMMAND:

CallCommand is a new Web-based personalized calling system that incorporates the use of Internet technology to help retailers establish and maintain close personal relationships with their customers. This communication tool enables retailers to deliver personal voice mail messages to their customer database, regardless of size, instantaneously, right from their desk. Over 200 retailers across the nation are using this low-cost web based tool to increase sales, service and gross profit.

Call Command has expanded its product offering to help retailers assure compliance to the new do-not-call legislation. The new products include a customer database data cleansing service, enhanced Company no call list" reporting, State and Federal No Call list reporting and a new section in the training guide; Recommended telemarketing policies and procedures for retail businesses"

For additional information please contact Lindsay Whitson: phone: 1-877-T0COMMAND, email: lwhitson@callcommand.com, or visit CallCommands web site at www.callcommand.com