One of the toughest parts of running an effective call center is following all of the rules and regulations regarding how you can contact customers. Given the seemingly ever-changing landscape of regulations, it can be difficult to keep up with what’s going on in each state where your customers reside. Both sets of regulations are incredibly important to know before you start dialing.
Here are a few restrictions that you’ll want to pay attention to so you can avoid getting into trouble with the law.
Call Restrictions
Call restrictions affect when you can contact customers and how you can communicate with them. Specifically, you need to know which states you can or can’t make calls on Sunday, how many contacts are allowed in a certain period, the state’s alias restrictions, as well as how to discuss a customer’s financial situation.
One of the most common types of call restrictions in the United States is alias restriction, which requires callers to avoid multiple contacts to the same individual using multiple names. Your contact center solution should automatically collate and identify duplicates and present correct, up-to-date information so you know exactly with whom you’re dealing.
Other important call restrictions are about how you communicate with your customers. In several states, you must give a mini Miranda warning to every customer whom you call. In other states, it’s important that you don’t threaten legal action. And still in others, you can’t use the word “urgent” to describe the call or say there’s an emergency.
While they may be frustrating for your agents, knowing these rules ahead of time can save you a lot of stress, time, and money in the long run.
Message Restrictions
This type of restriction affects how you can leave a message for a customer who doesn’t answer the phone. In several states, the agent must identify the caller within the first 30 seconds of the call. If the agent isn’t speaking with the customer, the agent must decide how to proceed.
One of the most common message restrictions is regarding whether you can communicate with the intended party’s spouse. The regulations vary by state, which complicates the process. In some states, you can talk to the spouse only if they’re also obligated to pay the debt. In other states, you may talk to the spouse only if they reside with the debtor. And in other states, you need permission from the debtor to discuss account details with their spouse.
Since in many cases you have only one shot to contact your customer, it’s vitally important that you’re able to do it right the first time. This is how knowing the rules and regulations can really save you.
How to Stay Compliant
The best thing for you to do is to work closely with your compliance team so you have a game plan in place before your agents even start dialing. There are several tools available to help you through this process, specifically when it comes to wading through the sea of rules and regulations.
DialConnection would love to partner with you to keep your business compliant. Contact us today for a call center evaluation and we’ll check out your current processes and systems and help you achieve compliance.
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