1. Do not call residences before 8 am or after 9 pm, local time.
This means that in order to comply with the TCPA, you should refrain from calling individuals who are at home at specific times of the day. Since the hours are determined by local time, you will need to conduct further research to learn the precise cutoff timings in each location.
2. Maintain a DNC list that pertains directly to your business or organization and, as a company, honor it for 5 years.
A DNC list is a list of phone numbers that you are not allowed to call. This is required by the TCPA and must be followed strictly. There are many online resources that can help you build a DNC list for your business.
3. Honor the National DNC Registry.
A list of phone numbers on which telemarketers are not permitted to call is known as the National DNC Registry. This registry is maintained by the FTC and all telemarketers must comply with it. You can find more information on how to comply here: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-national-do-not-call-registry-update
4. Stop a call if you’ve been on the line for 15 seconds or 4 rings, whichever comes sooner.
This means that if someone answers your call and they do not want to talk to you, you must hang up immediately. This rule exists to prevent customers from being harassed by unwanted calls.
5. Do not use artificial voices or recordings when contacting residences unless you’ve obtained prior consent.
This means that you should never use a prerecorded voice message without first getting consent from the person you are calling. This helps protect against spam calls and allows people to choose whether they want to receive automated messages from your company or not.
6. In any instance where the person you’re calling has to pay for the call (healthcare facilities such as hospitals, mobile phones, etc.), don’t use artificial voice, recordings, or auto-dialers.
This rule exists to protect consumers from being charged for unsolicited calls. As a general rule, it is best to avoid using pre-recorded messages or auto-dialers when making calls that may incur charges for the recipient.
7. When using a prerecorded message, make sure the recipients of your calls have an opt-out option that will put them on the DNC at their request.
This means that you must provide a way for people to opt out of receiving future calls from your company. This can be done by including an opt-out option in your pre-recorded message or by providing a customer service number that they can call to be placed on the DNC list.
8. When you make a call, make sure you give your name, the name of your company, and a phone number or address where the consumer can reach your company.
This rule exists so that consumers know who they are speaking with and how to reach your company if they have questions or concerns. This information should be given at the beginning of every call.
9. Train your employees regarding practices that customers may consider deceptive, unfair, or abusive.
This means that you should educate your employees on what is and is not considered to be acceptable behaviour when making calls. This will help prevent them from engaging in practices that could violate the TCPA.
10. Be aware of regulatory updates by checking up on them often (at least once a week).
This means that you should keep up with any changes to the TCPA so that you can ensure you are always in compliance. The best way to do this is to check for updates on the FTC website or by subscribing to their email list.