Let’s start with a reassuring message: even with cold calling since GDPR, you can still cold call. You need the prospect’s consent (opt-in) for emails, but not for cold calling. And since the phone is still the best way to contact prospects, you don’t have to worry about GDPR: privacy rules don’t prevent cold calling!
But an opt-out
When it comes to telephone prospecting, our country, on the other hand, applies an opt-out regulation. In other words: you can call everyone, except those who have indicated that they no longer wish to be called. Anyone can register in the Do not call me anymore register to – as the name suggests – no longer be called for prospecting purposes. Calling companies is not a problem.
Update your files systematically
Having perfectly up-to-date prospecting shop files is extremely important. Because as soon as a telephone number appears in the Do Not Call Me register, it can no longer be contacted from the 6th day following registration! In other words: you must compare your files to the register every week and update it if necessary. Do not neglect these rules at the risk of being fined. For information: in May 2020, the Belgian Do Not Call Me register recorded 1,459,455 telephone numbers.
Do you work with a call center for your prospecting calls? You remain ultimately responsible for compliance with the Do Not Call Me Anymore register. So remember to discuss this with your call center to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
And abroad?
Is your company active internationally? Then you should know that the legislation regarding cold calling varies from one country to another. We briefly explain what the situation is in some neighboring countries:
- Netherlands : You can call private defined digital marketing plans? individuals and self-employed people, unless they are registered in the Dutch “Do not call me” register. You can call companies in all cases.
- France : France also uses a “do not call me” registry, in this case Bloctel. As of 30 days after registration, registered phone numbers can no longer be called.
- Germany : An opt-in is always required if you want to call fax database private individuals. This opt-in is not required for calls to companies, but there must be a connection to the company’s business interests.
Compliance
The importance of working in compliance is obvious. Not only for the chances of success and reputation of your company, but also to avoid hefty fines. The French data protection authority, the CNIL, thus imposed a fine of 500,000 euros on the company Futura Internationale in November 2019 for non-compliance with the GDPR rules on telephone prospecting.
