The telephone was invented in 1876, and ever since, people the world over could communicate rapidly in real-time. Over the years, telephone technology has changed, and along with these changes has come to the sales call.
The telephone has been instrumental in creating success in the sales industry, and the advent of the Internet, text messaging, and smartphones has only led to more progress. Unfortunately, some businesses abuse telecommunications tools when it comes to making sales calls or sending unsolicited text messages, and this behavior has led to the creation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA).
What Does the TCPA Do?
In general, the TCPA is designed to limit how businesses can use telecommunications technology to contact consumers. It restricts telemarketing, and it also places limitations on things like bulk MMS messages. MMS messages are similar to text messages but contain multimedia. Some companies send out bulk MMS messages to try to attract customers through sales advertisements and videos.
The TCPA also lays out legal requirements for do not call registries. If a business wants to call consumers, that business needs to maintain and enforce a do not call registry. If a consumer requests not to be contacted by a particular method again, the business must abide or else face potential fines and fees.
Non-Profits May Be Exempt
It should be noted that some non-profit organizations are exempt from certain parts of the TCPA. For example, non-profit organizations do not need to maintain do not call lists and may not be held to the same standard as for-profit businesses. If you run a non-profit, you're encouraged to speak with an attorney to understand your organization's specific liabilities and requirements, as these can differ from organization to organization.
Which Agency Governs Communications?
In the United States, the TCPA is administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This agency has the authority to make policies regarding public communications, including phone usage and certain online communications; however, the FCC does not govern the Internet or Internet service providers.
Author Resource:-
Emily Clarke writes about customer messaging and engagement solutions including SMS services and mobile notifications tools. You can find her thoughts at SMS services tool blog.