French Law Tightens Telemarketing Rules, Challenging Moroccan Call Centers

Law No. 2020-901 of July 24, 2020, adopted by the French National Assembly since 2018, published in the Official Journal of Saturday, July 25, 2020, aims to regulate telephone canvassing and fight against fraudulent calls. The impact of this law will be brutal for some customer relationship centers but only those that are specialized in telephone prospecting and making calls in these areas of activity, says Rachida Belliard, founder and director of development of Pertinence Formation & Conseil France and Morocco and specialist in the field, to the magazine Challenge.

Thus, this law already requires small call centers to modify their approach to the customer. One of the new features incorporated into their speech is to explain some rights to the prospect from the outset. It is now necessary to explain to the prospect that if he does not wish to be called, he can request the registration of his number on Bloctel.

This law will have no impact on the 20 groups that employ 80% of the resources in the Moroccan offshoring sector. These are recognized professionals who benefit from a superb brand image. The law was adopted to regulate deceptive and fraudulent practices and the abuses observed for nearly 20 years in this sector in France. The impact of this law is mainly financial. In addition, companies marketing energy renovation offers, boilers or photovoltaic panels have no longer been allowed to prospect by telephone since September 1, 2020, she added.

This law is a form of reminder of the basics of the profession. The professional must introduce himself clearly, precisely and understandably on the phone by reminding the consumer of his right to register with Bloctel. Telephone canvassing is prohibited for the sale of equipment or the carrying out of work for homes. Companies that use telephone canvassing must also comply with a code of good practice and regularly report to the body responsible for managing the Bloctel opposition list under penalty of sanctions and other provisions, Rachida Belliard points out.

This profession has a bad reputation with French prospects. Thus, all the studies carried out by consumer associations since 2018 specify that 9 out of 10 French people say they are fed up with telephone canvassing, with repeated calls including evenings and weekends, with a 20% increase in complaints for fraud or abuse in 2020. It is therefore time to put things in order in this sector and to get rid of the black sheep who do not respect the codes of good practice of quality customer relations, she said.

This law will also allow members of the Moroccan outsourcing federation to maintain their focus on professionalization and quality. Companies that practiced abuses must therefore redefine their business plan or disappear, says the director. The additional costs of these changes for Moroccan relationship centers are minimal or non-existent for those who have embraced the ethics of the profession. The others must indeed position themselves on new markets and negotiate new contracts and implement training actions to develop new skills.

Regarding the future of employees, the director says that the world is changing and that companies must adapt to the needs of customers or disappear. Employees will have to find work with companies that truly respect the conditions and standards. It should be noted that the confinement has amplified the abuses and exasperation. Not to mention the pure and simple scams of all kinds of scammers. The 20% increase in complaints in 2020 has therefore accelerated the work at the level of the legislators, notes Challenge.