Elite are working very closely with PhonePayPlus (PPP) to ensure all our Customers receive the best advice and information regarding 0871 compliance. From the 1st August 09 PhonePayPlus will regulate 0871/2/3 numbers and we believe that this will provide our customers and their consumers with full confidence in the 0871 range. PPP regulates phone-paid services in the UK and their vision is to bring increased benefit to the industry where people can use such services with confidence.
All 0871, 0872, 0873 costing 5ppm+ will from the 1st August 09 be subject to PhonepayPlus’ 11th Code of Practice. The information below will help you ensure that your business is fully compliant with the PhonepayPlus Code of Practice.
Failure to act on the information below will result in PhonepayPlus regarding your business as being in breach of their Code and may result in sanctions by PhonepayPlus, so it is important that you complete the required actions.
The key compliance areas which you need to adhere to are:
Pricing Information
Information on pricing must be included wherever you publish your 087 (0871, 0872 or 0873) number. For example, advertisements, websites, brochures, van liveries, listings and on promotional material.
However, PPP recognizes that it will not be possible to amend existing material already published such as brochures which have already been printed and/or issued, Yellow Pages entries or vehicle livery in the short term. Consequently, where it is possible or likely that callers will not have seen pricing information in advance of making the call, a short recorded message can be played at the beginning of the call. PPP do expect that promotional material will be amended to include pricing information as it is replaced or updated.
We strongly recommend our Customers display the following Pricing Notification requirement:
· Calls cost 10 pence per minute from a BT Landline. Calls from other networks and mobiles may cost more.
· Pricing Information must be clear and in close proximity to the number. For example, the notice must be directly alongside the number or directly below it. It is not sufficient for the disclaimer to be in separate terms and conditions, or for the consumer to have to scroll down to view it.
· PPP will accept a spoken message at the beginning of each call as an alternative, though they expect everyone to change their collateral as soon as is practically possible.
If any of our customers would like to double-check their promotional material, please send it to acliffe@elitetele.com and we will be happy to liaise with PPP on your behalf to gain their opinion.
Undue Delay
PPP will not take a view in absolute terms of what is a “reasonable” or “acceptable” wait time as they recognise that this will depend on context and circumstances. Elite foresee no issue with this regarding our own Customers as all our Customers want to answer their calls as efficiently as possible, to generate sales and provide exceptional customer service.
The key issue is that callers must be provided with information on current wait times, be this a queue position announcement, an updatable on-hold message or real time monitoring of call queue times by the ACD. This requirement is in place in order to provide an accurate indication of any delay which will enable the caller to decide whether they wish to hold or call back later. Elite can provide such announcements in the network and on systems we provide. Customers need to be aware if they are holding callers in their own ACD queue (which is not from Elite) they will need to arrange this announcement themselves.
The key here is to ensure the caller is able to make an informed decision as to whether they are prepared to wait the required time and incur the associated costs.
Summary
Anyone using a 0871/2/3 number must:
Ensure that the content and promotion of the service using the number complies with the PPP Code of Practice.
Consider your call waiting times as services must not be unreasonably prolonged or delayed.
Publish Pricing Information wherever the number is published in printed form or on the Internet.
Ensure that services on these numbers comply with the law, do not cause harm or offence and are fair.
All the information you need to know is available at:
http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/087-Number-Range.aspx
The Code of Practice can be found at:
http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/pdfs_code/PhonepayPlus11CoP_Apr08v3.pdf
http://www.opalcampaignarea.co.uk/link.php?M=49310&N=183&L=205&F=H
PhonepayPlus Support team:
compliance@phonepayplus.org.uk or 0845 026 1060
We want to ensure your business is prepared for the impending change, so please let me know if you require support or further advice. We will assist you with further help if required. Please note that this regulatory change does not affect any other number range.
