Alberta Business Marketing

A recent article in the Toronto Star struck a nerve with me. Specifically, I was very disappointed by statements made by New Democrat MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre) who actually expressed “loathing of telemarketers”. I was compelled to write Mr. Martin an email, which I thought I would share. Feel free to share your opinions here, or with Mr. Martin directly!

Dear Mr. Martin:

As a professional in the contact center industry, and working for a very reputable private Canadian outsourcer, I must tell you that I was both shocked and unimpressed with your comments in the above mentioned article.

To say that "They (telemarketers) really are the bottom of the food chain in terms of commercial marketing" is both untrue and very disrespectful. As an industry, Contact Centers provide some of the largest opportunities for employment in this country*, and most operate with extremely detailed internal policies and procedures to ensure that all codes of practice and government regulations are followed.

I know that in Ontario specifically, we are working very hard through various different associations and organizations, to bring to light the professionalism and opportunity that this type of work offers. As members of the Canadian Marketing Association my own organization and many others have long followed a Code of Ethics with a stringent telemarketing component and the requirement to use the association’s Do Not Contact program.

The regulatory bodies such as the CRTC are in many ways, supporting this approach through the introduction of the National DNC. To my knowledge, all reputable contact centers in Canada adhere to these and many other rules and regulations, ultimately providing a professional and seamless experience to the end user.

In this day and age, and in light of our current economic situation, I would expect that someone of your standing would understand the importance of supporting those employment verticals that provide good jobs and sound education to thousands of individuals throughout the country.

Sincerely,

Jennifer McLeod
Member of the CMA Contact Centre Council

* CMA’s 2007 study, Marketing’s Contribution to the Canadian Economy, estimated that in 2007, the employment impact of telemarketing in Canada was 159,805 jobs and the correlating sales impact was $27 Billion.

Tags: Contact Centre
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off