Do Not Call lists explained for sales and outreach teams

Nothing damages a sales team's reputation faster than calling people who asked not to be called. Do Not Call lists exist to protect those people, and responsible teams build checks into their daily routine.

What Do Not Call registers are

Several countries keep national registers of numbers that do not want marketing calls. Examples include the National Do Not Call Registry in the USA, the Telephone Preference Service in the UK, the Do Not Call Register in Australia and the National Do Not Call List in Canada. Rules about who must check them, and when, differ.

A responsible calling routine

1. Know which rules apply to the people you call.
2. Check your lead list before you start.
3. Keep your own internal list of people who say no.
4. Honour opt-outs immediately and permanently.
5. Call only at reasonable times. In the USA, telemarketing calls are limited to between 8 am and 9 pm in the recipient's time zone.
6. Be honest about who you are and why you are calling.

Keep good records

Log every call outcome, including 'asked not to call'. Dialsyx includes Do Not Call tools and call outcomes so this is part of the normal workflow. Our acceptable use policy also sets out what we expect of customers.

This is general information and not legal advice. Check the rules for each country where you call.

Common mistakes

• Using an old list that was never checked.
• Forgetting to add opt-outs to the internal list.
• Calling outside permitted hours.
• Passing leads between people without the opt-out history.
• Assuming the rules are the same in every country.

Build it into your day

Make list checks part of the routine, not a special project. Before every campaign, clean the list. During every call, record the outcome. Each week, review the opt-out list and confirm it is respected. A small amount of discipline protects your reputation and keeps your phone numbers in good standing with carriers.