Annoying telemarketing creates jobs and its own rules
Telemarketing is a nuisance for many consumers. This is why some call centers formulate their own rules despite the extremely liberal legislation in Switzerland. This form of advertising also creates thousands of jobs.
Telemarketing is a nuisance for many consumers. This is why some call centers formulate their own rules despite the extremely liberal legislation in Switzerland. This form of advertising also creates thousands of jobs.
Telephone sales are a growth sector in Switzerland. Publishers, egg producers, wine merchants and cosmetics manufacturers all use this sales channel because they all want to survive in an increasingly competitive market. As a result, consumers are often persistently approached several times a day by telemarketers in their intrusive, cheerful manner - often during lunchtime or while the main edition of the news is on TV.
While telemarketing is strictly regulated in Germany, Swiss law allows almost anything. The asterisk in the telephone directory, with which the person concerned indicates that they do not want any advertising, is a waste of time in this case - "a rubber article that only applies to advertising in the letterbox anyway", as Josef Frey, media spokesman for Swisscom, puts it. That's why responsible call centers like Zurich's Duotel set their own rules. For example, no calls may be made before 8 a.m. and after 5.30 p.m., and no contracts may be concluded with people over 70.
However, it would also be unfair to dismiss telemarketing as a mere nuisance, as the sector has become an important employer, as the Bieler Tagblatt reports. Around 22,000 people work in this sector, including many who would otherwise have a hard time on the job market. The sector employs an above-average number of 20 to 25-year-olds - an age group that is particularly hard hit by unemployment, according to the Bieler Tagblatt.
Telephone sales are a growth sector in Switzerland. Publishers, egg producers, wine merchants and cosmetics manufacturers all use this sales channel because they all want to survive in an increasingly competitive market. As a result, consumers are often persistently approached several times a day by telemarketers in their intrusive, cheerful manner - often during lunchtime or while the main edition of the news is on TV.
While telemarketing is strictly regulated in Germany, Swiss law allows almost anything. The asterisk in the telephone directory, with which the person concerned indicates that they do not want any advertising, is a waste of time in this case - "a rubber article that only applies to advertising in the letterbox anyway", as Josef Frey, media spokesman for Swisscom, puts it. That's why responsible call centers like Zurich's Duotel set their own rules. For example, no calls may be made before 8 a.m. and after 5.30 p.m., and no contracts may be concluded with people over 70.
However, it would also be unfair to dismiss telemarketing as a mere nuisance, as the sector has become an important employer, as the Bieler Tagblatt reports. Around 22,000 people work in this sector, including many who would otherwise have a hard time on the job market. The sector employs an above-average number of 20 to 25-year-olds - an age group that is particularly hard hit by unemployment, according to the Bieler Tagblatt.
