Canada’s Do Not Call (DNC) rules came into effect Sept.30, 2008, and violators could face fines of up to $1,500 for individuals and up to $15,000 for corporations, not to mention the negative publicity and possible loss of business as a result of annoying prospective customers.
To help Canadian as well as US and other countries’ firms selling by phone to Canada’s 33+ million consumers, Compliance Systems has partnered with the Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) to offer the “CRDA Canadian Online Regulatory Guide.”
The guide, written and maintained by Calgary, Alberta-based attorney Daniel Pichette, Partner, Schinnour Matkin Baxter & Pichette, summarizes Canadian DNC laws, broken down by category with links to the actual rules. The cost is $399 for CRDA members and $499 for non-members.
While the CRDA guide is sponsored by the resort industry for its members—timeshare and other fractional leisure property businesses are big telemarketing users--non-members in other sectors, including teleservices companies will find it invaluable. It is believed to be Canada’s only up-to-date and comprehensive online guide to the rules and regulations governing companies that conduct telemarketing activities.
In turn, CRDA members who telemarkets their Canadian properties to American prospects and customers can obtain the latest information in compliance with US federal and state laws. Call Compliance (News - Alert) co-markets its online Regulatory Guide series with the American Teleservices Association and the American Resort and Development Association.
With Canada’s plummeting dollar along with gas prices on both sides of the border, Canadian timeshares and vacations are becoming especially good value as affordable getaways and retreats. The 2010 Olympics are drawing more attention to British Columbia, whose resort access is being improved with rebuilt highways. At the same time even with the high US dollar relatively to Canada’s currency, warm, dry weather continue to draw Canadian ‘snowbirds’ to US spots especially Florida, Hawaii, and South Carolina. Meanwhile ski enthusiasts living in the Montreal and Ottawa areas are attracted to Lake Placid, N.Y. and the Stowe, Vt. resorts that are few hours’ drive a way.
“We are delighted to enter into this agreement with CRDA,” said CEO of Compliance Systems Corporation (News - Alert) Dean Garfinkel. “It is gratifying to see the Canadian resort and leisure industry embracing the necessity of telemarketing compliance. The recent passage of Canadian DNC rules only underscores the international need for best practices and DNC compliance solutions for the teleservices industry as a whole, worldwide.”
Adds Ross Perlmutter, who is President and CEO of CRDA: “The users of this guide are demonstrating their commitment to being good corporate citizens by balancing both the needs of businesses and those of the consumers.”
Brendan B. Read is TMCnet�s Senior Contributing Editor. To read more of Brendan�s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Tim Gray
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