Training for UAE Telemarketers Amid Stricter Guidelines and Fines

In response to the UAE's new regulations on telemarketing, telemarketers must enhance their skills to comply with stricter guidelines enforced by their employers. Effective mid-August, telemarketers are restricted to calling between 9am and 6pm. If a consumer declines a product or service during the initial call, no further calls can be made to them on the same day.

Moreover, telemarketers are limited to calling a consumer who does not answer or ends the call to a maximum of twice a week. Non-compliance with these regulations could lead to penalties of up to Dh150,000.

Nicki Wilson, founder and managing director of HR and recruitment consultancy Genie, emphasized the necessity for telemarketing employers to train their teams rigorously on these new guidelines. With many teams working remotely, there is a heightened need for awareness of these timings to prevent significant fines.

 

She recommended that telemarketers concentrate on their designated "core hours" for contacting potential customers, stressing this as a crucial element of their training.
 

Deepa Sud, CEO of Plum Jobs, emphasized that telemarketers must enhance their communication skills, adeptly handle objections, and customize their messages for diverse personas to effectively engage potential customers.
 

She further commented, "Their goal should be to cultivate strategies that distinguish their brand and guarantee that their calls make a memorable impression."

While firms are expected to enforce stricter measures, Sud emphasized the importance of respecting consumer privacy rights beyond mere sales. She highlighted the need for organizations to invest in high-quality leadership focused on strategic outcomes. This includes developing a comprehensive cold calling strategy that incorporates compliant scripts, optimizing CRM systems for consent tracking, and maintaining current "Do Not Call" lists. Sud underscored that the effectiveness and purpose of calls will outweigh mere volume.

However, she also anticipated an increase in email, WhatsApp, and SMS spamming as companies pivot away from telemarketing. Sud noted the industry's challenge with high employee turnover and suggested that many firms may hesitate to invest in employee training due to perceived low return on investment.

Nicki Wilson echoed Sud's sentiments about stricter compliance, acknowledging the difficulty of managing remote teams. She suggested implementing call timing limits through internal systems to maintain control, citing her own use of telephone systems to regulate outbound calls by remote workers.