Category Archives: News and Announcements

Top Telemarketing Companies in the U.S. SWOT Analysis for 2020

By Angela Garfinkel, President

SWOT analysis for top telemarketing companiesIn early 2020, the biggest problem facing top telemarketing companies in the U.S. was a lack of readily available staff. A booming stock market, rising minimum wages and competition for staff made 2020 look like it would be a year filled with staffing challenges.

Now, at the end of March 2020, we are facing an unprecedented dramatic shift in the SWOT analysis of the top telemarketing companies in the U.S. (SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). With COVID-19 and the virtual shut-down of the U.S. economy, here is my current SWOT analysis for our industry.

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Indiana Telemarketer Registration Update

By Angela Garfinkel, President

Outbound TelemarketingThe State of Indiana has amended its Telemarketer Registration law as of July 1, 2019. Effectively the amendment to the existing statute removed the numerous exemptions that sellers and telemarketers previously relied on.

Did you know that inbound call centers (and sellers that employ them) that do any type of sale are now required to register in Indiana as a telemarketer? Inbound calls are now covered by the law.

Did you know that telemarketing companies conducting B2B and B2C outbound telemarketing sales calls (and sellers that employ them) must register? B2B outbound telemarketing is now covered by the law.

Did you know that if you employ a telemarketing or call center firm for making outbound telemarketing sales calls or handing inbound sales calls, your company is most likely also required to register as a telemarketer in the state of Indiana?

And speaking of changes to the Indiana law — another key change is a requirement to promptly disclose the sales agent first and last name and the company they work for in the beginning of a sales call (if calling a consumer or business for sales purposes in the state of Indiana). Check your scripts and update them accordingly.

Angela Garfinkel is the President and Founder of Quality Contact Solutions, a leading outsourced telemarketing services organization serving the healthcare, financial services, automotive, market research, professional associations and numerous other B2B focused verticals. Angela has the pleasure of leading a talented team that runs thousands of outbound telemarketing program hours daily. Angela is also a certified Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) auditor with the Professional Association for Customer Engagement and she is a designated Customer Engagement Compliance Professional (CECP). Angela can be reached at [email protected] or 516.656.5118

Dean Garfinkel Receives PACE Distinguished Service Award

Aurora, NE  (November 7, 2018) – Dean Garfinkel, Quality Contact Solutions’ Chief Operating Officer and Quality Voice & Data’s President was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE) during the group’s annual Summit in Washington DC, September 23-25, 2018.

Dean’s dedication and service to the association has spanned more than 15 years while serving on the PACE board of directors with six of those years on the Executive Committee as Treasurer. With Dean’s leadership, the organization has successfully navigated the changing landscape faced by all associations. Dean has also been an active force behind the Self-Regulatory Organization and the Customer Engagement Compliance Professional programs.

Dean GarfinkelAlso receiving PACE Distinguished Service Awards were James Danz, Wyndham Worldwide Vacations and Michael Rauscher, HomeServe USA. Both Mr. Danz and Mr. Rauscher, along with Mr. Garfinkel, are retiring from the PACE board at the end of 2018

According to PACE Chair, Lori Fentem, Ring’s Head of Call Center Growth and Strategy, “Dean will be missed from both the association board and the Executive Committee. We thank Dean for his tremendous service to our association and to the industry as a whole.”

About the Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE)

PACE is the only non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of companies that utilize contact centers as an integral resource for customer engagement. Founded as the American Teleservices (ATA) in 1983 and renamed to PACE in 2012, PACE represents more than 4,000 contact centers that account for over 1.8 million customer engagement professionals worldwide.

PACE recognizes Dean Garfinkel at National Convention and Expo 2018

Dean Garfinkel recognized as Treasurer of the PACE Board of Directors

Dean Garfinkel, PACE National Board of Directors member, Treasurer and Executive Committee member, and other board members were recognized for their service during the PACE National Convention and Expo (ACX’18). The 2018 PACE National Board of Directors includes chair Lori Fentem (Synergy Solutions), Vice Chair Ken Sponsler (CompliancePoint), Secretary Mark Boehmer (Ameritas Group), Andy Balthaser (Alorica), James Danz (Wyndham Resorts), Sam Falletta (Incept Corp.), Stephen Ferber (Golden Gate BPO), Joe Galvin (Comcast), Christa Heibel (CH Consulting Group), Mandy Horton (Careington International Corporation), Bob Kobek (CustomerCount), Karl Koster (Noble Systems), Harvey Livingston (AT&T), Rob Marshall (VoiceTeam), John Nelson (Bank of America), Michael Thompson (TPG TeleManagement) and Michele Shuster, General Counsel, (Mac Murray & Shuster, LLP).

PACE 2018 National Board of Directors

Dean has been on the PACE National Board for 15 years, serving for 4 years as Treasurer. Dean is a frequently-sought after thought leader on all telecom and compliance issues relevant to the call center and telemarketing industry. To reach Dean, email him at [email protected].

Outbound Call Center and Telemarketing TCPA Case Update

By Angela Garfinkel, President

TCPA Case Update

TCPA Case UpdateOn March 16, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit released it decision in the ACA Int’l vs. FCC case, about 17 months after oral argument. The decision provided some relief for companies that use the telephone to make outbound telemarketing contacts.

The court’s decision set aside the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) broad definition of an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS) and its reassigned telephone numbers ruling in 2015 but failed to provide relief for handling revocation of consent. Continue reading →