What’s happening?
From the 13th June 2014 businesses must provide a standard rate number for customer service lines to ensure callers do not pay additional charges. Premium rate numbers such as 0845 and 0870 need to be changed to a non-geographic, standard rate number such as 01, 02 or 03.
Any callers who have a contractual agreement or are on-going users of a service must have the option to call using a standard rate number as part of revisions to the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
Technical support and order lines are not subject to change.
How does this affect businesses?
Affected businesses must comply with the new laws or face court action and compensation claims from customers.
Check the contract with your existing provider as you should already own the 03 version of your 08 number and will only need to request a switch.
Checklist
Have you…
- Ensured all your 0843, 0844, 0845, 0870, 084, 087 and 09 numbers have been changed to meet compliance requisites?
- In the case of 0800 numbers for landline callers, have you ensured provision of an 03 number to cater for mobile callers (remembering that such calls are still subject to premium rate charges).
- Changed all previous numbers on your communications and marketing collateral (including within page content/call to actions/search engine advertising etc)?
- Informed any other third parties of changes.
- Ensure your materials clearly show your compliance and how it affects your customers – clarify the difference between charges for customer service lines and support lines, if there are any.
