We have just launched a new feature which we hope will win the battle against Cold Callers who try to use FreeIndex for marketing purposes. Instead of just displaying telephone number information on business profile pages, users now have to click on a link to view this information. Once clicked, a stark warning is always displayed stating that ‘Cold Calling is prohibited’ alongside your telephone contact details. Users who try to view more than a certain amount of company phone numbers in one day are automatically banned for a period of time. This will definitely stop people going through the site phoning up one company after another. We hope this will have an immediate effect on reducing cold calls. Obviously it’s a continual balancing act of encouraging business enquiries, but blocking those who ignore the terms and conditions of the site.
Comment on this article... | 120 comments... |
| | Pamela from Bronz N Beauty - (Plymouth) | | What a briliant idea, when your trying to run a business the last thing you need is phone calls from people trying to sell something or sell you | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 27 Jul 2010 17:08 |
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| | ayhan from Stone Store UK - (Chester) | Hi,
Instate of hiding the contact number of sellers may be it is wise to hide buyers contact number so seller can't make cold call.
Kind regards | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 8 Dec 2009 00:24 |
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| | test from Distrabit Ltd - (Gloucester) | what rules are in place to stop businesses using our addresses for mailshots?
Is this allowed?
many thanks | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 20 Sep 2009 17:20 |
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| | Edwin Senjobe from Freshpangolin Ltd - (London) | | The cold callers solution does not seem to be working, we are being harrassed by one particular company via email and phone calls despite numerous and clear clarifications we do not need their services. What a shame. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 10 Aug 2009 16:22 |
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| | Carole Hopkinson from Utility Warehouse - (Harrogate) | Thanks for this information the last contact I received which i have just deleted before reading this, was using the site to encourage people into his network marketing business.
Carole | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 8 Jun 2009 22:16 |
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| | Tina Broughton from Roachvale Hotel - (Blackpool) | | Thank you in advance for 'cold calling prohibited' info.As we need our telephone line available for taking bookings your article should put these people off. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 18 May 2009 16:14 |
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| | Margaret Gammons from MG Business Support Services - (Diss) | | Sorry to be late replying. I think this is a brilliant idea. I have been cold called in the past and realised that the only way they have got my number is from your site. So, great! I want business from yor site not sellers. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 12 May 2009 11:04 |
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| | Michael Taylor | | Ty for this info. I am constantly badgered by 0800 numbers claiming to have genuine quiries and quoting FREE INDEX as their source of info and then attempt to sell me advertising. this had led me to totally ignore ANY 0800 numbers on my phone | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 6 May 2009 15:56 |
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| | Alan Cooper from Home Search Consultancy - (London) | Are cold calls such a bad thing?
They may have a service or product which could save us money!
In this economic situation climate, this could be unfair to stifle proactive companies who are actively looking for business!! | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 28 Apr 2009 23:14 |
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 | | Roger Hampton from Roger Hampton - (Cardiff) | | Total praise for this. As a recently retired police crime prevention sergeant i led the way on anti cold calling in cardiff over the past 5 years and have plenty of time for individuals and organisations target hardening where possible. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 22 Apr 2009 19:01 |
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 | | alan bigg from ECU Clinic - (London) | here is the email address of a company who told me that YOU supplied my name and mail address.
davidwelsh@firstsearchconsultancy.co.uk
YOUR comments pleas! | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 22 Apr 2009 17:53 |
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 | | tara fisher from Tara Fisher - (Canterbury) | | What a great idea, as I constantly receive calls from companies, more than I do customers, very annoying when waiting for work to come in. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 19 Apr 2009 09:06 |
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| | Dan Marino from Rainbow Chasers' Motor Home Hire - (St. Austell) | | A welcome improvement. We have noticed a significant drop in marketing cold calls to a level which is almost nil. Thanks to all on the teamn whom have come up with this idea. Seems to be working well. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 17 Apr 2009 13:09 |
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.jpg&maxW=50&maxH=50&action=crop "Matthew Gibb") | | Matthew Gibb from MG Fire Safety Group - (Camberley) | I am suitably impressed.
You have provided a simple yet efective solution to give comfort to all who may use your site and that may experience cold calling on a daily basis.
I am happy to recommend you and have done so. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 11 Apr 2009 22:16 |
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| | David Hance from TS Internet Marketing - (Hove) | | An excellent idea. I have noticed that one of the immediate effects of registering my business with directories is that the phone starts to ring due to cold caalling from companies trying to sell advertising. | | Reply to this comment - Posted on 8 Apr 2009 11:33 |
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