Telemarketers miss the message

If you think signing on to the national Do Not Call register will stop telemarketers calling your house, think again.

Some Kiwi companies have turned up their noses at the industry's regulatory body and are paying no attention to its code of practice.

Prime Financial Services sells insurance, ACC and investment products and is one New Zealand company using an automatic dialling machine with a pre-recorded voice message to push its wares. The machine runs at weekends and as late as 9pm on weeknights.

Director Ralph Godwin defended the company's decision not to subscribe to the Do Not Call list.

"We're not interested in that. We have our own internal do-not-call list."

The Marketing Association's list means people can stop calls from all association members, without having to unsubscribe individually with each company. About 100,000 households are on the list.

Marketing Association public affairs director Keith Norris said this sort of attitude was irksome for householders - and ineffective in getting customers on board.

"It's quite ridiculous. It's not going to get them any customers. It's a waste of money and worse, you would be antagonising people," he said.

"Marketing is about providing the customer with things they want. If you do things they don't want, it's going to be harming that relationship."

Norris said telemarketing was a useful tool when used appropriately but was dubious about Prime's use of automated machines.

"I've never seen any examples of it being a successful way of getting customers.

"It's certainly not best practice and it is against our telemarketing guide."