Introduction and
overview
The purpose of our Code of Practice is:
- To show that Clanlink Ltd/U2Call (“our”, “us”,
and “we” refer to Clanlink Ltd/U2Call) adopts responsible best-practice selling techniques
when marketing our fixed line-telecommunications services (“services”).
-
To help our customers and potential customers understand our services and the behavior
to be expected from our representatives.
-
To show that we provide our customers with higher standards of protection than consumer
law requires; and
-
To set out clearly what is good practice in the sales and marketing of our services,
as reassurance to our customers.
The code applies to the sales and marketing of our services to domestic and small
business customers (“you” and “your” refer to customers) and covers all aspects
of the sales process. We aim to avoid miss-selling and misrepresentation and to
ensure that you fully understand the services and the terms of the contracts we
offer you.
All our sales and marketing staff and agents are briefed on this code and we routinely
monitor compliance with it. If you feel that any representative of Clanlink Ltd /U2 Call has breached the terms of the code, please report your concerns to
Mr. Hassan Cader, (0208 509 6734, 32 St James Street, London, E17 7PF
hassan@clanlink.co.uk who has responsibility for compliance
with this code and for handling associated complaints.
Copies of this code are available free of charge in various formats on request,
including via our website www.U2call.com. The code has been prepared in line with
guidelines published by Ofcom, the industry regulator, on 13 April 2005.
Sales, marketing, advertising and promotional activity
We make customers aware of and promote our services by various methods. In all cases,
we act responsibly and try to comply with relevant legislation.
We will respect your wishes if you have registered with any relevant preference
service, including the Mailing Preference Service, the Telephone Preference Service,
the Fax Preference Service and the E-mail Preference Service.
All our advertising and promotion activity keeps to the principles of the British
Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion. In addition, we ensure that advertising
and promotional literature is clear, unambiguous, accurate and fair, does not contain
false or misleading information about price, value or service and does not denigrate
other companies.
Recruitment and sales training
To ensure that our employees act responsibly at all times, we follow strict procedures
in the selection and training of staff that have direct sales and marketing contact
with customers. We also ensure that all our sub-contractors and agencies use equivalent
selection and training procedures and remuneration (payment) systems.
When recruiting new sales staff, we take up references and carry out relevant background
checks. We also consider whether applicants are suitable for this type of work,
recognizing that our sales people will be seen as the 'public face' of our company
and the industry in general.
We train our sales and marketing employees to ensure they have a good understanding of our services and of industry practice generally and do not give our customers
inaccurate or misleading advice.
We also ensure that our sales staff is familiar with the relevant aspects of consumer
protection law, the content and interpretation of this code and the benefits it
provides to customers.
Our remuneration systems for sales and marketing personnel are designed to discourage
misleading or exploitative sales practices.
Customer contact
Our sales staff is given clear guidelines on contacting residential customers at
home, particularly during the hours of darkness. They must not visit you before
8am or after 8pm, and must not telephone before 8am or after 9pm, unless you ask
them to.
Representatives involved in face-to-face sales and marketing have identity cards
or badges that clearly display our company name and the representative's own identification
number. The identity badge also displays the representative's name and photograph
and a date showing the validity of the card. Information on the card is clear and
easy to read without close examination.
On making contact, our representatives will immediately identify themselves, state
our company name, the purpose of the call and how long it should take. If visiting
or meeting in person, they will show you their identity card.
Our representatives are trained to be courteous, to use appropriate language and
to offer clear and straightforward explanations. They must offer only factual and
accurate information about our services and contracts and must not misrepresent
our services or those of other companies. They must check that if you enter into
a contract you fully understand the terms and are sure that this is
What you want to do.
Our representatives will cease contact with anyone who indicates that the contact
is inconvenient, unwelcome, inappropriate or too long. At your request, the discussion
will be ended immediately and, if making a doorstep call, the representative will
leave your premises immediately.
Our representatives will not abuse the trust of vulnerable customers, for example
people who are elderly or who have special
needs, or whose first language is not
English.
When visiting sheltered housing, nursing homes or residential care facilities, our
representatives will make contact with the warden or other person in authority before
approaching a customer.
We will not aim sales or marketing activity at people who are under the legal age
for entering into contracts.
To ensure we maintain these standards, we keep the records of our sales and marketing
activity for at least six months. Records include the date and the approximate time
of the contact with you. To help us deal with any complaints or queries, all such
records clearly identify the salesperson(s) who made the call or visit.
Audit
We carry out regular audits of the systems, procedures and documents we use in sales
and marketing.
Customer complaints procedure
Complaints about sales and marketing are dealt with under the procedures set out
in our Consumer Code of Practice
Our complaints procedure sets out how you may complain, and this includes complaints
about U2Call sales and marketing. It specifies what to do next
if you believe the complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily.
You should first direct your complaint to U2Call. If we cannot resolve the complaint
to your satisfaction, you may contact CISAS - International Arbitration Centre,
12 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2LP
. Tel: 020 7421 7444
www.cisas.org.uk You can also ask for advice from
your local Trading Standards Department or Citizens Advice Bureau.
Status of this code
By law, all companies marketing services to customers must issue a code of practice
for sales and marketing.
Compliance with this code does not guarantee that it complies with any other legal
requirement.
Non-compliance with this code does not affect the validity of any contract between
the company and the consumer, unless the law states otherwise.
Useful addresses
Your Chosen Approved Alternative Dispute Resolution Providers:
CISAS - International Arbitration Centre, 12 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A
2LP. Tel: 020 7421 7444 www.cisas.org.uk
Ofcom - Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA.
Tel: 020 7981 3000/ 0845 456 3000.
www.ofcom.org.uk
Direct Marketing Association - DMA House, 70 Margaret Street, London
W1W 8SS Tel: 0207291 3308 www.dma.org.uk
Federation of Communication Services (FCS) - Burnhill Business
Centre, Provident House, Burrell Row, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1AT. Tel: 020 8249 6363.
www.fcs.org.uk
If you wish to find details of your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau or Trading
Standards department you can search on the following websites:
Citizens Advice - www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Institute of Trading Standards Administration
- www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
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