0845 Customer Service Lines – Their Time is Numbered
On 13 June 2014 it will become a requirement in law that companies give a standard rate phone number for their customer service is lines instead of a 0845 number. This law will come into effect to make sure that consumers do not inadvertently pay additional call charges when contacting customer service lines. At the moment many companies use an 0845 number for their helplines and enquiry lines.
One case that recently highlighted this problem was the Environmental Agency charging incoming calls from flood related callers on an 0845 line at 41p per minute. They now, similarly to Tesco, have changed their helpline number two and 0345 number which charges calls at is considerably lower rate.
So, it seems that customer service telephone lines based on 0845 numbers are soon to be a thing of the past. As of 13 June 2014 it will not be legal for companies to use these premium rate numbers for their customer service helplines. This will encompass phone lines that are in place for existing customers to contact a company whether that is to ask a question or make a complaint. However, the law does not cover such telephone services as technical helplines or sales hotlines where it is deemed that an additional service is being offered. Businesses that do not comply to these regulations will be at risk of prosecution in the UK courts. In fact, it is foreseen that customers could take a business to court to reclaim excess phone charges made to them and also trading standards officers will be policing businesses to make sure that they comply.