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The new measures mean that customers will not be disturbed by commercial calls before 10am or during siesta time between 3pm and 4pm
In a highly competitive telecoms market, it is rare to find all the major operators agreeing with each other. But in Spain, it appears there is one thing that can unite even the most disruptive telco: siesta.
Today, Movistar (Telefonica), Orange, Vodafone, Masmovil, and Euskaltel have all agreed to a new Code of Ethics, building on those first agreed in 2010, which will ensure that they do not contact customers at inconvenient times throughout the day, including during siesta hours.
The agreement, which comes into effect at the start of 2022, will ensure that no commercial calls are made to customers before 10am, or between 3pm and 4pm, when customers are likely to be taking a siesta. Calls will also be restricted to weekdays, with weekends and bank holidays off limits.
Not only this, but the volume of calls customers receive will also be reduced. Operators will be restricted to calling a number just three times per month if the caller does not pick up and will need to wait three months before calling again if a customer rejects an offer.
Additional stipulations in the agreement including ensuring that customers will always recognise the number and the brand calling them, cancelling services that may have been contracted via teleshopping that are fraudulent or contrary to the requirements of good faith, and implementing joint procedures to resolve customer complaints relating to their previous commercial practices.
"We telecommunication operators all through the years have adapted our actions to consumers’ habits," said Jean-Francois Fallacher, chief executive of the local unit of Orange in a joint statement.
While this agreement may seem something of a novelty or common courtesy, it is especially important in a market as competitive as Spain, where capturing clients from rivals via direct calls remains a major strategy.
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