MEGA is a Belgian company active in the energy and telecommunications market. Based in Liège, it acquires customers by phone. It holds an active licence on the Do Not Call Me list. For this purpose, it collaborates with external call centers that receive a filtered call list every month. For cooperation with foreign companies, they work via a broker and contractual obligations regarding the use of the Do Not Call Me list. Everything seemed to be in order.
Until a report of an unwanted call was received by DNCM VZW. A report that led to an intense and constructive exchange of emails with Romina Locascio, Sales Manager at MEGA, who reacted immediately in a very professional and proactive manner: “As part of our obligations as a DNCM licence holder, we take this report very seriously and have immediately launched the necessary internal checks.”
<DNCM VZW> Telemarketing does not always have the best reputation. How do you personally view the sector and your role in it?
“It is true that telemarketing does not always enjoy a good reputation, particularly due to certain practices that harm the image of the sector. That said, it is important to emphasize that many call centers today operate very strictly, with a real focus on quality, regulatory compliance and customer-oriented listening.
I personally believe that our role is precisely to contribute to this positive evolution by working with serious partners and ensuring professional, transparent and respectful practices.”
<DNCM VZW> How long have you been working with external call centers, and how has that collaboration evolved?
“We have been working with external call centers since the early years of MEGA. When a new product or service is launched, it is essential to effectively make it known to consumers, and call centers are an important driver of development in that regard. Over the years, this collaboration has evolved significantly. We have gradually tightened our requirements, especially in terms of quality, compliance and promotion.
Some partners have been working with us since the beginning, which has helped us build a sustainable relationship and continuously improve our practices to reach an ever higher level of performance and professionalism.”
About the cooperation with DNCM VZW
<DNCM VZW> How did the conversation with DNCM VZW go? Was it threatening or more informative?
“The discussions were rather constructive than accusatory. The consultation took place in a spirit of listening and dialogue, which allowed improvement points to be discussed in a constructive way.”
<DNCM VZW> Which information was an eye-opener for you?
“One of the most important insights that truly was an eye-opener for us concerns the requirement that each call center must hold its own licence in its own name. We were not aware that foreign companies could also obtain a licence. We believed that a licence was only accessible to Belgian companies. In this context, the call centers involved received pre-filtered call lists. In addition, we also did not know that a licence holder at DNCM VZW could request verification of whether the call center with which they are contractually bound holds a valid licence. Some of our partners did have access to the DNCM list to deduplicate call files, but did not necessarily hold their own licence.”
MEGA added a crucial requirement to its charter and not only enforces this with future partners, but Romina also contacted existing call centers: every call center must now be able to provide a copy of the Do Not Call Me invoice showing an active licence period. No document, no calls for MEGA.
MEGA had also already decided to impose the use of a call tool selected by them on all new partners. This measure primarily aims to ensure that the DNCM list is correctly and daily filtered. In a second phase, this requirement will be extended to all call centers currently active for MEGA. The filtering will be automated and applied to all databases imported by the call centers.
<DNCM> You have adapted your charter with call centers and now request the invoice with active licence period as hard evidence. How did the call centers respond to this?
“We now require formal proof of the purchase of the licence, with a validity period of one year. This requirement has also been included and strengthened in our contractual agreements. The call centers responded positively to this update and showed willingness to comply, especially those who did not yet have a licence in their own name.”
<DNCM> What has this entire experience taught you internally about managing external partners?
“This experience has taught us that managing external partners requires a great deal of adaptability and daily vigilance. It has also shown us how essential it is to maintain clear, regular and well-understood communication with everyone, in order to avoid deviations and ensure proper operational alignment.”
The government cannot always force foreign call centers to comply with Belgian law. But the client can. With the right contractual conditions – and the right knowledge – compliance is no longer a burden. It becomes a standard that raises quality.
<DNCM> Compliance costs time and money. Do you see compliance as a burden or as something that ultimately strengthens your reputation?
How do you internally make the case that it is worth it?
“Compliance indeed requires an investment in time and resources and can be seen as a constraint in the short term. However, we primarily see it as an essential means of strengthening our credibility and reputation in the long term. In a market such as the energy sector, trust from consumers and partners is crucial.
Internally, we defend this approach by emphasizing that a strict compliance framework not only reduces legal risks, but also improves the overall quality of our activities and the sustainability of our growth.”
<DNCM> If the Do Not Call Me list did not exist, what do you think would have been different?
“Without the existence of the Do Not Call Me list, there would likely be more unwanted telemarketing calls, leading to more consumer dissatisfaction and more negative feedback.
That is clearly not the goal. It is essential to respect everyone’s choices. If consumers do not wish to be contacted, this must be identifiable in advance and that decision must be respected.
This contributes not only to a better customer experience, but also to a more responsible and higher-quality approach to telemarketing.”
<DNCM> If you could give one piece of advice to a company starting with telemarketing today, what would it be?
“The most important advice I would give is to properly inform oneself about the requirements before entering the Belgian market.
It is particularly essential to be aware of the DNCM list and the obligations attached to it, especially that each call center active in this market must have its own licence.
This not only ensures compliance with the applicable rules, but also prevents contacting prospects who do not wish to be approached, which leads to a negative consumer experience, wasted time, and may also entail legal risks.”
<DNCM> Thank you
Read more in our third whitepaper on ‘Telemarketing without risk’ and how a report of an unwanted call to DNCM VZW led to strengthening the compliance framework at MEGA.