Working with info from the TPS (Telephone Preference Service).

Matt Page

Has anyone done anything with Telephone Preference Service information (or US equivalent)?



We've started doing Telesales calls to some of our constituents and as part of that we've bought in some data, but obviously quite a lot of it is listed on the TPS. So I'm wondering how best to record this fact. It's the number that's listed rather than the individual, so ideally we'd put something on that, but other than using the DNC field I'm not sure what other options there are with that.



I've considered doing something on Solicit code, but as TPS data is live rather than set I can foresee problems with that as well. The first batch (which was more of a screening of numbers we already had) I entered as an attribute, but even that proved tricky because a lot of constituents had their landline on the system but not their mobile.



But now we've bought in some numbers, al of which might be useful, but most of which we can't use for marketing because they're listed on the TPS. Anyone got any ideas/exoerience? Should I only import the Non-TPS ones? Should I import them all but use a solicit code? Or do it via an attribute again? Or, as we currently add an action if updating phone numbers, should we just an an action and have the TPS in a note in there?



Any thoughts, even just something to bounce my ideas off would be much appreciated.



Matt

Michael Steven

Hello,



Currently working through this same problem.  My initial thoughts were also to use the DNC option, as this was the only option that seemed to make sense, since TPS only applies to a certain number rather than the constituent overall.



However, it doesn't seem too intuitive, as you would need to create documentation to recorded that your organisation uses DNC for TPS records, and that information might get lost in years to come - I am in the process of unpicking 20+ different historical contact preference methods used on our database across the last almost 20 years, so this isn't something I would want to inflict upon any future DBA!



The second option I am looking at, which we are swaying towards, is having a new phone types with names along the lines of Home Phone - TPS and Mobile Phone - TPS. 



When we send our numbers off to be screened, I would output them with Address Import ID, Phone Import ID, Phone Type and Phone Number.  Any that came back as being on TPS, I would change their phone type to Home Phone - TPS and Mobile Phone - TPS on the screened file and use a Constiruent Phone Import, using 'Update existing records' to change their phone type accordingly.



This would mean we can exclude those phone types from any future telephone campaign etc, but still keep the number recorded so we can contact them for admin reasons.



I would greatly appreciate anyones thoughts on this however!

Matt Page

Michael Steven:

Hello,

....

The second option I am looking at, which we are swaying towards, is having a new phone types with names along the lines of Home Phone - TPS and Mobile Phone - TPS. 



When we send our numbers off to be screened, I would output them with Address Import ID, Phone Import ID, Phone Type and Phone Number.  Any that came back as being on TPS, I would change their phone type to Home Phone - TPS and Mobile Phone - TPS on the screened file and use a Constiruent Phone Import, using 'Update existing records' to change their phone type accordingly.



This would mean we can exclude those phone types from any future telephone campaign etc, but still keep the number recorded so we can contact them for admin reasons.



I would greatly appreciate anyones thoughts on this however!

That second option seems like a good idea to me actually. I proabbly need to get the transition to 7.94+ sorted first, but for future that's as good a way forward as I can think of. Thank you.



Matt