On July 18, 2025, a BFMTV article reopened the debate on telephone canvassing practices in France. In it, the Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes (DGCCRF) announced massive sanctions: fines of up to 75 euros per abusive call, for a total of over 2.3 million euros imposed in the first half of 2024.

At a time when consumers are becoming increasingly resistant to intrusive solicitations and sanctions are raining down, it's becoming urgent for companies to rethink their prospecting strategies.

What if the answer lay in... messaging?

🚨 A tougher framework: sanctions, transparency and public pressure

The DGCCRF is clear: unsolicited telephone calls that do not comply with the rules of consent, or that are made outside authorized time slots, are now heavily penalized. Highlights include

• An energy company fined €253,275 for 3,377 illegal calls.
• The system is now based on a "name and shame" strategy: the names of offenders are published.
• Consumers are invited to report abuse via SignalConso, making it easier to detect fraudulent practices.

This evolution creates a new situation for marketing, sales and customer relations departments: continue to prospect, yes, but with irreproachable practices.

💬 Messaging: a gentle, efficient and compliant alternative

Faced with these challenges, messaging channels (WhatsApp Business, RCS, enriched SMS...) appear to be a relevant, traceable and low-intrusive solution.

✅ 1. Explicit, archivable consent

Unlike the telephone, where it is sometimes difficult to prove that the prospect has given his consent, messaging allows :

• Send an initial message requesting authorization to exchange,
• Keep a written record of this consent,
• Easily reprocess it in the event of an audit.

A real plus for companies wishing to comply.

✅ 2. A respectful customer experience

Nobody likes to be disturbed by a sales call during lunch. Messaging allows you to regain the power of timing:

• The user reads and responds whenever he wants,
• He maintains a clear vision of the company and its messages,
• They can easily unsubscribe or ask questions directly.

A format that respects the user while maintaining commercial effectiveness.

✅ 3. Automatic exchange history

Messaging exchanges create native traceability:

• The company can prove that it has complied with the regulations,
• The user keeps the history and can return to it at any time,
• Customer service benefits from a rich conversational context.

This is both a guarantee of transparency and an asset in the event of an audit.

🔚 Conclusion: moving from intrusive marketing to chosen marketing

Tougher sanctions against cold calling should not be seen as a threat... but as an opportunity for transformation.

🌱 Messaging offers companies an alternative :

• More user-friendly,
• Easier to frame legally,
• And often... more effective in terms of return on investment.

🔁 Gone are the days of the savage cold call. Make way for conversations that are chosen, contextualized and, above all, consented to.

📣 Want to improve your prospecting practices?
Let's talk about your challenges.

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