Telephone marketing in the UAE is regulated, and a contact list does not automatically give a business permission to call everyone on it. Companies need an approved process covering who may call, which number is used, when calls are made, how the Do Not Contact Register is respected and how records are retained.
The Ministry of Economy’s official telemarketing briefing summarises Cabinet Resolutions 56 and 57 of 2024. It lists company obligations including prior approval, trained marketers, local numbers registered to the company, DNCR screening, call recording with notification, calls between 9am and 6pm, clear identification and limits on repeated contact. Businesses should obtain professional advice for their exact activity and regulator.
Build controls before the first call
| Control | Evidence to keep | Risk if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Authority approval | Current permit or approval | Unauthorised marketing activity |
| Company number | Registration with licensed provider | Calls from personal or unregistered number |
| DNCR screening | Dated suppression result | Calling protected consumers |
| Calling hours | System time controls | Calls outside 9am–6pm |
| Training | Attendance and assessment record | Misleading or pressuring conduct |
| Recording | Notice and secure retention process | Missing compliance evidence |
Assign a responsible manager and document which competent authority covers the activity. Banks, financial institutions, insurance and investment services may fall under specialised regulators rather than an ordinary licensing route. A call-centre vendor does not transfer accountability away from the business whose service is being marketed.
Pre-call checklist
- Confirm current approval for the marketing activity.
- Use a UAE number registered to the licensed company.
- Screen the number against the applicable DNCR process.
- Restrict calls to the permitted time window.
- Prepare a truthful script identifying the company and purpose.
- Train staff to stop when the consumer refuses.
- Record and retain required evidence securely.
Control the conversation
At the start, identify the company and purpose and ask whether the consumer wants to continue. Do not hide the commercial intent behind a survey or urgent-sounding message. Staff must not use unjustified pressure, deception or repeated contact. The official briefing says a consumer who refuses should not be contacted again about the offer, and unsuccessful or terminated calls are subject to frequency limits.
The UAE online-review business guide covers evidence and calm responses after a complaint. The Dubai consumer-complaint guide explains how a customer may escalate a service dispute.
Protect customer data
Keep the source of each phone number and the lawful business reason for processing it. Limit access to staff who need the list and do not export it to personal phones. A consumer’s earlier purchase is not an excuse to ignore the DNCR or current telemarketing rules. Delete or suppress numbers through a controlled process so they are not re-imported accidentally.
The small-business cyber-response guide helps if a contact list is exposed. The record-keeping guide supports secure retention and access controls.
Manage vendors and scripts
Give an outsourced caller an approved script, suppression list and escalation procedure, then audit actual recordings and call logs. Contracts should define data access, retention, complaints and responsibility for subcontractors. The UAE contract checklist highlights scope and evidence questions that also matter in service agreements.
Respond to complaints
Preserve the call record, number, time, script version, DNCR result and agent notes. Stop further marketing while the complaint is reviewed. Do not ask staff to alter a record or move communication to a private personal number. The business records guide is useful for audit discipline, while the scam-safety guide explains why customers may distrust an unexpected call.
Questions people often ask
What hours can UAE telemarketing calls be made?
The Ministry of Economy briefing states that marketing calls must be made between 9am and 6pm.
Can a business call numbers on the DNCR?
Companies must not make prohibited marketing calls to numbers registered on the Do Not Contact Register. Apply the official screening process.
Can employees use personal mobile numbers for sales calls?
The rules require local numbers registered under the licensed company rather than unregistered personal numbers.
Must marketing calls be recorded?
The official briefing lists call recording and notifying the consumer at the start among company obligations. Records must be handled securely.
Can a company call again after the consumer refuses?
The briefing says the consumer should not be contacted again about the offer after refusal. Build the refusal into the suppression process immediately.
