RISE OF THE ROBOCALLS

Robocalls aren’t just infuriating, they may well do far more damage than companies think. Take the case of Affinity Dental . . .

It’s a business strategy that should be looking for a quiet corner to die. Just when you think it makes no sense that consultants like Mckinsey charge companies to tell them how not to alienate customers, we have the rise of “robocalls” — unsolicited phone calls that feature a pre-recorded Vulcan-like voice asking if you’re satisfied with your insurance.

This week, I got a call from one such cyborg, assuring me my dental insurance wasn’t up to scratch.

Fearing Hal 9000 may be right, and that ignoring the message might be akin to vetoing the Beatles or ignoring bitcoin, I hit option #1. Soon, I was speaking to a sales agent for Affinity Dental.

Research reveals that Affinity is run by Murray Hewlett (43) who, it turns out, was once listed in the “spamming hall of shame” by the Internet Service Providers Association. (Apparently, his lawyers got involved, so that list no longer exists.)

Hewlett, company records show, is a director of 50 companies, including 24 bearing the Affinity name (including Affinity Crypto Exchange, Affinity Motor Care and Affinity Retrenchment). His other directorships include The Good Friend Medical Society and JCA Pentecostal Revival Churches.

On his Linkedin profile, he says Affinity Health is “one of the fastest growing independent health-care insurance companies in SA” and clocked up R6.5m in turnover in its first year, of which 25% was profit.

Of another company, Affinity Data, Hewlett says he “created and developed a ‘no office’, ‘no staff’ organisation” that “made annual turnover of R4m” in its first year.

Not only do robocalls not work, they often make it less likely you’ll use the brand