Having telephone calls recorded should be seen as a positive, according to a Kent telecoms expert.

Recent research has highlighted that nearly one in five people (18%) worry about having their call recorded by a business when they phone a call centre.

A industry expert has suggested that companies make it clearer why conversations are recorded.

Sarah-Jane Heber-Hall, of award-winning firm ComputerTel, based in Gravesend, said: “Our study also showed that 14% of people do not understand why their calls are recorded, which suggests that either some companies are failing to advise their customers - breaching the Telecommunications Act of 1984 – or are doing so in such a way that they are not understood.

“As responsible providers of telecoms solutions, including call recording software, we are surprised that some businesses appear to be failing to comply with regulations, and are leaving customers feeling worried and vulnerable when calling a contact centre.”

The survey also revealed that customers in the 50-59 age group are the most concerned about having their calls recorded, and 22% of those questioned said that when they were advised that their phone call was being recorded, they put the phone down and tried another communication method, such as email. Male callers were 10% more likely than female callers to end a call if they know it is being recorded.

But 6% of respondents said they have had to have a recording used, following a complaint or other issue.

Ms Heber-Hall added: “Having a call recorded should give a customer comfort in the knowledge that if, further down the line there are any concerns over what had been said, the call can be listened to. Not only that, call recording helps with training purposes, giving the customer an overall better experience. Companies who use call recording software need to make sure that their callers know that they are being recorded and that they understand why.”

ComputerTel has been a Gravesham Business of the Year, Dartford and Gravesham Business of the Year in 2008, and Kent Business Award Winner In Customer Service, also in 2008.