There is one icon chart and three tables in this figure comparing responses from all respondents and those who speak a language other than English or French most often in their household (Third Language Communities) and show the proportion who experienced sales practices they consider aggressive or misleading, those who experienced a specific set of sales practices, those who agree to five attitudinal statements and those who support a series of potential actions to address aggressive or misleading sales practices. The first table titled ‘Experienced aggressive or misleading sales practices’ shows the proportion who said yes they experienced sales practices they consider aggressive or misleading and among those who have experienced such sales practices the proportion who indicate it took place within the last 12 months. All 1809 respondents and 195 Third Language Community respondents answered as follows:
- Yes, 40% Total, 50% Third Language Community
- Experienced within last 12 months, 60% Total, 67% Third Language Community
The second table titled ‘Personally experienced any of these situations’ shows the proportions who said yes to a series of five types of sales practices. All 1809 respondents and 195 Third Language Community respondents answered as follows:
- Salespeople pushing telecommunications products or services you are not interested in, 55% Total, 51% Third Language Community
- Technical support representatives trying to sell you products or services during the support call or interaction, 39% Total, 40% Third Language Community
- Rebate/ discount offers where terms differ from the original information provided by the providers, 32% Total, 38% Third Language Community
- Salespeople providing details of telecommunications products or services which end up being false, 31% Total, 39% Third Language Community
- Rebate/ discount offers where terms are not disclosed before purchase, 28% Total, 35% Third Language Community
The third table titled ‘Attitudes and opinions towards aggressive or misleading sales practices’ shows the proportion who strongly agree or somewhat agree to five attitudinal statements. All 1809 respondents and 195 Third Language Community respondents answered as follows:
- All levels of government need to work together to stop telecommunications companies from engaging in aggressive or misleading sales tactics, 77% Total, 69% Third Language Community
- Telecommunications companies are too concerned with profit and not enough with consumer protection, 76% Total, 69% Third Language Community
- Companies use aggressive or misleading sales tactics mainly to pressure more vulnerable people into accepting products or services they do not need, 75% Total, 66% Third Language Community
- All companies use aggressive or misleading sales tactics in some form and that it is a normal part of business, 41% Total, 51% Third Language Community
- Concern about aggressive or misleading sales tactics from telecommunications providers in Canada is exaggerated, 30% Total, 40% Third Language Community
The forth table titled ‘Support for the following actions being taken’ shows the proportion who said they strongly or somewhat support each potential action presented. All 1809 respondents and 195 Third Language Community respondents answered as follows:
- Creation of a mandatory code of conduct for telecommunications providers, 83% Total, 75% Third Language Community
- Monetary penalties for companies engaging in aggressive or misleading sales practices, 83% Total, 77% Third Language Community
- Publicly released report on complaints received regarding sales practices, 82% Total, 75% Third Language Community
