{"id":68420,"date":"2024-03-20T13:40:16","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T17:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/?p=68420"},"modified":"2024-03-20T13:40:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T17:40:24","slug":"maryland-innovative-technology-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/news\/maryland-innovative-technology-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"AnswerNet Addresses Maryland Supreme Court Decision with Innovative Technology Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Willow Grove, PA, March 18, 2024<\/strong>: In response to the February 22, 2024 ruling of the Maryland Supreme Court<\/a> concerning the Maryland Telephone Solicitations Act (MTSA), AnswerNet<\/strong> announced a proactive step to ensure compliance for businesses affected by this legal development. The Court’s decision extends the MTSA’s \u201cwet signature\u201d requirement to include transactions initiated by consumers in response to a merchant’s marketing, significantly impacting telephonic sales practices for energy retailers, telecommunications companies, insurance carriers, and other regulated industries operating within the state of Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Court’s interpretation that the MTSA applies to inbound (and outbound) calls requires a written contract with a consumer’s signature. However, under the Maryland Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, an electronic signature is deemed legally equivalent to a wet signature, ensuring that electronic records and contracts maintain their legal effect and enforceability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David M. Murdza, Esq., AnswerNet\u2019s General Counsel, has provided a critical legal opinion confirming that AnswerNet’s Third-Party Verification (TPV) contract-generator \u201cFOCUS\u201d software platform fulfills the MTSA signature requirements. This FOCUS software captures transactions in writing and records consumers’ electronic signatures, and includes transactions originating from consumer inbound telephone calls. (<\/em>AnswerNet TPV<\/em><\/a> is a specialty division of AnswerNet.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThis legal insight offers a viable solution for businesses navigating the new legal landscape in Maryland, to help them ensure that their telephonic sales can continue efficiently without compromising compliance,\u201d adds Mr. Murza. \u201cAnswerNet’s technology not only aligns with the current legal requirements, but also streamlines the verification process for telephonic sales to provide a seamless, compliant method for securing consumer agreements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opinion underscores AnswerNet’s commitment to leveraging technology to address evolving legal and regulatory challenges, ensuring that its clients remain at the forefront of compliance and operational efficiency. To read Mr. Murdza\u2019s full AnswerNet response\/opinion letter, <\/strong>CLICK HERE<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclaimer: <\/em><\/strong>This opinion is intended for internal use within the AnswerNet family of companies and does not constitute legal advice. Clients and prospects are encouraged to consult their legal counsel regarding MTSA compliance and related legal matters.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About AnswerNet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Headquartered in Willow Grove, PA, AnswerNet is a full-service provider of inbound, outbound, automated, and BPO contact center services. The company has over 30 sites with 2,000 full-time employees across the U.S. and Canada. Specialty business units include Nonprofit, Appointment Setting, Energy, Third-Party Verification, and more. (answernet.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Willow Grove, PA, March 18, 2024: In response to the February 22, 2024 ruling of the Maryland Supreme Court concerning the Maryland Telephone Solicitations Act … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[15],"tags":[858],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5ZWWd-hNy","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9603,"url":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/article\/moving-call-centers-to-the-internet\/","url_meta":{"origin":68420,"position":0},"title":"Moving Call Centers to the Internet","author":"Peter Lyle DeHaan","date":"January 1, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"By Barbara Fox In the parade of e-commerce companies popping up all over the U.S., Answer Net, a call center and answering service, upgraded to the Web and it is ready to capitalize on the new popularity of on-line purchasing, which unexpectedly ballooned during last year's holiday season. Internet sales\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3622,"url":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/news\/answernet-honored-as-one-of-the-best-run-companies-in-philly-area\/","url_meta":{"origin":68420,"position":1},"title":"AnswerNet Honored as one of the Best-Run Companies in Philly Area","author":"Peter Lyle DeHaan","date":"June 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"AnswerNet has been selected as one of the \u201c100 Best-Run Companies\u201d by SmartCEO magazine. The winners of this award are selected by editors and writers who deal with hundreds of companies along the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern corridor. The announcement was made at a black-tie event held in Philadelphia on Thursday,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":65520,"url":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/news\/answernet-answermytexts\/","url_meta":{"origin":68420,"position":2},"title":"AnswerNet Expands Traditional Answering Service to Include Text Support","author":"Peter Lyle DeHaan","date":"January 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"AnswerNet launched AnswerMyTexts, the first true business text answering service solution. AnswerMyTexts lets business owners handle texts on their business phone number or have those texts handled by AnswerNet agents. The goal of AnswerMyTexts is to allow businesses to use their answering service for non-voice channels for the first time,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41431,"url":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/news\/answernet-acquires-synergy-solutions\/","url_meta":{"origin":68420,"position":3},"title":"AnswerNet Acquires Synergy Solutions","author":"Admin","date":"July 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"AnswerNet acquired Synergy Solutions in an asset transaction. Synergy Solutions specializes in high-touch consultative customer service and sales support programs for many of the nation\u2019s leading brands. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Synergy Solutions was established in 1999 and focuses on innovative customer interaction solutions. This allows Synergy Solutions to provide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51749,"url":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/news\/answernet-acquires-tp\/","url_meta":{"origin":68420,"position":4},"title":"AnswerNet Acquires TPV.com","author":"Admin","date":"July 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Contact Center Strengthens Services with Third-Party Verification AnswerNet announced the acquisition of TPV.com, a leading third-party verification service working with energy and telecom businesses throughout the United States.\u00a0 Third-party verification services, also known by the industry acronym TPV, use humans and technology to confirm consumer sales transactions after an in-person\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68420"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68420"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69133,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68420\/revisions\/69133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/connectionsmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}