Blast It...

I got an annoying political call the other night.

"Hi. I'm Dan Proft the conservative choice for Illinois governor..."

"Dan?" I interrupted "I'm in the middle dinner right now, can you call back."

"In the face of recent Illinois corruption..."

I tried to stop him several times but he just kept rambling -- then I realized it was a robocall, an outgoing pre-recorded message.

I hate robocalls. Usually. But I don't mind thank you or reminder robocalls, like one I got a year or so back:

"Hi. This is Suzie from the Chicago Tribune. I just wanted to thank you for your renewal subscription and remind you that you can subscribe to free email news alerts at chicagotribune.com/services".

Robocalls can be a good way to provide better customer service -- but avoid doing anything that sounds like you're selling. Effective September 1, you could get slapped with a $16,000 fine by the FTC if you send a sales robocall to someone who did not give your written approval.

But use robocalls with discretion. Just remember, it may be legal, but it could be annoying to many customers, so ask before you even consider adding their number to your robocall list.

Takeaway: Robcalls can be a cost-effective customer service tool. But don't use them to sell. Not only can they be irritating, they're now illegal.