Call center compliance within an industry that has some of the strictest regulatory requirements is a real challenge contact center leaders face everyday.
If you think compliance isn’t an issue for your call center, you might be unpleasantly surprised.
Non-compliance with call center regulations is not just a minor slip-up. The penalty for not adhering to regulations will burn a hole in your pocket if not followed, or could even lead to the complete shutdown of your contact center.
Navigating quality and compliance issues is not for the faint of heart. Contact Center Compliance Regulations and Standards are prone to frequent changes (especially data privacy laws) which require agent training, and updated quality and compliance protocols.
With this guide you'll learn the types of call center compliance regulations you need to be aware of, consequences of non-compliance, and the best practices to gain and maintain a compliant contact center.
This post features learnings from Courtney Schwoebel, Compliance Advisor with leadership experience at Sallie May, Best Egg, and BNY Mellon. As a people-centric contact center leader, Courtney is passionate about mentoring and coaching agents and managers to excel in quality and compliance regulations.
Topics we're covering:
- Definition of Call Center Compliance
- Call Center Compliance Regulations and Standards
- Consequences of Non-Compliance
- Best Practices of Call Center Compliance
- QA Software for Call Center Compliance
- Call Center Compliance With AmplifAI
- Upcoming Compliance Trends in 2025
Disclaimer
This article provides a general overview of call center compliance regulations and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Regulations vary by location, industry, and business type. Always consult qualified legal counsel regarding compliance requirements for your specific operation.
What is Call Center Compliance?
Call center compliance is when an organization adheres to all laws, regulations, and industry standards that govern how call centers operate.
Call center compliance regulations, ensure contact centers operate legally, ethically, and securely while protecting the business and its customers from legal, financial, and security risks.
Being compliant includes how call centers handle customer information and interact with customers over any communication channel.
A contact center is either compliant or not compliant. There is no in-between.
Important compliance note:
Call center compliance differs from country to country and even by state or province. This is because compliance regulations are set and enforced by state and federal government bodies. As a result, a call center can be compliant in the United States but non-compliant in the United Kingdom.
Call Center Compliance Regulations and Standards
Call center compliance regulations and standards may vary by sector and the type of contact center.
For example, health care contact centers, or financial services companies will have more stringent regulations than call centers that handle something like gym memberships.
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Below we've included the top 12 call center compliance regulations (mostly in the US and Canada), however, your state, country, or organization may also have regulations and/or best practices that you need to be aware of.
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
- Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR)
- Do Not Call (DNC) Registry
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
- Call Recording and Monitoring Consent
- Dodd-Frank Act
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
- Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
- Internal Organizational Regulations and Guidelines
Established: 1996
Protects sensitive health information from disclosure without patient consent in healthcare contact centers and institutions. Learn more about HIPAA compliance in contact centers.
HIPAA call center compliance regulations include:
- Safeguards protected health information (PHI) in calls
- Ensures patient rights over health data usage
- Controls information disclosure protocols
HIPAA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per HIPAA Violation: $100 - $50,000
- Annual Maximum: $1.5 Million
- Criminal Penalties: Up to $250,000 | 10 years in prison
Recent HIPAA Violation Example:
In 2018, Anthem Inc. paid a $16 million settlement for a data breach affecting 79 million individuals.
HIPAA Compliance Note:
Adhering to HIPAA compliance safeguards not only patient trust but also shields contact centers from costly fines and legal action. Call center quality assurance software can help ensure proper handling of PHI by providing monitoring tools and compliance checks for agent interactions.
Established: 1991
Federal legislation protecting consumers from unwanted commercial communications while establishing business guidelines. Learn about TCPA requirements for contact centers.
TCPA call center compliance regulations include:
- Requires explicit permission before commercial communications
- Covers automated dialing, SMS, and prerecorded messages
- Allows consumers to withdraw consent anytime
TCPA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per TCPA Violation: Up to $10,000
- Recent Settlement: $225 Million
Recent TCPA Violation Example:
In 2021, the FCC fined two Texas-based telemarketers $225 million for making approximately one billion robocalls.
TCPA Compliance Note:
Strict adherence to TCPA guidelines protects organizations from lawsuits and enhances consumer trust.
The 2025 TCPA update has redefined what constitutes an autodialer, impacting how businesses engage in telemarketing. Staying ahead of updates like these ensures your call center avoids unnecessary risks.
Established: 2004
Security standard protecting payment card information during transactions. Learn about PCI DSS compliance for call centers.
PCI DSS call center compliance regulations include:
- Protects sensitive payment card data
- Restricts recording of financial information
- Sets guidelines for secure transaction processing
PCI DSS Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Monthly Fines: $5,000 - $100,000
- Violation Type: Varies by size & duration
Recent PCI DSS Violation Example:
In 2013, Target agreed to an $18.5 million settlement after a data breach exposed over 41 million customers' payment information.
PCI DSS Compliance Note:
PCI DSS compliance is a cornerstone for maintaining customer confidence in payment security. Implementing tokenization or encryption reduces the risk of sensitive data exposure during transactions.
Enforced by FTC
Federal regulation requiring telemarketers to disclose material information about products and services to consumers. Learn about TSR requirements for contact centers.
TSR call center compliance regulations include:
- Mandates disclosure of purchase conditions
- Requires transparency in product information
- Sets standards for telemarketing practices
TSR Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per TSR Violation: Up to $43,792
- Recent Settlement: $5.2 Million
Recent TSR Violation Example:
In 2019, the FTC and State of Ohio secured a $5.2 million settlement against a group of defendants for TSR violations, including misrepresentations and unauthorized billing.
TSR Compliance Note:
Compliance with the TSR not only avoids penalties but also strengthens the reputation of ethical telemarketing practices. Regular agent training ensures transparency and compliance in every customer interaction.
Established: 2003
Federal database maintained by the FTC protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls. Violations incur up to $25,000 per illegal call. Learn about DNC compliance requirements.
DNC call center compliance regulations include:
- Prohibits calling registered phone numbers
- Requires caller identification disclosure
- Enforces specific allowed calling time slots
DNC Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per DNC Violation: Up to $43,792
- Recent Fine: $29 Million
Recent DNC Violation Example:
In 2024, a telemarketing company was fined $29 million for making millions of unsolicited calls to individuals on the DNC registry.
DNC Compliance Note:
Maintaining an up-to-date DNC list minimizes consumer complaints and legal risks. Automated tools can help streamline compliance by cross-referencing contact lists with the registry.
Federal Law
Regulates how debt collectors can interact with debtors, including contact timing and frequency. Learn about FDCPA compliance for collection calls.
FDCPA call center compliance regulations include:
- Restricts contact hours and frequency
- Protects debtor rights in collections
- Enables legal action for violations
FDCPA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Individual Lawsuits: Up to $1,000
- Class Action Suits: Up to $500,000
Recent FDCPA Violation Example:
In 2019, a debt collection agency agreed to pay $267,000 to settle allegations of FDCPA violations, including harassment and unauthorized fees.
FDCPA Compliance Note:
FDCPA compliance promotes ethical collection practices, reducing consumer grievances and litigation. Empowering agents with clear guidelines and scripts ensures professional and compliant communication.
Varies by State
Regulates consent requirements for call recording and monitoring across different jurisdictions. Learn about call recording compliance requirements.
Call Recording and Monitoring Consent compliance regulations include:
- One-party consent states require only one participant's permission
- Two-party consent states require all participants' approval
- Thirteen states enforce two-party consent laws
Recording Consent Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per Violation: Up to $2,500
- Criminal Penalty: Possible Imprisonment
Recent Recording Consent Violation Example:
In California, a company was fined $7.4 million for recording customer calls without consent, violating the state's two-party consent law.
Call Recording Compliance Note:
List of all two-party consent states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Clear communication about call recording builds trust with consumers and avoids disputes. Implementing location-based systems ensures compliance with varying state laws on consent.
Financial Services Law
Promotes transparency and consumer protection in financial institutions. Learn about Dodd-Frank compliance for financial contact centers.
Dodd-Frank Act call center compliance regulations include:
- Enforces fair lending practices
- Requires clear consumer disclosures
- Prohibits discriminatory policies
Dodd-Frank Non-Compliance Penalties
- Individual Penalty: Up to $1M per day
- Entity Penalty: Up to $5M per day
Recent Dodd-Frank Violation Example:
In 2020, a financial institution was fined $250 million for violations related to consumer protection provisions under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Dodd-Frank Compliance Note:
Transparency mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act fosters better consumer relationships and reduces compliance risks. Comprehensive documentation of policies and disclosures is a key safeguard.
Financial Privacy Law
Financial privacy regulation requiring strict protection of customer data. Learn about GLBA compliance requirements for contact centers.
GLBA call center compliance regulations include:
- Mandates stringent security measures
- Requires annual security audits
- Restricts sharing of financial information
GLBA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per Violation: Up to $100,000
- Criminal Penalty: Up to 5 years in prison
Recent GLBA Violation Example:
In 2019, a financial institution paid $85 million in penalties for violating GLBA regulations by failing to safeguard customer data.
GLBA Compliance Note:
Ensuring GLBA compliance demonstrates a commitment to financial privacy. Regularly reviewing data-sharing agreements and access controls helps prevent unauthorized data exposure.
Credit Protection Law
Prevents discrimination in credit transactions based on protected characteristics. Learn about ECOA compliance for contact centers.
ECOA call center compliance regulations include:
- Prohibits discrimination in credit decisions
- Protects multiple demographic characteristics
- Requires agent training on fair practices
ECOA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per Violation: Up to $10,000
- Class Action Penalty: Up to $500,000 or 1% of net worth
Recent ECOA Violation Example:
In 2022, a major lender paid $24 million to settle allegations of ECOA violations, including discriminatory lending practices.
ECOA Compliance Note:
ECOA compliance not only prevents legal action but also builds a diverse and inclusive customer base. Proactive training on bias prevention and fair practices supports ethical credit decisions.
Lending Disclosure Law
Ensures transparency in lending communications and disclosures. Learn about TILA compliance requirements for contact centers.
TILA call center compliance regulations include:
- Requires full disclosure of finance charges
- Mandates clear payment schedule information
- Ensures consistent loan cost transparency
TILA Non-Compliance Penalties:
- Per Violation: Up to $5,000
- Class Action Penalty: Up to $1 million or 1% of net worth
Recent TILA Violation Example:
In 2021, a financial institution paid $3 million in penalties for failing to disclose accurate loan costs, violating TILA requirements.
TILA Compliance Note:
TILA compliance enhances customer satisfaction through clear and honest communication. Providing easily understandable financial terms fosters long-term loyalty and minimizes disputes.
Varies by Organization
Each organization develops its own internal regulations and guidelines to align with their products or services. These internal policies go beyond compliance with external regulations and reflect the company's standards for how customer interactions should be managed. Business Process Outsourcers (BPOs), need to be aware of these guidelines alongside compliance regulations.
Internal call center compliance regulations may include:
- Ensures brand-specific messaging and tone consistency
- Defines escalation procedures tailored to the organization
- Establishes unique data security and privacy protocols
- Includes training programs customized to the company's values
Organizational call center compliance note:
While external regulations set the foundation, internal organizational guidelines ensure every customer interaction reflects the company's brand values and service standards. Regularly auditing internal policies helps maintain alignment with both regulatory compliance and business objectives. Call center quality assurance software can help organizations monitor adherence to both industry regulations and internal guidelines.
Consequences of Non-Compliance in a Call Center
Non-compliance with the call center regulations we've listed above (and any that are pertinent to your location or call center type) will lead to some or all of the consequences listed below.
1. Fines, penalties, and legal actions
Regulatory authorities impose hefty penalties on call centers that violate laws and regulations. This happens more often than we all like to admit and is very preventable.
2. Reputational damage
Non-compliance with call center regulations not only has potential fines and penalties, but also hampers your call center's reputation. Reputational damage has long-term impacts on sales and revenue that you need to act quickly to rectify.
3. Agent attrition
In many cases, when there is a serious compliance failure, the agent (whether their fault or not) is relieved of duty. The cost to replace a call center agent is upwards of $10,000. This is not including any penalties the organization has in place for compliance infractions.
Our most recent article outlines the costs of call center turnover.
4. Loss of customer trust
Customer experience and call center compliance are inseparable of each other.
If customers lose trust in the contact center due to repeated compliance failures, you'll lose business quickly.
If you're a BPO, brands who lose trust will take their business elsewhere.
5. Disruption to business
The most damaging consequence of a call center compliance violation could lead to a complete call center shutdown.
These consequences can be avoided, but there are a number of challenges quality and compliance teams face.
Call Center Compliance Challenges
These are the top challenges that quality trainers, and team leaders need to overcome to achieve and maintain compliance in the contact center.
1. Managing the Human Element
Real-time customer interactions make compliance unpredictable. Agents must stay compliant without losing natural conversation flow.
Key challenges include:
- Handling unexpected scenarios
- Preventing well-meaning but non-compliant decisions
- Strengthening communication between compliance teams and frontline staff
2. Keeping Pace with Regulatory Changes
With evolving data privacy laws and regulations, staying compliant requires constant vigilance.
For example, the 2025 TCPA update redefined autodialer rules.
Key challenges include:
- Having a dedicated compliance officer tracking changes
- Breaking down complex regulations into actionable steps
- Adapting processes without disrupting daily operations
- Tracking and documenting compliance requirements
3. Developing Effective Compliance Scorecards
Scorecards must balance simplicity and thoroughness while supporting training and evaluation.
Key challenges include:
- Creating tools that are trainable and repeatable
- Avoiding incentives that encourage risky shortcuts
- Ensuring consistency in scoring across evaluators
4. Securing Leadership Buy-In
Compliance programs compete with other priorities, convincing the executive team of the financial impact of quality and compliance issues isn't easy to quantify in data.
Key challenges include:
- Quantifying compliance risks in financial terms
- Highlighting the link between compliance and customer experience
- Securing resources for tools and training
5. Managing Remote Work Call Center Compliance
Remote and hybrid work environments introduce new compliance risks and data security concerns.
Key challenges include:
- Monitoring compliance for distributed teams
- Protecting sensitive data across home networks
- Delivering effective virtual compliance training
Overcoming these challenges is the key to maintaining compliance while delivering still delivering exceptional customer service.
Call Center Compliance Best Practices
The call center compliance best practices we've outlined here will help quality and compliance teams address common compliance challenges without drowning in complexity.
Special thanks to Courtney Schwoebel, former Compliance Advisory Officer at Best Egg for providing insights for these compliance best practices.
Follow these seven proven strategies to ensure your contact center maintains compliance while delivering excellent customer experiences:
- Establish a Detailed Compliance Policy
- Establish Call Center Compliance Metrics and Benchmarks
- Conduct Regular Agent Coaching
- Leverage Call Center Compliance Technology
- Conduct Regular Compliance Audits
- Secure Remote Operations
- Use Call Center Quality Management Software
A culture of compliance starts with a comprehensive compliance policy that guides your entire operation. Your policy should bridge the gap between regulations and day-to-day operations.
Call Center Compliance Policy Components
- Customer data handling procedures
- Information security protocols
- Storing sensitive information
- Financial risk quantification
- Compliance metrics tied to CX outcomes
- Leadership reporting structure
- Policy violation consequences
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Make sure the policy is clear, accessible, and regularly communicated to all team members. Present compliance metrics in business terms that resonate with leadership.
Depending on the industry, as a compliance officer you're in charge of proving value through metrics like customer satisfaction (CSAT), net promoter score (NPS), and monitoring customer feedback. Stay on top of these metrics and use data to drive decision making from the top down.
Call Center Compliance Metrics Include
- Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
- Voice of the Customer Programs
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Customer Surveys
- Call Center Metrics that matter to your industry
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Leverage AI-driven speech analytics to help spot compliance issues and improves customer interactions. Review reports regularly to adjust your strategy.Learn more about speech analytics.
Move beyond traditional agent coaching to build a compliance-focused culture through relationship-driven coaching.
Agent Coaching Focus Areas
- Implement real-time call monitoring and feedback
- Build floor presence with compliance teams
- Break down regulations into actionable behaviors
- Conduct interactive scenario practice
- Debt collection best practices
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Foster a relationship between compliance teams and agents by maintaining regular presence and informal learning opportunities.
Looking to streamline your agent coaching process? Explore our guide to the 9 Best Call Center Coaching Software solutions to find tools that integrate compliance requirements with agent development.
Choose software that supports compliance while enhancing operational efficiency.
Compliant Call Center Software Features
- DNC compliance tools
- Data encryption capabilities
- Access controls
- Call recording functionality
- Real-time monitoring tools
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Investing in compliance-focused software minimizes the risk of violations and ensures smoother operations. Look for solutions with built-in compliance features to streamline adherence.
Want to maintain compliance without sacrificing efficiency? Check out our comprehensive review of the 12 Best Call Center Performance Management Software platforms that balance regulatory requirements with operational excellence.
Stay ahead of compliance issues with systematic monitoring and updates.
Call Center Compliance Audit Elements
- Policy effectiveness review
- Regulatory update checks
- Leadership reporting
- Compliance violation monitoring
- Process improvement identification
- Documentation updates
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Create a structured process for implementing and communicating regulatory updates across the organization.
Protect customer data across distributed teams without compromising service quality.
Security Measures
- Network access control
- Multi-factor authentication
- Data protection protocols
- Work-from-home security protocols
- Virtual compliance training
- Remote monitoring tools
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Apply the same rigorous standards to remote operations as on-site work.
Quality management software helps contact centers monitor compliance across all interactions while reducing manual effort in tracking and assessment.
QA Software Features
- Automated compliance monitoring
- Real-time violation alerts
- Performance analytics
- Coaching workflow integration
- Quality scoring automation
- Regulatory update tracking
Compliance Best Practice Tip
Use QA software to catch compliance issues early, provide summaries, and stay updated with regulations in real-time. Call center quality assurance software can automate many compliance checks, reducing the risk of violations while improving efficiency.
Ready to upgrade your quality management approach? Review the 11 Best Call Center Quality Assurance Software platforms that integrate compliance monitoring with comprehensive quality management features.
QA Software for Call Center Compliance
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Although you don’t need technology to achieve compliance in your call center, call center quality assurance software can make a world of difference. QA software equips teams with features like real-time monitoring, automated alerts for potential violations, and proactive response tools.
For example, real-time call analytics can flag potential consent violations during interactions, allowing immediate review and corrective action before escalation.
92% of contact center agents agreed their organizations have a QA program in place.
The manual process of compliance:
- Reviewing large volumes of call data
- Building and managing scorecards
- Analyzing data for actionable coaching opportunities
- Preparing for and conducting coaching sessions
- Recognizing agent growth
- Following up to ensure long-term improvements
While QA software provides an essential framework for compliance management—especially for smaller contact centers—it doesn’t address every manual process limitation that quality teams face.
Stand alone QA software leaves quality teams responsible for manually:
- Extracting insights
- Developing and aligning coaching strategies
- Measuring outcomes effectively
The next level of QA and compliance isn't reactive, instead it becomes a driver of improved performance and employee engagement by connecting all of your contact center data with coaching, recognition, and performance KPIs.
Call Center Compliance with AmplifAI
AmplifAI, developed by contact center leaders for contact center leaders eliminates the gaps in call center compliance by unifying all of your contact center data including; quality and compliance logs, speech analytics, CCaaS, chat, CRM, flat files, homegrown apps--no data left behind.
This data ingestion process is the foundation of AmplifAI's patented AI that aggregates and analyzes all of your real-time compliance data, displaying AI recommendations and performance data in role-based dashboards for easy viewing and actioning.
How to AmplifAI Call Center Compliance
1. Auto QA & Compliance Monitoring
Auto QA analyzes 100% of customer interactions that automatically flags compliance risks, script deviations, and sensitive information sharing.
2. Performance Management
Unify all your contact center data into role-based dashboards. AmplifAI's contact center performance management uses patented AI to unify all your data to identify top performers' compliance behaviors and displays all your benchmarks in real-time role-based dashboards, for every level of the organization.
3. Compliance-Driven Coaching
Turn compliance findings into immediate coaching opportunities. AmplifAI's call center coaching software identifies priorities and provides team leaders with targeted recommendations based on quality scores and compliance data.
4. Engagement & Recognition
Never miss a praiseworthy moment. Build a culture of compliance through automated gamification and recognition workflows that celebrate adherence and reward consistent quality performance.
5. Quality Assurance
Create a seamless feedback system that combines AI monitoring with human oversight. The right contact center QA software enables real-time interventions and measurable improvements in compliance performance.
6. AI-Driven Actions
Turn compliance insights into AI-driven actions automatically. AmplifAI's patented AI analyzes call center analytics to recommend the most effective steps for improving compliance and quality, while measuring the impact of every action taken.
7. Enterprise-Grade Data Unification
No matter the size or source, AmplifAI unifies all your contact center data from diverse systems. Whether it's CRMs, speech analytics platforms, text files, spreadsheets, or homegrown applications, our contact center analytics capabilities ensure no valuable data is left behind. This comprehensive unification creates a single source of truth for compliance monitoring and performance optimization.
Call Center Compliance Trends in 2025
The future of contact center compliance is moving beyond basic checklist adherence to regulations.
The goal for compliance in 2025 is to turn compliance monitoring into actionable insights that drive both risk reduction and performance improvement at the same time.
As highlighted by top CX Leaders, and echoed in Gartner's 2024 Cool Vendor Report, contact centers are shifting away from reactive compliance monitoring to AI-enabled systems that proactively identify and prevent compliance risks while improving customer experience simultaneously.
In 2025 contact centers will need to leverage AI-powered quality and compliance software that:
- Unites quality and compliance data across all channels
- Automatically detects potential compliance risks in real-time
- Transforms compliance insights into immediate actions
- Measures the impact on both risk reduction and performance
AmplifAI, trusted by 150+ brands and top BPOs is the only platform that combines employee performance enablement with AI-driven compliance management to help organizations achieve more than just compliance—driving transformation across the entire organization.
Don't settle for just being 'compliant' in 2025.
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