AI prospecting.
Every enquiry gets an instant callback.
Sales prospecting has become structurally harder in 2026. The UWG (German Unfair Competition Act) prohibits marketing calls to consumers without their prior express consent, and from 02.08.2026 the AI Act requires it to be clear on the phone when an AI is speaking. Still, speed matters when following up incoming enquiries: whoever calls back quickly reaches interested people while their enquiry is still fresh.
Get startedIn short
Prospecting in Germany in 2026 has a clear legal framework. § 7(2) no. 1 UWG requires prior express consent for marketing calls to consumers, and at least presumed consent for other market participants. For advertising via an automated calling machine, § 7(2) no. 2 UWG always requires prior express consent. Whether an AI call falls under this has not been conclusively settled. On top of that comes Art. 50 AI Act: anyone talking to an AI must learn this at first contact. The safe and at the same time most effective lever is therefore the callback to people who enquired themselves. That is exactly what the phone agent does at rinqo: it calls back as soon as an enquiry comes in through your form, clarifies what the person needs and passes interested prospects to your sales team with a summary.
For prospecting, rinqo uses the phone agent, the same one that takes incoming calls. It only calls out with a clear reason: (1) a callback as soon as an enquiry comes in through your form, (2) a one-time callback when someone called you and couldn't reach anyone, (3) a reminder the day before a booked appointment. rinqo does not do cold calling, marketing calls to existing customers or repeated call attempts. Servers in Germany, DPA on registration, AI notice built in by default.
Contents
Why rinqo?
A callback as soon as the enquiry comes in
According to Harvard Business Review (2011, data from US companies), companies that responded to an online enquiry within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify the lead as companies that only got back an hour later. Manually, only a sales team that is constantly on standby can manage that. rinqo calls back as soon as the enquiry comes in.
Clarifying the request, in natural language
In conversation, the agent asks what your sales team needs to know, such as need, timeframe and contact person, and passes the answers via webhook to a system of your choice. Interested prospects go to sales with a summary.
AI notice built in by default
The preset greeting says right at the start that an AI is speaking. Mandatory under Art. 50 AI Act from 02.08.2026. You can adjust the wording; the notice should stay.
Only with a reason, never cold
The agent only calls when there is a clear reason: a form enquiry, a missed call, a booked appointment. Before every call, rinqo checks whether an objection is on record. Outbound calls happen on weekdays between 8 am and 8 pm, and at weekends between 10 am and 6 pm.
Servers in Germany instead of US voice AI
Many voice AI tools process data in the US. rinqo: servers in Germany, AI models with contractually assured data processing in the EU, no US providers.
More enquiries without more staff
Manually, every quick callback needs a free person. The agent takes it over, even when several enquiries come in at once. How many conversations can run in parallel depends on the plan.
Before. After.
Manual prospecting: limited by staff, callbacks on enquiries often only hours later. Cold calling: legally risky and not something to do with an AI.
From Germany, servers in Germany: the phone agent calls back as soon as an enquiry comes in, clarifies what the person needs and books an appointment, with the AI notice under Art. 50 AI Act.
Prospecting law in 2026, what's allowed and what isn't
Marketing calls are governed by § 7 UWG (German Unfair Competition Act). For consumers, a marketing call requires prior express consent; for other market participants, i.e. businesses, at least presumed consent (§ 7(2) no. 1). For advertising via an automated calling machine, prior express consent is always required (§ 7(2) no. 2). Whether a call made by an AI agent falls under this has not been conclusively settled. Anyone who obtains consent from consumers for telephone advertising must document and keep it under § 7a UWG. The GDPR additionally requires a legal basis for every processing operation, and Art. 50 AI Act requires that the person called learns that an AI is speaking. rinqo draws a clear line from this: the agent only calls people who have given a reason themselves, for example with an enquiry through your form. rinqo does not do cold calling.
The callback on enquiries, the underrated lever
According to Harvard Business Review (2011, data from US companies), companies that responded to an online enquiry within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify the lead as companies that only got back an hour later. rinqo's phone agent starts right here: your form triggers the call via webhook, the agent calls back as soon as the enquiry comes in, clarifies in conversation what the person needs and books an appointment or passes the enquiry to your sales team with a summary. If it doesn't reach the person, it doesn't try again; the enquiry then goes to your team.
Missed calls, the second lever
Not every enquiry comes through the form. Someone who calls you and can't reach anyone has a request that would otherwise be lost. Here the phone agent calls back once, within two hours and only during the permitted times. The caller sought the contact themselves, and the callback deals with their request. There is nothing beyond this one callback.
Why rinqo doesn't do cold calling
Cold calling by phone is not permitted for consumers without prior express consent. For businesses, § 7(2) no. 1 UWG accepts presumed consent, but it has to be concretely demonstrable. As soon as an AI makes the call, there is the open question of whether § 7(2) no. 2 UWG applies, making express consent necessary. A provider selling you automated cold calling sells you this risk along with it. rinqo doesn't. For first contact with new businesses, your sales team remains the right choice; the agent takes over as soon as someone enquires themselves.
AI callback vs. manual callback
Scaling manual prospecting depends on staff: every additional salesperson costs money, and nobody is reachable around the clock. An AI agent gets in touch as soon as the enquiry comes in, including in the evening and at weekends within the permitted times. Trade-off: the AI is good at taking down a request and arranging an appointment. For complex sales conversations your sales team stays ahead; the agent hands interested prospects over with a summary.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- UWG § 7, Unreasonable harassment (German Unfair Competition Act)
- EU Regulation 2024/1689 (AI Act), Art. 50
- GDPR Art. 6, Lawfulness of processing
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (2011)
Last updated: 2026-09-27
Founder, rinqo
Founder of rinqo. Builds a company memory where an organisation's knowledge comes together and stays available, and the AI agents that work from it: on the phone, in the inbox, in chat, in marketing and in further roles. Writes here about bringing AI into companies, about data protection, and about what holds up in daily operation. Developed in Germany, processed in the EU, no US providers.
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