Whether you’re a legal caller trying to find a solution provider to vouch for your identity to your call recipients or you’re a carrier or analytics engine trying to determine whether to partner with a company that offers caller identity management or branding, it’s vital that you take a look at the details behind the company. We’re all familiar with the concept of Know Your Customer (brought to the telecom space by Numeracle), but shouldn’t brands, enterprises, carriers, and analytics engines know who is claiming to represent legal callers? It’s time to “Know Your Vetter” (KYV).
There’s a lot to be wary of in today’s telecom ecosystem. A new group of untrustworthy fly-by-night companies have recently entered this space to do nothing more than monitor numbers for callers (legal or sometimes not) and rotate numbers once the reputation associated with them turns negative. Others have no standards in place for vetting their customers. Some potential customers have even told Numeracle that they went with one of our competitors because we ask too many questions. That’s music to my ears. If you’re a legal caller, what happens to your brand and liability when your calls are lumped together with calls from unvetted and unknown callers?
Many companies now offer caller reputation management and branding services, and it can take time to understand their credibility or know which to trust. Some are established large companies branching into this new market. Others, like ourselves, were pioneers in this space. And still, others leave only a few breadcrumbs as to who they really are. Are they legitimate businesses? Are they doing business with illegal callers or callers trying to avoid FCC rules by hiding their real identities? Will these providers get you in trouble with FCC, FTC, or state attorneys general?
We recommend researching the company’s website and public materials to see if its management openly discloses who they are, their backgrounds, and what qualifies them to be the appropriate solution provider for you.
“How can a company that doesn’t disclose its identity claim to vouch for the identity of others?”
Are the leaders at the company active in their field, at industry speaking engagements, or openly passionate about their company's mission? Are they connected to key personnel at the carriers, analytics companies, and with government regulators? Does anyone on their executive management team hold leadership positions in industry groups or standards bodies to advocate on behalf of legal callers and businesses like yours?
Company reviews and customer testimonials outside their direct website can provide better insight into whether they overpromise but underdeliver. Are they relying on digitally created mockups that oversell the truth of what they can deliver? Are they transparent and detail-oriented about how their solution works, who they work with, and their reach? These aren’t questions that you should feel left wondering about.
Numeracle has always strived to protect and advocate on behalf of consumers and enterprise communications. Our KYC processes verify caller identities, and the involvement of our leadership members in various industry and regulatory groups continues to set the gold standard for trusted communications.
But we know we can’t just stop there. We know we can lift these standards higher when we hold ourselves accountable for needing Know Your Vetter practices and encourage others to start adopting these practices for their business.
We know it can be difficult and time-consuming to search for the right solution provider to partner with. We’re always happy to help answer any questions and provide as much clarity into this ecosystem as possible so you can feel confident in choosing the right solution.
For more information about Numeracle’s services and reach, feel free to contact us! We also host a biweekly live podcast series with all the latest must-know industry information to help you stay up-to-date with all the factors and industry news affecting your outbound calling.
