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Social media, texting, and email seem to reign supreme, but a phone call remains the most effective way to engage with current and prospective customers. In fact, a remarkable 92% of business-customer interactions still take place over the phone, a testament to its enduring value. As consumers increasingly crave personalized experiences, the importance of voice communication is only poised to grow.
What most businesses don’t know is that 25% of their numbers are at risk of being mislabeled as ‘spam,’ or worse, blocked altogether; this can lead to loss of revenue and a damaged brand reputation with consumers and customers. This risk is amplified by a complex interplay of factors, and can only be mitigated by taking a proactive approach to phone number reputation management and adhering to best practices.
While designed to combat illegal robocalls, spam labeling technologies have unintentionally trapped legitimate businesses in their cross-hairs, often mislabeling critical calls and interfering with their ability to connect with customers. As these technologies advance and new regulations are introduced, it’s a persistent challenge for businesses to protect their caller reputation and keep their phone numbers label-free.
The consequences of mislabeled calls can be severe, impacting businesses in a variety of ways:
While spam labeling technologies and an evolving regulatory landscape present significant communication roadblocks, they aren’t the sole culprit. Among other factors, unhealthy dialing practices can exacerbate the problem, making businesses more susceptible to negative call labels.
Your dialing habits can significantly impact whether your calls reach customers or get flagged as spam. Here are some common mistakes that businesses make when outbound dialing:
1. High Call Volume
Repeatedly calling a customer in a short timeframe, often called “double dialing,” may seem like a way to increase contact rates. However, it often backfires, triggering spam filters and annoying your customers.
The Fix: Space your calls out strategically, and give customers time to respond.
2. Ignoring “Do Not Call” Lists
Customers who register on the National Do Not Call Registry (DNC) expect their wishes to be respected. Ignoring this list can lead carriers to aggressively label your numbers as spam.\
The Fix: Always scrub your call lists against the Do Not Call Registry and honor consumer preferences.
3. Time of Day Considerations
Earl- morning or late-night calls are disruptive and can lead to complaints. High complaint rates are a major red flag that directly contribute to your numbers being mislabeled.
The Fix: Stick to standard business hours to improve the chances for positive interaction.
4. Irrelevant Calls
Contacting current or prospective customers with irrelevant offers is a surefire way to generate negative feedback, increasing the risk of being labeled as ‘spam.’
The Fix: Use an opt-in list, segment your audience, and personalize your outreach.
5. Using Recycled or Unregistered Numbers
These numbers may come with incorrect Caller ID names or inherited negative reputations from previous users.
The Fix: Register new phone numbers and verify with your carrier that a recent CNAM (Caller Name) update has been performed. If possible, request numbers that have had a "rest period" of about six months between uses to minimize the risk of inherited negative reputation.
Remember, smart dialing is about more than just reaching customers – it's about respecting them. By implementing these best practices, you'll improve your chances of successful outreach while protecting your brand’s caller reputation.
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Following dialing best practices is essential, but it’s just the first step in the fight against negative call labels.
Numeracle’s Number Reputation Management solution provides organizations with the tools to manage and monitor their phone numbers while our team handles remediating any negative labels for them. With add-on features like on-demand Number Check and branded calling, users have total control over their caller reputation with a 360° view into the health of their numbers. Our customers don’t have to worry about missing any updates either; Numeracle’s dedicated in-house Client Engagement Team keeps them informed of the latest best practices and regulatory changes through ongoing health checks and strategy consultations.
Contact us today to start leveraging Numeracle to secure your calls and keep your number clean, so you can focus on the conversation, not the call connection. Visit www.numeracle.com to learn more.
