Cold Calling: How To Avoid Having Your ID Shown as Scam Likely

One of the biggest challenges facing an outbound call center operation is being able to make a successful connection with as many calls as possible. This can be a major challenge if your caller ID comes as being a potential scam caller.

It won’t matter how compelling your offer is when the call goes straight to voicemail. It stands to reason that when too many calls are getting binned because they are showing up as spam it can have a detrimental impact on your bottom line.

If you want to avoid calls showing up as spam likely here are some of the things that you need to do.

Why are more calls being marked as spam than ever before?

A good starting point would be to take a look at what is behind the spike in rejected calls. It is a combination of factors that has led to a tightening of the rules surrounding call center operations.

A greater level of public awareness and frustration about the level of spam calls they are getting led to a response from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). They introduced a new set of rules and regulations that were designed to alert the public of potential scam callers through the use of called ID.

Unfortunately, using this approach has led to a greater number of legitimate calls being flagged as spam. FCC regulations require all of the main phone carriers to adhere to a quality standard. In theory, by doing this they can avoid being identified as a scam caller.

The fundamental problem that call center operations have discovered is that it is not exactly clear what parameters they are working to in order to achieve compliance.

It has forced call center operators to try and work out for themselves what score of negative characteristics might prompt their called ID to be identified as spam likely.

Trying to define a set of variables

The FCC compliance rules work in a similar way to how a credit score is defined. It pulls together a number of different factors and calculates a score that is designed to represent the likelihood of a call being spam.

If your called ID is flagged as having enough of these so-called negative characteristics it will increase your chances of being identified as an unwanted spam caller.

Some of the known variables that can have a detrimental impact on your score include -

An intense period of calling the same number in a short space of time.

A higher than average ratio of outbound calls compared to inbound or answered calls.

Using a new number that does not have a history. This makes it more of a potential risk of being marked as a spam caller.

A high percentage of consumers blocking a number or reporting it as spam.

Too many calls that last less than fifteen seconds.

A high percentage of calls go straight to voicemail.

Although these factors are clearly red flags that your call center can work on and improve it is virtually impossible to know what priority each individual carrier’s algorithm attaches to these individual factors.

Rather like trying to work out what things might improve your credit score. If you can identify what sort of weighting is applied to each issue you could work on improving call quality in these areas.

Finding solutions through compliance

There are certain variables that you can work on in order to improve your score. One option to consider is to use an authorized STIR SHAKEN service provider for better outbound call answer rates. Using a clean caller ID negates the problem and helps protect your reputation.

When you have too many calls that last less than 15 seconds, it is that short duration that hurts your score. Using a number that is “Shaken and Stirred” in accordance with FCC guidelines will improve your call response rate through compliance.

Take time to fully understand all the rules and regulations

If you are running a legitimate call center operation you are bound by FCC rules and regulations. The bottom line is that whatever hoops they require you to jump through in order to meet compliance regulations you will have to do what they require.

With that in mind, it makes sense to take the time to focus your attention on getting a comprehensive understanding of all the rules and regulations that have an impact on how you run your operation.

A good starting point would be to become extremely familiar with the Telemarketing Sales Rule(TSR) guidelines. One of the most important aspects of TSR guidelines is that you must never make calls to anyone who is registered on the National Do Not Call Registry.

That is the most obvious compliance requirement. However, FCC laws vary between states, and call centers in different locations may find compliance variances at local levels.

Make sure you fully understand current legislation applicable to your location and implement any calling practice changes that are needed to avoid being marked as a spam caller.

Using the local area code can help

One of the most obvious barriers to connecting a call is when the recipient is looking at the number and is immediately alerted to the fact that it is not local.

An unknown caller ID that is not a local area code can immediately alert a carrier’s algorithm and prevent a successful connection. See if it is possible to use local area codes to reduce the prospect of being flagged as spam.

Caller transparency is important

In a similar vein, registering your numbers can often prove to be a crucial move when it comes to ensuring your number is whitelisted.

Using established services such as Free Caller Registry and Call Transparency can prove beneficial. They can help mark your numbers as safe with carrier spam monitoring vendors.

If you can get your number deemed as safe with as many appropriate carriers as possible this should have a positive impact on your call connection rate.

Consider using a telecommunications provider with sales-specific advantages

It is fair to say that it can be very challenging to try and keep up with all of the various compliance challenges on a daily basis. Trying to keep all the right plates spinning while trying to run an efficient and successful call center operation often requires a bit of specialist help.

If you use a sales-specific telecommunications provider they will be able to help you maintain the right level of compliance while you focus on making more connections and sales.

This type of vendor will automatically register your number through 10 DLC, providing you with instant legitimacy and also preventing any spoofing risks at the same time.

Another key advantage is that this sort of provider will always be monitoring FCC requirements closely. That means that any changes that need to be made for continued compliance can be actioned immediately.

Remember to cycle your numbers

Another key strategy to consider involves cycling your numbers on a consistent basis.

It stands to reason that you are going to have a high call volume. A large number of calls is an instant red flag to spam score algorithms. The way to navigate your way around that issue is to rotate the numbers you are using consistently.

When you manage to keep the hourly rate of calls made by one number as low as possible you will be reducing your chances of being flagged by an algorithm as a potential spam caller.

Focus on delivering the best user experience

Every call recipient you approach represents a potential risk when it comes to taking the step of flagging your number as spam.

It pays to be mindful of how important it is to give each customer the best possible call experience. If you call someone too many times, or too frequently, they might decide to report your number to the FCC.

Not treating any call recipient in a respectful way, such as hanging up on them, or being too rude or aggressive, can have consequences.

If you try to deliver a great customer experience, regardless of the circumstances, you are helping to reduce the risk of being reported. Getting reported to the FCC by a customer is a bit of an own goal. Don’t give anyone a reason to report your number.

In summary, you can see that there are many factors that can all directly result in your number being marked as spam. There are enough useful call-handling software tools and systems available to help you reduce the prospect of being marked down as spam. If you use these resources wisely and in conjunction with your own efforts to improve call center practices you should be able to maintain a good reputation.

The problem of your caller ID showing up as spam likely is an ongoing challenge that requires a holistic approach. The industry is constantly evolving and your business needs to have the agility and ability to respond to these changes.

What action have you taken to protect your ID?

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.