Use a Local Caller ID Number with Name Display to Increase Answer Rate
Using Caller ID with a name is critical to a transparent customer experience, and it's one of the simplest ways to increase answer rate. Consider four scenarios.
Scenario 1: Your phone rings and shows "Out of Area" with no number. You let it go to voicemail, assuming it's a telemarketer.
Scenario 2: Your phone rings and shows an unfamiliar toll-free number. You let it go to voicemail — this is the third call from that number today, and at least the tenth this week. You're annoyed, and there's no message when you check.
Scenario 3: Your phone rings, showing a ten-digit local number with the name "FavoriteMags." You answer, expecting a rep about renewing a magazine subscription you actually have.
Scenario 4: Your cell phone rings showing a ten-digit local number with no name. You're in a meeting and let it go to voicemail, then call back afterward. You're pleasantly surprised to be greeted by name, and the call wraps in two minutes with a renewal at a great price — and you agree to get the receipt by text.
Scenarios 1 and 2 are old-school telemarketing setups that haven't implemented Local Caller ID numbers with Name Display, and their results are being hampered without their even realizing the scope of the problem. Scenarios 3 and 4 show a savvy outbound operation that understands the power of pairing a local number with a name the consumer recognizes — and layering in text as another channel for confirming details.
If you separate wireless numbers from wireline numbers already, remember: nothing is more frustrating on a missed wireless call than no voicemail. A quick message like "Hi, this is Joe calling about renewing your XYZ service — call or text us back, whichever is easier" both closes the loop and doubles as an opt-in for texting.
That's why Quality Voice & Data text-enables every Local Caller ID number we provide, with a simple web app to manage text messages right alongside your chat station. Whether you use hundreds of Local Caller ID numbers mapped to specific area codes, or a single number with a name, you'll see a lift in both answer rate and inbound calls generated in response. A ten-digit, non-8XX number will always outperform an 8XX number for outbound telemarketing.
