How To Test Your Caller Id Name

Update: Visit our free Caller ID Testing Tool to test your number.

Caller Id Horror Show

That meeting you've been waiting for all week is finally here. You have been preparing to make a call to a prospective client referred by an old colleague. You dialed the number but... they never picked up. Your call was declined. They didn't recognize your number and your Caller ID read “Unknown” or worse, "Scam Likely". Misrepresentation of your Caller ID can be a deal breaker for many businesses. This blog post outlines strategies for how you can test your own Caller Id.

Understanding Caller ID 

Caller ID – or Caller Identification – presents the name or number of the person or company making a call. It plays an integral role in communication, helping individuals determine which calls to pick up and which ones to ignore. 20 years ago, Caller ID was a luxury for consumers. That’s no longer the case transforming into a deciding factor for call acceptances. Businesses need to wear their identity on their sleeves – or in this case, their phone numbers. Mishandling of Caller ID can lead to ineffective sales teams, frustrated customers, and can harm a company’s reputation.

How Carriers Influence Your Caller ID 

Though there are standard practices, every carrier has its own unique approach to deciding what will be shown on a consumer’s Caller Id. Put another way, what your Caller ID reveals might differ depending on the carrier at the other end. Therefore, even if Verizon and T-Mobile depict you correctly, a ‘Scam Likely’ or 'Unknown' label might appear when you call AT&T numbers.

It is crucial for businesses to recognize this variability. Your identity – a key part of your reputation – hinges on the keel of your carrier’s decisions. From a business perspective, understanding these standard practices and finding ways to ensure your correct identification is displayed across carries is crucial.

How to Test Your Business Caller ID

The first option is to do nothing and wait for customers to tell you your Caller ID is showing something off - could be “unknown”, could be “scam likely”, it could even just be the wrong business name. That’s especially true for smaller businesses whose Caller ID could be showing up as the owner’s name instead of the business name. As you can imagine, that’s far from the best option. 

The next is to be proactive about it and test it yourself. Testing your Caller ID seems like a fairly straightforward process. First, you need either a test phone to call or a friend willing to let you call their phone. Just make the call from and see if your expected name displays correctly. The issue with this approach? You need a friend from every major carrier so you properly track the health of your caller id. Each carrier makes their own Caller Id designation. There’s also another issue with this approach. Carriers constantly re-assess the health of a phone number so what shows up properly today may not show up properly tomorrow. 

A third option is to use the Quality Voice & Data Caller Id Testing Tool. The tool let's you test your Caller ID in real-time for free.

The last option? Partner with a professional service to monitor the health of your Caller ID and Call Delivery. These partners like Quality Voice & Data have automated systems in place to track, monitor, alert and remediate these issues as they arise.

Importance of Partnering with a Reputable Caller ID Management Company

Keeping your Caller ID tested and current with various carriers is an essential best practice for on-going business communications success. Understanding the mechanics and nuances of Caller IDs can feel overly technical and a hefty addition on top of running your business. Partnering with a reputable telecom service provider can bring relief and ensure the entirety of this process is handled professionally. This is where Quality Voice & Data (QVD) steps in.

QVD, with its 13 years of industry experience, has processed over 5 billion calls and bagged more than 180 industry awards. Their long-standing reputation within the telecom landscape ensures expert handling of your Caller ID. QVD offers multiple services like Toll Free Numbers, SMS/MMS Messaging, Local Caller ID numbers, Phone Reputation Management – Monitoring and Remediation, Elastic SIP Trunking, and VOIP Phone Systems.

A case study involving QVD showcases the ability to increase answer rates by up to 48% by merely managing and monitoring the Caller ID. This ability to maximize efficiency and engagement would lend invaluable growth to your business.

Conclusion

Investing in proper management and testing of Caller ID isn't an added luxury for businesses – it's a necessary strategy. While various digital marketing aspects gain attention, caller identification and reputation form the foundation of your communication matrix.

Through services like those offered by QVD, businesses can ensure they're building effective outbound calling methods, leveraging telecom services to supplement their core operations. In this evolving digital landscape, mastering the basics of communication has never been more important.

Business' success today will be influenced by their attention to these technical details. Set a positive strategic course for the future by giving due attention to your Caller ID today.