Can a phone call impact your company’s brand reputation? According to the 2021 Brand Impact Report, the answer is a resounding yes – but in ways that you may not be thinking about. In fact, with nearly 300 million smartphone users in the United States (and many more abroad), the phone call is an overlooked tool for brand reputation management. Here’s how the phone call can be a key factor in refining your company’s reputation.
Nearly Unlimited Opportunity
Again, 97% of Americans have a mobile device (that’s close to every single person). The ability to deliver a branded phone call to nearly every customer or prospect should make companies salivate, regardless of their size.
Best of all – people still want a phone call (it’s true!). For long conversations or to talk about complicated/detailed questions, 75% of people prefer a phone call.
But anonymous numbers can make people think twice about answering their phones.
Anonymous Numbers Can Be a Brand Bummer
The reality is people just don’t like seeing a number they don’t recognize; this is largely in part to the high number of scam calls, telemarketers, and other nuisance calls.
An overwhelming majority of people (90%) say that they feel uncomfortable answering calls from an unknown number. So, if you’re trying to reach your clients and your call is unidentified, it’s very likely they won’t answer.
And then there’s the brand reputation aspect of the unknown call – 85% of people agree that an unknown phone number makes a business call feel illegitimate. Oof … that stings!
But the people had more to say about how a company can improve its brand reputation with a phone call.
Branded Calling and Brand Reputation Management
Obviously, companies care about what their clients are saying. So how can a business enhance its brand with a phone call?
It’s more than customer service and treating people right (those things still matter, by the way). Some of the best brand reputation management best practices include focusing on the customer experience and personalizing interactions with your customers. That’s where the branded call comes into play.
It comes back to how the company appears on the customer’s incoming call screen. More to the point, perception matters.
More than 3 in 4 people said that they would view a brand as more premium if they could clearly identify themselves when calling, and the same said they’d even consider switching companies to a competitor that could identify its calls.
It’s clear cut – branded calling has a tangible impact on brand reputation and even a company’s bottom line.
Better Calls, Better Results
Now think back to those 300 million mobile devices; imagine that you’re reaching out to these people, whether you have 100 clients or 1 million, with a branded call. More conversations can result in more revenue, higher client satisfaction, and increased loyalty.
The best part is, you don’t have to wait. Technology continues to improve (faster networks, improved graphic displays, etc.) and devices are already equipped to deliver your company’s name and reason for calling – and in some cases, a graphic display with your logo and colors.
You’re already practicing brand reputation management through social media, email, conference materials, and other marketing efforts, why not the phone call?
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Discover how branded calling can elevate your brand’s reputation – get started today!