Branded Calling Myths Debunked: The Truth Behind the Phone Call

Left and right, our company hears negatives toward phone calls. “No one likes phone calls anymore,” or “Does your solution even do anything?” Well, we’re here to set the record straight! So put down your hater-ade and listen up.  

There are many myths in the branded calling space. It’s our job to debunk them and make our customers and future clients feel secure in using our products.  

Myth 1: No one wants a phone call  

Reality: This just isn’t true! Many people want a phone call

While it’s true that a vast majority of consumers miss their important phone calls, it’s not for lack of trying. For bank members in particular, twice as many people said they preferred to receive a phone call over text or another type of notification, especially for critical issues. 

And when your outbound calls go unidentified, customers see this as unprofessional and too mysterious for their liking.  

More than 75% of people miss at least one important phone call a month due to unknown numbers, so it might be time you change your “mysterious person behind the phone” strategy.  

Myth 2: Chatbots and AI are the next best thing. Phone calls are becoming obsolete

Reality: Just because it’s something new and shiny doesn’t mean it’s free of flaws. AI has been everywhere in the last few years, especially with the recent rise of OpenAI and its ChatGPT software. However, only a small percentage of people (about 1/3) prefer AI over a live agent over the phone. AI lacks the personality and customer service that a live agent can provide. We’ve found that almost 90% of consumers want to receive a phone call when needing customer service. 

Myth 3: Well… What about CNAM??? It’s free and does the job of branding my calls

Reality: We can’t argue with that! CNAM, or Caller ID Name, can label your calls. BUT there’s a catch – there’s no guarantee you’ll know how it looks on the other end. 

Many businesses use and rely on CNAM as a way to properly identify their outbound calls. Yet, these databases can be outdated or incorrect and can lead to a misbranded call. With this method of call branding, your name is limited to 15 characters or less, making it a hassle if your company’s name is “John’s Jingleheimershmidts.” Imagine how weird that would look on your client’s call log.  

But with branded calling, the power of creativity is back in your company’s hands; providing a 32-character space and room for logos, a reason for the call, and more (depending on the product you choose). With branded calling, you can make sure your branding is consistent wherever it shows up. 

Myth 4: Branded calling won’t make a difference 

Reality: Branded calls CAN and WILL make a difference. Think for a moment about certain industries. Healthcare, for example, is something everyone needs. Let’s say you’re a healthcare facility in charge of calling patients, either to update them on appointments or let them know about their recent medical diagnosis. There’s always someone waiting for that important phone call or waiting in a callback queue to get emergency care. And missing that call due to an unknown number can devastate almost anyone.  

We also have our own success story:  After a traffic jam led to a pileup on the highway in Texas last year, several people needed urgent care and blood donations. One of our branded calling partners, 448 Connect, worked together with a hospital to label their calls urging for an uncommon blood type donation. Within a day of the accident, the hospital was able to provide every patient with what they needed and then some. Talk about Branded Calling saving lives! 

Myth 5: Branded calling won’t stop scammers! 

Reality: As consumers become more accustomed to receiving branded calls, they will go out of their way to avoid the un-branded calls scammers make. It’s true that scammers will stop at nothing to get their hands on your phone numbers. But using branded callings slows them down when they use those numbers. Want to take it one step further? Choose a solution that does both branding AND protecting to keep scammers at bay 

With our enhanced solution, INFORM Paired, we’ve found a way to block those last few scam stragglers who make it past the initial security. Myth: officially debunked. 

Decide for yourself if First Orion and our Branded Communication solutions are the truth you seek. Visit our INFORM page today.