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Effective communication is essential for businesses to connect with their customers in today’s fast-paced world. One of the key innovations in this space is branded calling, a technology designed to enhance the basic caller ID experience by displaying the business name, logo, and reason for calling on the recipient’s incoming call screen. This not only increases the likelihood of calls being answered but also builds trust between businesses and consumers. The result is that businesses make more meaningful connections because their customers are engaged and ready to talk.
The Evolution of Branded Calling
Branded calling has come a long way since its inception. In the early days, it faced challenges with adoption, integration, and availability. Basic branded calling – widely available today – started as being limited by provider and carrier networks. It also went through several character limit expansions and now allows businesses up to 32 characters to customize their outbound calls on most mobile networks.
However, recent advancements have significantly improved its effectiveness and reliability.
Solutions like INFORM Paired and SENTRY represent the cutting edge of this technology, offering businesses a comprehensive suite of tools with out-of-band authentication that promises to protect consumers, protect the business’s brand, and enhance their outbound calling strategies.
A brand cannot be spoofed through INFORM Paired because the business authenticates every call within the network before dialing. Taking this concept a step further, SENTRY will block calls in the network that did not authenticate before the call.
INFORM with Logo represents the long-awaited on-network delivery of brand logos to the phone, moving us past the need for specific phone platforms and client-installed software. This solution, combined with INFORM Paired, ensures businesses can deliver their logo to the end user’s phone while protecting the consumer and their brand through out-of-band authentication.
One of the most significant developments in branded calling is its integration with all major US carrier networks. Through continued development, all the carrier’s underlying analytics providers have started to sync on best practices and the general approach of Branded Communications. This widespread adoption ensures businesses can reach their customers with a consistent and reliable branded calling experience, regardless of the carrier.
Ensuring Call Security and Trust
The commitment to ensuring call security and trust is at the heart of branded calling. Carriers, often through analytics providers, today employ robust verification processes to authenticate outbound business phone numbers and prevent fraud. These processes involve detailed checks and continuous monitoring to ensure that calls consumers receive are genuine and trustworthy.
A critical component of this security is protection against call spoofing. Technologies like STIR/SHAKEN play a vital role in this area, providing businesses with some tools to help safeguard their calls from being spoofed; however, we already know there are some limitations to the protections STIR/SHAKEN can offer. Solutions exist, such as INFORM Paired and SENTRY, which add an additional layer of brand protection or call blocking.
Reputation monitoring, such as AFFIRM, is another essential aspect of maintaining trust. Businesses must continuously monitor their call reputation to address any issues promptly. This proactive approach helps maintain a positive customer relationship and ensures that branded calling remains a trusted communication channel.
Continued Advancements in this Evolving Market
- Affordability: Branded calling is often perceived as prohibitively expensive. However, its value far outweighs the cost, especially considering potential losses from missed opportunities. With the introduction of low-cost entry options, branded calling is more accessible than ever, making it a viable option for businesses of all sizes.
- Unified Ecosystem: The branded calling ecosystem has evolved significantly from its early days. While fragmentation and challenges existed in the past, the branded calling industry’s current state is much more unified. Ongoing efforts toward standardization and collaboration among industry players have strengthened the landscape, ensuring that branded calling remains a robust and reliable solution.
- Logo on Call Display: Concerns about logo presentation hindering the effectiveness of branded calls are outdated. Modern branded calling solutions now support a wide range of devices and over-the-network delivery, ensuring a consistent display of logos and other branded elements. This advancement enhances branded calling’s overall impact and reliability, providing a seamless experience for both businesses and consumers.
Real-World Impact
The real-world impact of branded calling is evident in the numerous success stories from businesses across various industries. Companies that have adopted branded calling solutions report higher answer rates, improved customer engagement, and better business outcomes. Testimonials from satisfied customers highlight the positive effects of branded calling on their communication strategies.
“By branding our calls, we confirm the authenticity of our call for our members which paves the way for more meaningful and constructive conversations. We’re excited to be early adopters of this technology and provide an enhanced relationship for our 150,000 members.”
— Rodney Showmar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Another significant benefit of branded calling is enhanced consumer safety. By preventing fraud and spoofing, branded calling ensures that consumers can trust the calls they receive. This added layer of security is crucial in today’s outbound calling environment, where scams and fraudulent calls are increasingly common.
The Future of Branded Calling
Looking ahead, the future of branded calling is bright. Ongoing innovations and developments promise to make this technology more effective and accessible. Industry leaders are committed to providing secure, reliable, and effective branded calling solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses and consumers alike.
In conclusion, branded calling is a powerful tool that enhances trust and safety in modern communication. As the industry evolves, branded calling will remain a cornerstone of effective and secure business communication.
