Best Practices For Caller ID Management And Predictive Dialing

Introduction

As a business owner, it's essential to maintain your company's caller IDs clean and reputable. In this article, we will discuss the best practices for caller ID management, ensuring that your customers continue to receive your calls without issue. We will cover essential topics such as where to start, why your caller IDs might be flagged, and how to avoid common problems to help you manage your caller IDs effectively.

Where To Start

To begin, follow these steps:

1. Add Campaigns To The Number Verifier Dashboard

Add each of your campaigns with their corresponding caller IDs into the Number Verifier Dashboard. This will provide a clear picture of what your customers see on their mobile phones when you call them.

2. Download Flagged Numbers

Download your flagged numbers into separate .csv files for each carrier, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

3. Submit Numbers for Remediation

Submit your flagged numbers for remediation to the appropriate carriers:

a. ATT – Upload your numbers to Hiya

b. T-Mobile – Upload your numbers to First Orion

c. Verizon – Upload your numbers to TNS

4. Replace Non-Remediated Numbers

Replace numbers that do not remediate within three business days.

Why Caller IDs Are Flagged And what you can do about it

Here are the main reasons why your caller IDs may be flagged and what you can do to address these issues:

1. Increase Your Average Call Duration

Carriers penalize short-duration calls. To increase your average call duration:

a. Leave Answering Machine messages if possible.

b. Use Silent Wave Files if you are only running live answers. This can help increase the average call duration and improve your caller ID reputation.

2. Data Quality

Low-intent data creates short-duration calls. To improve data quality:

a. Data Hygiene - Analyze your Call Detail Records (CDRs) and remove legacy numbers that never live answer your calls.

b. Analyze Lead Vendors - Consider dropping lower-quality sources that provide low-intent data.

c. Avoid Over-Dialing - Don't attempt too many dials too quickly, as this can damage your caller ID reputation.

3. Dialer Settings

Adjust your dialer settings to minimize the risk of flagged caller IDs:

a. Slow Down Dialer - Running too many lines per agent creates short-duration calls. Slowing down your dialer can improve live answer rates and caller ID reputation.

b. Accurate AMD Settings - Ensure that your Answering Machine Detection (AMD) settings are accurate. Err on the side of passing the call through rather than dropping it.

4. Caller ID Rotation

Properly managing your caller ID rotation can help maintain a clean reputation:

a. Average Call Duration - This is the most critical factor. The shorter your calls, the more caller IDs you will need.

b. Limit Calls Per Caller ID - Keep it under 75 calls per day as a general rule.

c. Rotate Toll-Free Numbers And Local DIDs - Consider using a local touch for the first attempt, a batch of toll-free numbers for the second attempt, and so on.

d. Remediate Before Flipping - Don't flip numbers without remediating them. There are no clean pools of numbers to buy. Only replace a number that will not remediate.

5. Avoid Spam Traps And Honey Pots

Spam traps and honey pots can cause your caller IDs to be flagged:

a. Dialing Bulk Data - Spam call blocking apps and carriers both own numbers that have never opted into any marketing. If you call these honey pots with your caller ID, it will not remediate and will always show as spam.

b. New DIDs and Spam Traps - If you buy a new DID and it has dialed spam traps in the past, it likely will not remediate.

c. Append Numbers Against RND - The only way to 100% avoid dialing a spam trap with older opt-in records is to append your numbers against the Reassigned Number Database (RND). Upload your opt-ins with the date, and it will tell you if your opt-in is still valid.

Final Thoughts On Caller ID Management

Maintaining clean and reputable caller IDs is essential for the success of your business. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your caller IDs remain unflagged and your customers continue to receive your calls without issue.

FAQs

1. How can I improve my caller ID reputation?

Increase your average call duration, improve data quality, adjust dialer settings, properly manage caller ID rotation, and avoid spam traps and honey pots.

2. How many calls should I limit per caller ID?

As a general rule, limit your calls to 75 per day per caller ID.

3. What is the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?

The RND is a database that allows you to check if your opt-in records are still valid. By appending your numbers against the RND, you can avoid dialing spam traps.

4. How can I remediate flagged caller IDs?

Submit your flagged numbers to the appropriate carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon) for remediation.

5. Why is average call duration important?

A short average call duration can lead to carriers penalizing your caller ID, resulting in it being flagged as spam. Increasing your average call duration improves your caller ID reputation.