Update: On July 31, 2024, Hiya released Hiya Registration, a free one-stop-shop for businesses everywhere to register their numbers. Learn more and sign up for your free account today.
Business registration and call branding are two steps to help establish your brand’s credibility.
In a world where 94% of calls from unknown numbers go unanswered, establishing your brand’s credibility can seem like an impossible challenge. This is especially difficult for call centers with low answer rates.
Why are answer rates so low? In recent years, increased spam and fraud calls have made consumers less likely to trust calls from unidentified callers. Hiya’s Global Call Threat Report found that in the US in Q2 2023, one out of every four calls from a non-contact was suspected to be spam or fraud.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fortunately taken additional measures to minimize illegal robocalls and ensure that legitimate businesses utilize trustworthy practices in their call center efforts. Still, consumers are wary of unknown numbers because they lack credibility – even from legitimate businesses.
In this article, we’re breaking down one of the first things your contact center can do to gain mileage on the credibility front: phone number registration. We’ll walk you through how and why you should register phone numbers and how you can use your caller ID to build connections with your customers before they even answer the phone.
What is business phone number registration?
Business phone number registration is the process by which a company identifies itself to the major mobile carriers in their country(s) of operation. By registering your business, you tell carriers you’re a legitimate caller — and you help carriers detect scammers.
How do I register my business phone numbers?
The process of registering your phone numbers is easy: submit your phone numbers through Free Caller Registry in the US, or directly through Hiya in other markets. You will need to fill out your company’s name, phone numbers, and a few other simple details to ensure the legitimacy of your business phone numbers.
Once submitted, your registration will be processed and approved once your business phone numbers are confirmed legitimate. You will receive communication if there are any questions about your registration.
Your business phone numbers only need to be registered once, and business registration is entirely free.
Benefits of Business Phone Number Registration
Registering your business verifies your phone numbers’ legitimacy with the major carriers in your market, which has many benefits:
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Standing against scammers:
Registering your business makes it easier for carriers to identify deceptive callers who try to avoid detection.
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Stopping more unwanted calls in your market:
To protect consumers, carriers warn them about suspicious calls. Your business registration helps power these protections, reducing unwanted calls and making it easier for consumers to identify important ones.
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Creating a baseline of trust:
As a legitimate, verified business, you establish yourself as a more trustworthy caller — someone less likely to make aggressive or unwanted phone calls than an unknown caller.
Take your Caller ID to the Next Level
Registering your business phone numbers is an essential first step for all businesses to establish their credibility and fight spam and fraud. Many brands will want to go beyond that to improve call performance. With Hiya Connect, businesses can add their brand name to outbound calls so customers instantly recognize your brand when they receive a call. You can also display a logo and a reason for calling, removing any question in the recipient’s mind about your intentions before they answer the call.
Establishing a credible brand reputation in a world where consumers don’t trust many calls can be challenging.
Hiya makes this challenge easy to handle, giving you more time to focus your efforts on serving your customers. Don’t let another customer get away because they couldn’t recognize your call. To learn more about how to level up your voice performance strategy, check out our Branded Call Checklist and Buyer's Guide and see what the best option is for you.
