The Importance of Caller ID

Caller ID can be a great feature, but how important is it to businesses?

Robert asked our LinkedIn Community of industry professionals; “When placing outbound calls, how important is it that your company name & number show up on the call recipients’ Caller ID?”

746 people responded and we wanted to share the results with you.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of respondents (78%) stated that it was ‘Important’, and only 6% said it was ‘Not Important’.

This clear distinction in popularity between these two polar opposite responses suggests that although most companies see it as an important feature and an asset to their outbound dialling campaigns, there are still a few who do not see its value.

14% responded that it was ‘Somewhat Important’, which could suggest that, although it would be nice to have, other things have priority in their businesses.

Alternatively, these individuals could be unsure of the full value of Caller ID to their businesses, and with 2% selecting not sure, it may be necessary to do more research on this.

A number of the respondents also elaborated on their answer and provided additional information or insights. We’ve collated the best of these for you below.

How Important Is It to You?

My answer comes in the form of a question to the asker…

How important is CallerID and name for YOU personally when YOUR phone is ringing?

Thanks to Greg

It Is Super-Important

In my opinion, it is super-important. Especially when the company wants to build a connection with customers.

There is research showing that 75% of Millennials are unlikely to answer the phone if they don’t recognize the caller ID.

Thanks to Mindaugas

Depends on the Nature of the Call

It all depends on the nature of the call and who’s calling you.

If it’s a random number calling you, it might not be recognized by the customer and might result in an abandoned call.

For the company I work for (insurance), I’d say it’s important for customers to see who is calling. This reassures them what the call is about, so we can make sure that the call gets answered. Especially if it’s a customer who’s expecting a callback.

If it’s a random number calling you (like the advisor’s personal work number), it might not be recognized by the customer and might result in an abandoned call.

Thanks to Mark

People Like to See Caller Names – Unless You Are Chasing Them for Money

It depends on the nature of the call.

Generally, though, in this day and age, people like to see names appear on their phone rather than numbers. A name generates an air of familiarity which then leads to a successful answer. Unless you are chasing people for money.

But let’s not forget, even though solutions allow you to customize the name shown on an outbound call, it is up to the carrier if they strip that. So, if you are delivering across Europe, it is not always possible.

Thanks to Adam

CallerID Is Mostly Non-Existent in the US

CallerID is mostly non-existent (due to cell phones) in its original form – at least in the US.

Thanks to Brian

It Used to Be a Requirement

Unless the rules have changed, it used to be a requirement that you had to present a number that people could call back.

Thanks to Steve

It Depends

If you’re building relationships with customers, you’d most likely want them to know it’s you calling.

That would depend on who you are and the reason for your call. I note that “collections” companies spoof or remove caller ID, for example.

If you’re building relationships with customers, you’d most likely want them to know it’s you calling.

Thanks to Graham

If you are looking for more great insights, read these articles next:

• 50 Call Centre Best Practices
• 23 New Ideas for Customer Service Over the Phone
• What to Do if a Caller Asks You to Call Them Back on a Different Number