HOW TO PROTECT YOUR NUMBER'S REPUTATION

You’ve probably seen the words “SPAM Likely” pop up on your phone screen. That’s because the major mobile carriers partner with third-party spam detection services, which utilize user reports and shared databases to identify and flag suspicious calls. There are some basic practices that can help you protect this from happening to you.

WHY ARE YOUR CALLS BEING MARKED AS SPAM?

There are three common ways your phone number can be flagged as “Scam Likely” or “SPAM Risk”:

1. A call recipient manually blocks your number using a call-blocking app
2. Carriers detect a high volume of outbound calls that match SPAM patterns
3. One of your numbers is mistakenly or incorrectly flagged

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

The three major mobile spam detection systems have created a centralized website where businesses can register their outbound phone numbers to help reduce the risk of being flagged and added to spam databases. If a number has already been flagged, you can also use this site to submit a request for removal. To get started, follow the link below. Once your request has been reviewed, the carriers will contact you to confirm when your number has been de-listed.

1. Go to freecallerregistry.com and enter your business email address in the field and click send verification code.
2. You will need to provide your caller information, phone numbers, call category, and preferred display name. This information is immediately distributed to First Orion, Hiya, and TNS, who use the information to support the phone number's reputation with the major US wireless carriers.
3. You will receive a confirmation of your registration directly from each service provider. First Orion, Hiya, and TNS will each review and verify your submission and communicate directly with your business regarding the status of your registration.

BEST PRACTICES TO AVOID GETTING MARKED AS SPAM

• Adhere to the policies of the National Do Not Call Registry.
• Identify yourself and your company on every call, including when leaving a voicemail.
• Create an opt-in process for contacts who wish to receive communication via phone.
• Allow your contacts the option to opt out, and if they do, you must comply.
• Call responsibly. Do not call the same lead 10 times a day. Use a CRM or analytics tool to measure success.
• Do not hang up on people if you are running a dialer. Maintain a < 3% drop rate.
• Make sure people can reach you if they call back.
• Mix up geographical areas – spread calls over as many receiving carriers and call blocking systems as possible.
• Rotate caller IDs used for outbound skills every month, week, or day as needed.
• Local presence – obtain a local number for every region, state, or area code you call.
• Setup outbound Caller ID.