New First Orion Survey Finds 85% of Consumers Consider Brands Illegitimate if They Use Unidentified Numbers to Contact Them

The Brand Impact Report evaluates mobile subscribers’ experiences with unidentified and spam/scam callers and indicates they want transparency from brands

 First Orion, a provider of digital call experiences for the world’s leading mobile carriers, enterprises, and mobile apps, today released findings from its 2021 Brand Impact Report. The report surveyed U.S. mobile subscribers to better understand their experiences with unidentified callers and their preferences with how brands communicate with them.

Findings show that 93% of survey respondents have received a scam call to their mobile phone, 90% say they don’t feel comfortable answering their phone when the caller is someone they don’t recognize, and 78% have missed an important call for this reason in the past month.

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For companies that rely on making phone calls, like food delivery services calling to confirm arrival or financial services companies calling to verify transactions or assist in loan applications, getting the right person on the phone at the right time can make all the difference in making a sale or providing a great customer experience. However, the rise in scam calls have cost over 59 million Americans nearly $30 billion dollars in 2021 alone; as a result, consumers are apprehensive about answering unidentified callers. The Brand Impact Report indicates consumers want call transparency from the brands and marketers calling them to make an informed decision on whether they wish to engage with the call.

Brands and Marketers: Transparency Matters
When a business can effectively reach customers by phone, it can lead to a better customer experience, higher call answer and conversion rates, and increased revenue. When a business is unable to reach customers by phone – appearing as a missed, unidentified caller – 61% of respondents indicated that it could create a negative perception of the business. Additional findings from the Brand Impact Report show that brands who identify themselves dramatically improve the chances of their phone call being answered and improve consumer trust.

• 85% of mobile subscribers surveyed consider brands who call with unidentified numbers as “illegitimate”
• 90% indicate that if brands would properly identify themselves while their phone was ringing, they would feel comfortable answering their phone again
• 84% would feel more valued if brands utilized call enhancement solutions like branded calling

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“The phone call has become a pivotal tool in brand marketing and customer experience but with the rise of spam/scam calling, companies now have a responsibility to protect consumers during this essential touchpoint,” said Scott Hambuchen, Chief Information and Chief Product Officer at First Orion. “Brands who aren’t utilizing branded calling solutions are putting both their customers and their reputation at risk, and they are missing their chance to establish a trusted, human connection – one that their customers unquestionably want.”

The Brand Impact Report surveyed 5,000 U.S. mobile subscribers across all 50 states and was nearly evenly split by gender with about 70% of respondents aged 25-44, resulting in an even sampling of the U.S. mobile subscriber market at large.

A leader in digital branded calling and call protection technology, First Orion’s mission is to provide transparency in communication to help businesses and consumers create meaningful connections. First Orion’s INFORM and ENGAGE branded calling suite helps businesses brand their outbound calls while empowering consumers to connect over a trusted, verified call. First Orion also works directly with mobile carriers to provide real-time call protection services to combat scam and fraudulent calls and empower consumers to trust their phones again.

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