Spam Calls
Spam calls, robocalls, and caller ID spoofing are always Non-Billable with Service Direct. These calls do not originate from Service Direct, and we are continuously working to reduce and eliminate them. We use a combination of machine-learning technology, human quality-assurance review, and phone-number blocking to protect your campaigns.
What is Caller ID Spoofing?
Caller ID Spoofing is the act of using a fake telephone number on caller ID, thus masking the real ID and number of the caller. This type of Spam might result in a receiving calls where the caller claims to be returning a call they received from your Tracking Number.
What are Robocalls?
Robocalls are 100% automated and can range from a phone call that plays a prerecorded message to dead air.
What are we doing to reduce Spam Calls?
Spam calls are always Non-Billable with Service Direct. We use three methods to reduce their impact on your campaigns:
- Anti-spam technology: Machine-learning and call transcription catch spam calls in real time and automatically mark them as Non-Billable.
- Human lead review: Our Quality Assurance Team reviews thousands of leads each month to catch sophisticated spam calls that pass automated filters.
- Phone number blocking: Known spam numbers are added to a blocklist so they cannot call through again.
Anti-Spam Technology
Our machine-learning technology and call transcription work together to actively catch many spam calls in real time. We then automatically mark those Leads as Non-Billable and our Clients never even see them in their Lead Manager.
Human Lead Review
Our Quality Assurance Team proactively reviews thousands of leads each month and can often catch the more sophisticated spam calls that slip past our automated systems.
If you discover a spam call among your leads that is still marked as Billable, please Submit the Lead for Review — log in to your Lead Manager, locate the lead, and select the Submit for Review option — and our team will resolve it.
If you would like our team to review all your leads each month, consider signing up for our Call Insights Service by contacting our Support Team.
Block Spam Phone Numbers
Once a Phone Number is known to us as a Spammer, we add it to our Blocklist and our system will never again allow calls to come through from that number in the future. Unfortunately, Spammers cycle through many numbers all the time.
Wrong Numbers
It's normal to receive some wrong numbers from time to time and those are considered generally Non-Billable.
Wrong Numbers from Potential Customers Calling for a Similar Business
Sometimes a potential customer searches online for a particular business using keywords that lead Search Engines and Social Platforms to display your Campaign Ads as suggestions. When the Potential Customer dials the number on the ad, they may not realize they're calling your business instead of the one they thought they searched for.
Our own advertising, and those of our wide network of Lead Sources, are always trying to limit this possibility but, to be effective at Lead generation, we sometimes cannot avoid these situations without drastically limiting your Lead Volume.
Whether a misdirected call is Billable depends on what the call recording shows:
- Non-Billable: The caller clearly states they are trying to reach a different, specific business. Submit the call for Lead Review from your Lead Manager.
- Billable: The call recording does not clearly confirm the caller was trying to reach a different business.
Many of our clients are able to convert these callers into customers through strong phone-answering practices that demonstrate good customer service and effectively promote their business.
If you feel you're receiving too many of these types of Leads, please contact our Support Team to discuss potential solutions.
Learn More about Billable Vs Non-Billable Leads