By Ushika Gayapershad, Voice Product Manager, FirstNet Technology Services
We have all experienced it. An unfamiliar number appears on our phone, and we hesitate before answering. With so many unwanted calls and scams, people have become more careful about who they allow into their day.
For a legitimate business, that hesitation matters.
Sales teams are trying to reach prospective customers. Contact centres are following up on queries. Financial services providers may need to share important information, while service teams are trying to resolve customer issues. But if the customer does not recognise the number, the opportunity to connect can be lost before the conversation even begins.
This is where I believe Truecaller for Business changes the conversation.
Sean van Niekerk, General Manager at FirstNet, on Truecaller for Business
More than a verified number
FirstNet Technology Services is a preferred South African partner of Truecaller for Business, helping organisations use verified business calling as part of a broader voice and customer-engagement strategy.
Truecaller for Business can display a verified business identity when an organisation calls a customer. Depending on the recipient’s device, Truecaller experience and the features configured, this can include the business name, logo, verified badge and a reason for the call.
That context is important. Instead of seeing only an unfamiliar number, the recipient has more information to decide whether the call is relevant.
It is equally important to be realistic: verified identity is not visible to every recipient. It is delivered through supported Truecaller experiences, and the way it appears can vary by operating system, device and app version.
Branded caller identification also does not guarantee that every call will be answered. It gives the business a better opportunity to be recognised, but the quality, relevance and timing of the call still matter.
Voice is also a brand touchpoint
Marketing conversations usually focus on websites, social media, digital advertising and email. Yet the telephone remains a critical part of how businesses sell, provide service and maintain customer relationships.
Every outbound call is also an extension of the brand.
When customers can recognise the organisation calling them and, where configured, understand why it is calling, the interaction starts with more context. The call becomes more than an operational activity; it becomes another opportunity to present the business clearly and professionally.
For me, this is the real value of Truecaller for Business. It helps organisations make more of a communication channel they already use every day.
The platform can also extend beyond verified caller identification. Depending on the selected plan and configuration, available capabilities may include a Business Page, Video Caller ID, Call Me Back and User Feedback. Call Me Back enables customers who miss a call to request contact at a preferred date and time, while User Feedback supports ratings and questions that can provide additional insight into customer responses.
From calling activity to useful insight
Truecaller for Business also provides analytics linked to the features available in a customer’s plan. These can include outgoing-call activity to Truecaller users, call pickup rate, average call duration, time-slot analysis, spam-report information and performance insights for Call Reason or Video Caller ID.
This does not replace a business’s contact-centre reporting, CRM or wider customer-experience strategy. What it can do is add another useful perspective.
Instead of looking only at how many calls were made, organisations can examine patterns in how supported calls are received. That insight can help them ask better questions: Are we calling at the right time? Are customers responding differently to particular call reasons? Are certain numbers receiving more spam reports than others?
Truecaller is also clear that Verified Business Caller ID does not automatically remove a spam classification or whitelist a number. Spam marking continues to be influenced by calling behaviour and user reports, which is why responsible calling practices remain essential.
Why the FirstNet partnership matters
At FirstNet, we already help South African organisations navigate a changing voice environment through solutions including Cloud PBX, Microsoft Teams Calling, Zoom Phone and Contact Centre, Smartz contact-centre technology, compliant recording and voice analytics.
Truecaller for Business complements this portfolio by addressing an important moment in the communication journey: what the customer sees when a business reaches out.
Our role is not simply to provide access to a product. It is to help organisations understand where verified business identity fits, configure the relevant numbers and features, and connect the solution to their broader communication goals. FirstNet’s approved delivery model includes verification, brand-profile configuration, dashboard access and ongoing support.
The starting point is practical: understand how the business calls customers today, identify where recognition or engagement may be lost, and decide how verified identity and calling insights could support a better approach.
Because the future of business voice is not only about making more calls.
It is about making every interaction count.
Related reading
Service: Truecaller for Business and all voice services.
Answers: What if our customers don’t have Truecaller?, How much will our answer rate improve?, Can the call reason change for each call? and Why buy through FirstNet rather than Truecaller directly?
About the author
Ushika Gayapershad is Voice Product Manager at FirstNet Technology Services.