While modern communication technologies offer various channels to connect with potential clients, the unique value of phone calls in the insurance sector remains undeniable. The ability to establish a personal rapport through voice, and to engage in real-time conversations, is invaluable in building trust and addressing client concerns.
However, the growing prevalence of spam calls and robocalls over the years has significantly impacted the effectiveness of phone-based outreach. At a certain point, ensuring that legitimate calls are answered became increasingly challenging.
This is where call deliverability emerges as a critical factor.
Low deliverability rates result in wasted resources, missed opportunities, decreased morale among agents, and revenue decline.
To enhance the effectiveness of insurance campaigns, it is imperative to understand the common issues affecting call deliverability, explore the factors influencing it, and adopt proactive strategies to maximize the chances of successful connections.
What is Call Deliverability?
Call deliverability refers to the ability of a call to connect with the recipient’s phone successfully.
In simple terms, it is the rate at which your calls successfully reach the intended recipient without getting lost in the labyrinth of spam filters, carrier restrictions, and wary consumers.
Imagine an insurance agent trying to contact a potential client about a policy renewal. If their call is flagged as spam or doesn’t connect due to poor deliverability, the agent misses the chance to provide valuable information and secure the renewal, potentially leading to lost business.
The higher your call deliverability rate is, the more effective your outreach efforts will be.
How to Calculate Your Call Deliverability Rate?
Call deliverability is the phone call equivalent of email or SMS deliverability — you want to ensure you’re reaching the inbox, not the junk folder.
And just like tracking email open rates, measuring your call deliverability rate is crucial.
It’s your scorecard for how effectively your calls are getting through to potential customers.
The formula is simple:
Call Deliverability Rate = (Number of successfully connected calls / Total number of calls attempted) x 100
For instance, if your insurance agents made 800 calls and 500 of those connected with a live person, your call deliverability rate is 62.5%.
But these numbers don’t speak for themselves. You must know what numbers mean for your business and the factors influencing them.
Factors Impacting Call Deliverability
While it sounds straightforward, several factors can impact whether a call goes through. Technical glitches, compliance regulations, and ever-evolving spam filters can all create hurdles in your communication path.
Let’s break down some of the most crucial ones:
Compliance
It is important to ensure that your operations fully comply with all relevant regulations, such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This includes obtaining consent before making calls, honoring do-not-call lists, and providing precise opt-out mechanisms.
Non-compliance can result in severe penalties, fines, and potential legal action.
Caller ID and reputation
A recognizable caller ID, such as your insurance agency’s name, for example, builds trust. Conversely, an unknown or generic caller ID raises suspicion and may lead to calls being ignored.
Network quality
A dropped call or poor audio quality can frustrate clients and damage your professional image. Selecting a carrier offering a robust network infrastructure is crucial for uninterrupted communication.
Spam filters
Modern carriers use sophisticated algorithms to identify and block potential spam. Understanding these filters and adapting your practices is vital.
Data accuracy
Outdated or incorrect phone numbers in your contact list can lead to wasted calls and negatively impact your deliverability rate. It is crucial to regularly clean and update your data.
Call timing and frequency
The time of day and how often you call a particular number can impact deliverability. Calling at inconvenient hours or repeatedly dialing the same number in a short period can trigger spam filters or lead to negative customer experiences.
What Is STIR/SHAKEN?
STIR/SHAKEN, which stands for Secure Telephony Identity Revisited/Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs, is a powerful framework backed by the FCC and designed to combat the growing problem of caller ID spoofing.
In essence, it acts as a digital signature for your calls, verifying your identity to phone carriers and ensuring that your number isn’t being used fraudulently by scammers. Think of it like a certified check versus a personal one — it carries more weight and trustworthiness.
By implementing STIR/SHAKEN, you’re essentially adding a layer of authentication to your calls. This not only makes it much harder for scammers to impersonate your business, but also builds trust with both carriers and your prospects. When your calls are clearly verified, they’re less likely to be flagged as spam and more likely to be answered. Taking this extra step shows you’re serious about protecting your customers, and your own reputation.
Best Practices for Boosting Your Call Deliverability
Here are some practical steps you can take to improve your call deliverability rates:
Stay compliant
Adhere to regulations by ensuring your calling practices are in full compliance with all relevant regulations, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and any state-specific laws. This is a non-negotiable foundation for maintaining your reputation and avoiding legal issues.
This also means prioritizing consent, that is, obtaining and maintaining explicit consent from your prospects before contacting them. Act on opt-out requests promptly and efficiently, and move any prospect who doesn’t want to receive your calls to the do-not-call list immediately.
Transparent communication is another compliance pillar. In every call, provide clear identification of your business, the purpose of the call, and an easy way for customers to opt out of future communications.
Optimize your Caller ID
To ensure clarity and consistency, use a professional caller ID that accurately represents your business and clearly identifies your company. Avoid using generic or misleading caller IDs. It’s essential to register your caller ID with carrier services to enhance your reputation and reduce the likelihood of being flagged as spam.
Features such as VanillaSoft SmartCaller Trust can help you register your phone numbers as legitimate with carriers, preventing them from being flagged as spam and eliminating the need for risky number-shuffling tactics.
Apart from that, regularly monitor your network infrastructure to ensure optimal call quality, minimize disruptions, and prevent dropped calls. When talking about dropped calls, it’s important to mention that according to TCPA, exceeding the 3% threshold results in hefty penalties and may even result in shutting down your lines. To prevent this scenario, employ an intelligent progressive autodialer, a VoIP feature that automatically dials the next prospect only after the agent is available to take another call. This way, you can improve both the efficiency of your agents and customer experience.
Personalize and add value
Tailored messaging makes all the difference to the quality of your calls.
That’s why you should always craft personalized messages that resonate with your prospects by demonstrating a clear understanding of their insurance needs. Offer valuable insights or solutions and clearly articulate the benefits of your products or services, highlighting how they can effectively address each individual prospect’s specific pain points.
Outsmart spam filters
As we’ve already mentioned, spam filters have become increasingly powerful. To minimize the odds of being flagged as spam, follow these tips:
- Stick to consistent call rhythms. Avoid bursts of many calls in a short time period. Aim for one call per minute or longer to mimic natural human calling patterns.
- Practice good call behaviors. Avoid repeatedly calling the same recipients within short time spans if they are not answering, or calling your prospects during off-hours.
- Avoid short-duration calls. Allow calls to fully ring through to voicemail and leave a message before hanging up to avoid being flagged for short calls.
- Go for high answer rates. Prioritize calling recipients who have opted in or are likely to answer to demonstrate that your calls are wanted.
- Use registered numbers. Whenever possible, use registered numbers to enhance trust and avoid the perception of number masking.
- Avoid number swapping. Maintain consistent phone numbers to build a positive reputation and call history with carriers.
- Embrace STIR/SHAKEN. Implement the STIR/SHAKEN caller authentication framework to verify your identity and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.
Empower your agents through comprehensive training
Helping your agents to hone their skills and giving them the right tools sets them up for success when talking to potential clients.
Comprehensive training should cover more than just product knowledge — focus on key soft skills that build strong relationships. Help them become better listeners so they truly understand client needs, teach them to show empathy and genuine care, and improve their communication skills for clarity and confidence.
You want to give your agents strategies to handle objections professionally and turn potential roadblocks into opportunities for deeper engagement. And let’s not forget voicemails. Train your agents to leave short, informative, and interesting messages that will serve as teasers and make people want to call back. By empowering your agents with these skills, you’ll not only improve your call deliverability, you’ll also turn them into true brand ambassadors who build trust and deliver results.
In Conclusion
Call deliverability is much more than a technical issue. To improve this critical metric, you should build trust and foster meaningful connections with your prospects. The first step is understanding the factors that affect your call deliverability and then implementing best practices and leveraging technology to make sure your message gets through loud and clear and reaches your recipients.
