Are they avoiding your collection calls?
PEOPLE who owe money are less likely to answer the phone — or ring back — if caller ID identifies the caller as a debt collector.
So a service has been introduced to make every call look like a local call.
Based just on this announcement, Ofcom gave this opinion: “From the description provided, it appears that all of the local numbers that are used as presentation CLIs are in fact operated by the debt collection agency (or the company that provides this service for them).
“The caller is able to return the call to the presentation CLI which rings at the debt collection agency.
“On this basis, it seems to be in line with our CLI guidelines.
“The motivation here is a bit different but it is common practice for call centres to customise the presentation CLI depending on various factors such as the client they are making the call for, the address of the person they are calling.
“The key requirement is that the CLI should be genuine.”
Qire says using local caller ID on the first call attempt substantially increases the likelihood of starting a dialogue, resulting in more contacts and more payments.
It would also increase the number of call-backs. Using 1471 would return the local number. When they use the number they are put through to the client’s call centre. Alternatively, using a local caller ID on the final call attempt provides a number which had not been seen by the debtor on previous call attempts.