Airtel launches new feature to let businesses display their names on calls
The service allows businesses to display their brand name on the recipient's mobile screen for outgoing calls in order to help users recognise the calls and differentiate them from spam.
The move comes in response to a growing menace of spam and fraudulent calls, which have led customers to ignore unknown numbers, including calls from businesses as well. With BND, Airtel is looking to solve this by allowing brands to establish their identity upfront, the telecom major said.
'Airtel is focused on building a communication experience that is smarter, safer, and more transparent. With 'Business Name Display', we are giving businesses a way to stand out and build trust while providing customers the clarity and assurance they need when receiving calls,' Sharat Sinha, Director & CEO, Airtel Business, said in a statement.
During the BND trial, over 1.5 million phone numbers were used to make 12.8 million calls in 30 days. The service was operated across 250 businesses across sectors such as banking, retail, food delivery, courier, logistics, mobility, and quick commerce. The results showed a significant boost in customer engagement and call response rates, the Indian telco added.
Airtel's latest offering builds upon its earlier efforts to stop spam calls in India, including the launch of a spam-fighting network and a nationwide awareness campaign. While these efforts have made users more cautious, they have also led to some genuine calls from banks, hospitals, or deliveries being mistakenly ignored or flagged as spam.
According to Airtel, businesses can do the following with BND:
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