In today’s digital age, the simple act of answering a phone call has become a gamble. With the surge in spam, robocalls, and voice phishing (vishing), consumers are increasingly hesitant to pick up calls from unknown numbers. Close to 80% of consumers don’t answer unknown phone calls. This hesitation not only affects personal communication but also hampers legitimate businesses trying to reach their customers.

Enter Branded Calling ID (BCID), a groundbreaking solution poised to restore trust in voice calling and accelerate the adoption of branded calls. Unlike traditional methods like STIR/SHAKEN, which have limitations, BCID offers a more comprehensive approach. This article explores how BCID is changing the landscape by supporting international callers, aligning financial incentives, and implementing rigorous Know-Your-Business (KYB) verification with strong roots of trust.

BCID restores trust in voice calling and is set to outpace existing solutions because:

1. Pay-for-performance aligns with financial incentives: Brands can calculate ROI because they only pay when the service provider proves delivery of branded data
2. BCID Expands to include International Callers: While STIR/SHAKEN is confined to the U.S., BCID enables verification and branding for callers worldwide.
3. BCID focuses on branded calls, not just robocalls: While STIR/SHAKEN has reduced robocalls, BCID enables brands to present their verified brand when calling customers.
4. Rigorous Know-Your-Business (KYB) with Strong Trust Model: Enterprise and brand data is meticulously vetted and verified. BCID certificates expire and are re-issued every 24 hours. Compliance audits enforce policies and adherence to best practices.

The Trust Crisis in Voice Calling

The proliferation of spam, vishing, and robocalls has eroded consumer trust in voice communication. These unwanted calls not only annoy recipients but also pose security risks through phishing and fraud attempts. As a result, many people have resorted to ignoring calls from unknown numbers altogether.

This behavior has significant repercussions for enterprises and communication service providers. Legitimate businesses struggle to reach their customers, impacting service delivery and customer satisfaction. The decline in answer rates also affects the revenue streams of service providers facilitating these calls.

What Is BCID?

Branded Calling ID (BCID) is an innovative technology that improves the calling experience by displaying verified business information and call reasons on the recipient’s phone screen. When a call is made using BCID, the person answering can see the caller’s name, logo, and what the call is about. This makes them feel more confident to answer.

BCID uses a secure Public Key Infrastructure where enterprise data is vetted and verified before being displayed. It supports international callers, making it a global solution for businesses aiming to improve their reach and engagement.

STIR/SHAKEN Made Great Stride Reducing Robo Calls

Limitations of STIR/SHAKEN

STIR/SHAKEN is a framework implemented in the United States to combat caller ID spoofing by verifying the authenticity of calls. While it has made strides in reducing fraudulent calls, it has notable limitations:

• Geographical Constraint: STIR/SHAKEN primarily works within the U.S., leaving international calls unverified and spoofable.
• Limited Adoption: Implementation lacked financial incentives to make the required significant infrastructure changes, making it less accessible for smaller service providers.

Advantages of BCID

BCID addresses these limitations by offering:

• Global Support: BCID works across international borders, enabling enterprises worldwide to benefit from enhanced call verification.
• Enhanced Security Features: With rigorous KYB processes and strong roots of trust, BCID ensures that only legitimate business information is displayed.

BCID Restores Trust in Voice Calling and Aligns Incentives

Global Reach: BCID Supports International Callers

One of the significant advantages of BCID over STIR/SHAKEN is its ability to support international callers. In a globalized economy, businesses often need to reach customers across borders. BCID ensures that these calls are verified and trusted, overcoming the geographical limitations of STIR/SHAKEN.

For international enterprises, this means improved answer rates and better customer engagement. By displaying recognized brand information, businesses can reassure recipients about the legitimacy of the call.

Aligned Financial Incentives Between Brand and Service Providers

BCID introduces a simple mode to align financial incentives between brands and service providers. Enterprises pay for calls when the terminating service provider proves their data was delivered to the end-user. This system ensures that all parties are motivated to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the communication process.

For service providers, this creates a new revenue stream while promoting the delivery of high-quality services. Enterprises benefit by ensuring their calls are more likely to be answered, improving communication effectiveness.

Rigorous Know-Your-Business (KYB) Verification

Trust is built on verification. BCID employs a rigorous Know-Your-Business (KYB) process with strong roots of trust. Enterprise data is thoroughly vetted and verified before being used in calls. This process prevents fraudulent entities from misrepresenting themselves, thereby protecting consumers.

The robust KYB framework ensures that only legitimate businesses can use BCID while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. This level of scrutiny is essential in rebuilding consumer confidence in voice calls.

BCID Security and Transparency Improve Trust

Open, Transparent, and Trusted Ecosystem

BCID fosters an ecosystem where transparency is paramount. By openly displaying verified business information, it reduces ambiguity and suspicion. This openness encourages trust between consumers, enterprises, and service providers.

Collaboration among stakeholders is crucial. BCID’s framework allows for shared benefits, promoting widespread adoption and cooperation.

Standards-Based Rich Call Data (RCD) Solution

BCID utilizes a standards-based Rich Call Data (RCD) solution, incorporating end-to-end security by design. This ensures that the data transmitted is secure from the point of origin to the recipient’s device.

End-to-end security minimizes the risk of data interception or tampering, further enhancing trust in the system. High-assurance roots of trust

Compliance with Industry Best Practices

Adherence to common BCID terms and conditions and industry best practices is mandatory. These guidelines are subject to compliance reviews, ensuring all participants maintain high standards.

This compliance framework not only protects consumers but also ensures that enterprises and service providers operate within agreed-upon parameters, promoting fairness and reliability.

Enhancing Trust with Approved Call Reasons

Showing the reason for a call makes it more likely that someone will answer. It also tells them what the call is about without them having to answer the call. BCID allows businesses to display pre-approved call reasons, providing context to the recipient. These call reasons include:

Account Alert Account Notification Account Services Accounting Department Agent Call Back Appointment Confirmation Appointment Reminder Confirm Appointment Confirm Card Use Confirm Order Confirm Receipt Confirm Statu

Customer Service Delivery ETA Flight Arrival Flight Boarding Flight Cancellation Flight Delay Follow-Up Calls Fraud Alert General Support Identity Verification Investor Relations Item Ready

Order Confirmation Order Ready Policy Update Recall Reschedule Request Reservation Ready Responding to Your Inquiry Response Requested Returning Your Call Rx Ready Sales Call School Closing Alert

Service Outage Notification Snow Alert Technical Support Today’s Delivery Upcoming Delivery Verification Code Weather Alert Your Account Your Order

By informing the recipient why they are being contacted, BCID reduces uncertainty and enhances the user experience. This transparency is instrumental in rebuilding trust.

The Impact of BCID on Consumer Behavior

Statistics Supporting BCID Adoption

Numbers tell a compelling story:

• Close to 80% of consumers don’t answer unknown phone calls.
• 7 out of 10 consumers are more likely to answer calls with visual trust indicators.

These statistics underscore the necessity for solutions like BCID. BCID significantly improves call answer rates by providing visual trust indicators, benefiting both consumers and businesses.

Benefits for Enterprises and Service Providers

For enterprises, higher answer rates translate to better customer engagement and potentially increased revenue. Service providers benefit from ‌aligned financial incentives and improved customer satisfaction.

Next Steps for Service Providers and Enterprises

Service Providers: Adopt BCID and Apply for a Verified Certificate

Service providers are encouraged to integrate BCID into their offerings. By applying for a BCID-verified certificate, they can authenticate calls and participate in this trusted ecosystem.

Enterprises: Request a Demo of SecureG’s Call Signing Service

Enterprises looking to contact rates should consider SecureG’s high-performance call signing service. A demo can showcase how BCID can transform its customer interactions.

Conclusion

Rebuilding trust in voice calling is essential for effective communication today. BCID offers a comprehensive solution that addresses the limitations of existing frameworks like STIR/SHAKEN. By supporting international callers, aligning financial incentives, and implementing a rigorous trust model, BCID restores trust and accelerates the adoption of branded calls.

Service providers and enterprises stand to gain significantly from adopting BCID. It’s time to embrace this technology and move toward a more trusted communication landscape.

Service providers: adopt Branded Calling ID now and apply for a BCID-verified certificate. Enterprises: request a demo of SecureG’s high-performance call signing service.