Setting up automatic caller-ID for your business line
Automatic number recognition: also called automatic caller-ID, and is part of the number preview for incoming calls. You call a customer, partner or supplier with your business line: someone who doesn't have your business number saved in their contacts. How do you still ensure that they see it's your company who's calling them?
How annoying is it when a wrong business name is displayed on incoming calls? Or even worse: when your landline number is flagged as spam or potential fraud.
Let's be real: we ran into this issue ourselves. After our rebranding from Bereik to Rinkel on May 17, 2022, people oftentimes still saw "Bereik.io" in their screens when we called them.
We had already changed our Google Business Profile company name to Rinke, but "Bereik.io" remained on the screen. And we couldn't understand why. Wasn't this the way to fix it?
In the end, after a lot of digging, we found the solution! Now we're more than happy to share this with you. So keep on reading!
How can I adjust my automatic caller ID myself?
Good news! It's as easy as can be. At least, for Samsung it is. Thanks to Hiya. Never have another unknown number in your display.
We suspect it works the same for other Android devices, but we can almost guarantee it for Samsung devices. Becuase Samsung and Hiya have a collaboration in regards to "Smart Call technology".
Tracing unknown callers
Essentially, it goes like this: Hiya has an international database containing a lot of companies and their phone number(s). In other words: a collection of structured data. They have linked this database to Samsung, who go through Hiya's database with every incoming call. If there's a match with the companies in this database, Samsung will show the company name instead of the phone number calling you.
The good thing is: this feature is on by default on your Samsung device. That explains why Samsung devices see company names more often than other devices.
This system from Hiya exists to help you and others identify calls, and protect against unwanted calls. Such as against spam calls or suspected fraud. It also helps you, as a company, to stand out (positively)!
To add to this: Google also has a collaboration with Hiya. Presumably to enrich the Hiya database with information filled in by companies, provided through Google Business Profile.
Change your caller-ID at Hiya in 4 steps
- Go to this form in Hiya's FAQ
- Select "Register your business information with Hiya"
- Fill in all fields of the form and submit it
- You'll be asked for proof, generally speaking providing the link to your website is sufficient, if your phone number is mentioned there.
It took us about 2 working days before our automatic caller ID was updated from Bereik.io to Rinkel.
What if my number is marked as spam or fraud?
Then you can also fill in the form from Hiya only in this case you select “I have a problem with the information shown for my phone number” and fill in the fields of this form.
What about automatic caller ID on iPhones?
Even when you have an iPhone, you can use Hiya. However, you must have downloaded the app from the App Store for this. And since few iPhone users have downloaded this app, it is not a solution for your customers and partners with iPhones. They will continue to see your full fixed number if they have not saved it.
Do you want to know which numbers call you? Then it's always interesting to download the Hiya app!
Incidentally, Apple does have some sort of automatic number recognition feature built-in. Apple scans your emails there's an incoming call to see if the specific number is found in an email conversation. If so, it'll show the company name. This is how Apple's automatic Caller ID works.
However, you have to give specific access for this. To do this, go to your Settings > Phone > Caller ID. And make sure this is on.
Anyway, even when this feature is on, it is (from experience) no guarantee that it recognizes business phone numbers.
