Despite the variety of digital methods that consumers can use to handle their business matters today, the telephone remains a preferred method of contact, a new report shows. Nearly eight in 10 consumers think phone calls are important for communicating with businesses — especially those concerning their most personal, complex, and urgent matters.

80% of consumers admit that they block calls from numbers they’re not familiar with, according to the report from TransUnion, a global information and insights company. The reason is because of the rising frequency of fraud, which has broken down the integrity of the phone channel and left consumers reluctant to use it.

TransUnion’s study of 1,556 U.S. consumers attempted to gauge consumers’ behaviors when receiving phone calls; the effects of spam, call spoofing, and fraud on those behaviors; and whether adding more context to calls encourages more consumers to answer them. The study’s top five insights, described here, include a solution called authenticated branded calling, which verifies the company calling.

• The phone is still very relevant when connecting with consumers. Nearly 80% of consumers say speaking with a human by phone is important for business communication, especially for personal, high-value, urgent, or complex issues.

 

• It’s a love-hate relationship: Consumers don’t trust the phone enough to pick up. Imposter scams and call spoofing are rising — with artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake technology, and large language models making it harder for consumers to spot fake calls. This not only affects consumers but also businesses, especially financial institutions. The study confirmed that 80% of consumers block calls from numbers they don’t know; and 70% have not answered a phone call due to safety/fraud concerns — only to learn afterwards that it was a legitimate call. Without measures to verify calls, consumers will take steps to safeguard themselves.

 

• Branding calls with rich content helps restore trust and enhance engagement. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of consumers who participated in the study said they would be likely to answer calls from businesses if the calls displayed the company name and logo. This solution is referred to as branded calling, in which businesses can add rich call content such as their name, logo, number, and reason for the call to the mobile display — along with STIR/SHAKEN verification that the call has not been spoofed. According to Juniper Research, branded calling in the U.S. is forecast to increase by 1,758% between 2024 and 2029.

 

• Adding context improves customer experiences and brand loyalty. Businesses recognize that a positive customer experience correlates with a feeling of reassurance consumers get when speaking on the phone with a real person. A Forrester Consulting study revealed that 48% of enterprises believe the voice channel is critical for customer service. Consumers also indicated that branded calls would improve their experience and loyalty. TransUnion’s report stated that even a 1% boost in customer experience levels can result in significant revenue growth for a business.

 

• There are three critical features consumers really want to see on their mobile displays. Consumers are weary of scams and want more protection — or they won’t answer the phone. TransUnion’s study showed that consumers want caller name, logo, and proof that the call isn’t spoofed (because branded calls also can be spoofed). Integrating STIR/SHAKEN authentication — a set of protocols and procedures intended to resist caller ID spoofing on public telephone networks — is crucial for security, the company said.

“Consumers are willing to answer the phone, but only once they feel confident about who’s really calling them,” said James Garvert, senior vice president of TruContact Communications Solutions at TransUnion. “Authenticated branded calling is a win-win… And our business customers who implement branded calling report increased customer engagement, improved customer satisfaction and increased revenues as a result.”