Blog in 20 Seconds:
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Boost engagement and trust: Call labeling displays your dealership's name on customer phones, increasing answer rates and building trust. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile now support unified registration through their partners.
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Customize call labels: Use department-specific labels (e.g., "Toyota of Olympia Sales") to clarify call purpose and improve answer rates. Verizon currently supports 15 characters but is expanding to 32 soon.
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Improve employee morale: Higher answer rates energize BDC agents, making their calls more productive. Call labeling is a "pay-to-play" system, starting at $250 per month, with registration made easier through referral partners.
Blog in Detail:
As we move into 2025, call labeling and branding are quickly becoming must-haves for car dealerships looking to boost customer engagement and improve employee morale. By displaying your dealership’s name—and soon your logo—on customers' phones, you can increase answer rates, build trust, and make your BDC agents' jobs more rewarding.
Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of this powerful technology as it continues to evolve.
What is Call Labeling?
Call labeling replaces generic phone numbers with your dealership’s name on customers’ devices. This not only increases the chances that customers will answer but also builds trust, as they know exactly who’s calling. The good news is that dealerships can now register with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile through a unified process, ensuring consistent branding across all major carriers.
- AT&T works with TransUnion
- T-Mobile partners with FirstOrion
- Verizon teams up with TNS
Call labeling overwrites CNAM (Caller Name Delivery), so your dealership’s branded name will be guaranteed to be shown, whereas your default caller ID may or may not be shown. The only thing that can overwrite call labeling is if the recipient has your number saved in their contacts (a best practice!)
Department-Specific Call Labels
For maximum impact, customize your call labels by department. For example:
- Toyota of Olympia Sales
- Toyota of Olympia Service
This helps customers understand the purpose of the call and increases answer rates. Note that Verizon currently supports only 15 characters (e.g., "ToyotaOfOlympia"), but is working on expanding to 32 characters soon, like AT&T and T-Mobile.
Some dealers do not register all of their phone numbers, preferring to keep some for stealth calling. This is not Heartbeat Labs recommendation.
Simplify the Setup with a Referral Partner
To combat fraud, carriers require dealerships to register and get vetted by their partners: FirstOrion, TransUnion, and TNS. It’s advisable to use a referral partner, which simplifies the setup process at no extra cost. This can save hours of work and ensures your dealership is properly vetted.
Call Labeling: A Smart Investment
Call labeling is a "pay-to-play" system, with pricing starting as low as $250 per month. This investment improves customer trust, boosts answer rates, and energizes your team by making their calls more productive.
Related: SPAM Monitoring and Mitigation and Text Enabling Dealership Phone Numbers
While we are talking about the same legacy phone numbers in the dealership, SPAM monitoring and mitigation and text enabling the same existing land lines are two separate processes, for which the right referral partner can help you with.
Ready to elevate your dealership’s communication? Set up, or let us help you set up call labeling to build trust, improve answer rates, and boost employee morale!
EXAMPLE:
Toyota of Olympia when registered only with Verizon- Call Labeling works!
