PW Media | Jan 10, 2023

Keeping your business free of spam and robocalls.

Have you been receiving strange, unwanted calls from unknown callers? These calls are called robocalls or spam calls, and they can be a major problem for small businesses, wasting time and resources and potentially damaging your reputation.

According to YouMail’s data, an estimated 52 billion robocalls were made in the United States in 2022. This number is expected to increase in 2023. In addition to being a nuisance, these unwanted calls can waste valuable time and resources, damage a business’s reputation, and even have a financial impact.

Just one spammer can cause considerable damage to a company’s reputation and operations, as in the case of Adrian Abramovich, who sent out 97 million malicious robocalls over three months, impacting Trip Advisor's reputation. These robocalls also affected Spōk, a medical paging service in Virginia, whose system was so disrupted by these robocalls that its medical emergency service network was substantially slowed, which could have had catastrophic consequences. 

Given the prevalence of spam and robocalls, it’s important for small business owners to take steps to protect themselves. In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of the problem of robocalls and spam calls, including their impact on small businesses, and offer tips and strategies for protecting against them. By taking these precautions, small business owners can minimize the impact of these nuisance calls and focus on the calls that matter.

What’s the Difference Between Spam and Robocalls?

Spam calls are unsolicited calls, typically to sell a product or service. Humans or automated systems can make these calls, often using deceptive tactics to get you to answer or give out personal information. Robocalls, on the other hand, are automated calls that use prerecorded messages. These calls can be made for telemarketing purposes, customer reminders, political campaigns, or scams. 

Impact of Spam and Robocalls on Businesses

Spam and robocalls can have several negative impacts on small businesses. Here are the top three:

1. Drains time and resources

These nuisance calls can waste valuable time and resources, as small business owners often feel pressure to answer every call since it could be a potential lead. According to a survey by the National Consumer League, the average small business owner spends over two hours per week dealing with unwanted calls, and that time could be better spent on other tasks.

2. Damages a business’s reputation

In addition to wasting time, spam and robocalls can also damage a business’s reputation. If customers cannot reach a business due to a constant stream of spam calls, they may become frustrated and choose to do business with a competitor. In addition, if a customer receives a call from what appears to be a business they know and trust—and are then scammed—that complaints and lawsuits could severely damage a business’s reputation. 

3. Hurts your bottom line

Spam and robocalls can have a financial impact on small businesses. Scammers may try to trick small business owners into paying for a product or service, or they may try to steal personal information to commit fraud. Small businesses may incur costs for tools or services that block or filter spam and robocalls. While these costs may be necessary to protect a business, they can still add up and impact its bottom line.

Ways To Protect Against Spam And Robocalls

So, what can you do to protect your business from spam and robocalls? Here are some tips and strategies to consider:

Use caller ID blocking: Many phone providers offer caller ID blocking to protect against spam and robocalls. This feature allows you to block calls from specific or unknown numbers.

Use a call blocker: Various apps and devices are available to help you filter out unwanted calls. These tools can be programmed to block specific numbers or calls that meet certain criteria (e.g., calls from unfamiliar area codes).

Use the National Do Not Call Registry: The National Do Not Call Registry is a free service that allows you to opt-out of most telemarketing calls. You can register your business phone numbers on the website or by calling 1-888-382-1222. However, this will only decrease calls from reputable businesses that cold call, not companies with the intent to scam. 

Get caller identification: Various caller identification services can help you identify unknown callers. This can be especially useful if you’re unsure whether a call is legitimate.

Conclusion

Small businesses need to take steps to protect themselves from spam and robocalls, both for the sake of their employees and customers, and to protect the business itself.

If you're a small business owner fed up with the constant stream of robocalls and spam calls interrupting your work day, take action now. Don't let these annoying and potentially harmful calls continue to disrupt your business.