Call screening is considered to be the newest hit in the telecommunication industry. It permits you to filter out all kinds of masses that you desire to avoid communicating with on the phone like telemarketers and scam callers. Call screening is meant to permit you to accept, block, or turn down any particular contacts. Not only this, but these kinds of applications also keep spam or robocalls at bay. Additionally, call screening software can be able to pick up real-person calls or send them to voicemail automatically.
How does call screening work?
Call screening displays a caller ID on your mobile in its basic form. The ID typically includes the caller’s name and phone number. Sometimes, it may also show the contact as unknown or blocked. Based on that information, you can decide whether you want to accept/decline a call or send it to voicemail.
In its advanced form, a call screening app will let you define a set of rules to manage all the incoming calls before they even make it to your phone. For instance, advanced call screening features allow you to receive calls only from a particular locality and send all the other calls to voicemail.
For the uninitiated, all this is only feasible via CNAM (“Caller Name”) databases. These databases have a list of phone numbers and network details of their registered members. Every time a call is received or a number is dialed, the contact details of the caller are cross-referenced among the CNAM databases of both the caller and callee.
Next, the phone network of the person getting the call will run the incoming call via a CNAM database and perform their wanted operation on it (accept, decline, or send to voicemail).
Now presently, Google Pixel 1, 2, 3, iPhone iOS 13+, and all Android phones have support for call screening.
How to Screen Calls on Your Android Phone
Remember: To use the Google Phone app’s call screening, make sure third-party call or screen recording apps are off or not, then you need to off them.
1. first you have to open the Phone app. Make sure it’s the latest version.
2. Tap the More icon on the top right corner, then go to Settings, and then simply go to the Spam and Call Screen
3. Double-check to glance over that See caller and spam ID is on.
4. Press on the Call Screen
5. In the Unknown call settings page, select the kinds of calls on the call screen.
6. Press the options that apply to you:
- Automatically screen. Decline robocalls.
- Ring phone
- Silently decline.
The automatic screen selection will send you notifications when the app is screening a call.
- Google Assistant will receive the call, answer it, and ask who’s calling and why is he calling. If Google Assistant analyzes the call as spam or robocall, then definitely it will hand up the call for you.
- If it is not spam or robocall, your smartphone will ring and display the response of the caller to the Assistant.
- After that, your GA will generate an actual transcript of the caller’s response.
- As per that response, you can be able to select whether you have a desire to accept or decline the call or send it to voicemail.
How to screen calls on an iPhone?
Below are mentioned the instructions for iPhones with iOS 13 or higher than it:
- Go to Settings>Phone
- Scroll down, click on Silence Unknown Callers
- Press Turn on the feature by sliding the toggle
Or, you can install an app to filter out spam calls. Here’s the mentioned steps:
- Locate an application that easily detects and blocks spam phone calls in the App Store. Install the app.
- Go to Settings>Phone
- Go to Call Blocking and Identification
- In Allow These Apps to Block Calls and Provide Caller ID, click on the app you have installed in step 1.
Calls from unknown numbers will not ring and will go to your voicemail in your recent calls list. Only numbers in your contacts list, recent calls list, and Siri suggestions can call you.
What are the advantages of call screening?
There are a bunch of benefits to executing all screening software. Below we will feel immense pleasure in discussing the most useful ones:
Customer Retention
Call screening is linked with increased customer retention directly. This is because it generates quick answers to the queries of the client and removes delays. This eventually establishes their trust in your service.
Time Efficient
Call screening apps suggest a range of handy features to take pressure off the agents. For instance, they direct the calls to the right headquarters, eliminating the feasibility of misplaced calls. This saves a lot of your precious time which can you can concentrate on other valuable activities.
Low Call Center Abandonment Rate
The auto-attendant feature of these applications can respond to calls 24/7. This results in more advanced agent performance and reduced call center abandonment rates.
Fewer Spam Calls
Because call screening apps can find spam calls, you will hardly get these annoying calls. Instead, only genuine callers that you have the strong urge to talk with will make it via the program.
Enhanced Privacy and Security
Call screening apps suggest increased privacy and security. These apps execute the latest technology to clarify the privacy of your calls and to keep track of the phone conversation only between the caller and you.
Read more: How to Make Phone Calls and Messages from a Windows PC or Mac
What are some useful call screening features for businesses to glance at?
Choosing the right call screening software can be considered to be a draining task. Yet, if you know what features to glance at, searching for the right best one takes minimal effort. Below, we will explain the top features that set apart elite call screening software from ordinary ones to assist you in making the right purchase. Let’s go and dive into the details.
Caller ID
Caller ID is the first thing to glance at in call screening software. This is because it permits you to know who is calling you right away. As per the caller’s ID, you can decide whether you desire to take the call or send it to voicemail.
Robocalls
Robocalls are much infuriating and often come at the wrong time. And this isn’t even the worst segment. The majority of robocalls are backed by phone carriers which makes them unavoidable. They are a massive headache. Thus, your call screening software must be able to find and block robocalls before they even drop into your phone.
Call Routing
Call routing is another prominent feature of these apps. It completely removes the need to put incoming callers on hold and connects them at the spot to the right agent or department.
Remote Call Forwarding
RCF is considered to be the elegant feature that makes life comfortable for both agents and callers. It provides you the immense independence to connect incoming calls to other phone numbers if your call center agents are away from their smartphones.
For instance, if an agent is away from their desk and a phone call strikes their office phone, RCF can permit you to transfer this call to their phone after a few phone rings.
Call Blocking
Call blocking permits you to block unwanted calls. Additionally, you can play a recorded message to the blocked callers to stop them from calling again.
Do Not Disturb
When an agent is unavailable or can’t get calls for some reason, then Do Not Disturb mode will pass the callers to voicemail automatically. You can turn this mode off when your agents are back available.
Text-to-speech messaging
This is a vital feature for businesses to manage incoming calls when the agents are away. Executing this feature, you can send personalized voice messages to the callers with the relevant details they require to hear.
Automatic Call Screening/Auto Attendant
As per a study, about 80% of business takes place on the phone. Also, 8 out of 10 callers will hang up and move to somewhere else if no one answers their calls. With that said, it’s not possible to have an agent available 24/7 as it’s expensive and impractical. But you can solve this problem via automatic call screening or auto attendant.
An auto attendant responds to the callers as per their requirements and makes up for the absence of the agents.
Text-to-speech messaging
This is an important feature for businesses to manage incoming calls when the agents are away. Using this feature, you can send customized voice messages to the callers with the relevant information they need to hear.
Automatic Call Screening/Auto Attendant
According to a study, about 80% of business takes place on the phone. Also, 8 out of 10 callers will hang up and move to somewhere else if no one answers their calls. With that said, it’s impossible to have an agent available 24/7 as it’s impractical and costly. But you can solve this problem through automatic call screening or auto attendant.
An auto attendant responds to the callers according to their needs and makes up for the absence of the agents.
Call screening for businesses with Textr
Textr has call-screening features for small businesses. It is a VoIP business texting app that will permit businesses to send texts to their customers. The app will revolutionize the way businesses communicate with customers and call screening is a feature we look forward to executing soon!
Is there any call-screening app with a text message feature for businesses?
Currently, there are business phone system apps like RingCentral, HeyMarket, and Openphone that have call screening. By using these apps, businesses are capable of sending unknown callers a text, enquiring them to find out who they are.
Is call screening compatible with Google Voice?
Yeah, of course, call screening is compatible with not only Google Voice but also Google Assistant, Google Call, and Google Phone. When you receive a call on Google-supported devices, Google Voice will read the caller’s name out loud.
After hearing the name, you can either accept the call by pressing 1 or send it to voicemail by clicking on 2. Now the caller will leave a message. If the message is useful and you desire to converse with them, then proceed by clicking the star (*) symbol.
FAQs on Call Screening for Android and iPhone
1. What is called screening, and how does it work on Android phones and iPhones?
- Call screening is a striking feature that permits users to manage and filter incoming calls. On Android phones, it works through the Google Phone app, while on iPhones, it can be enabled in Settings. Call screening involves displaying caller ID details and setting rules to automatically handle calls based on criteria.
2. How do I enable call screening on my Android phone?
- To enable call screening on an Android phone, open the Phone app, go to Settings, and then Spam and Call Screen. Ensure that See Caller and spam ID are turned on. You can customize options like automatically screening calls, ringing the phone, or silently declining them.
3. Can iPhone screen calls, and how is it done?
- Yes, iPhones with iOS 13 or higher have a feature called “Silence Unknown Callers” in Settings > Phone. Alternatively, users can install third-party apps from the App Store to filter out spam calls.
4. What are the advantages of using call screening for individuals?
- Call screening offers benefits like increased customer retention, time efficiency, a lower call center abandonment rate, fewer spam calls, and enhanced privacy and security. It provides quick responses, saves time, and improves the overall calling experience.
5. What are some useful call screening features for businesses to consider?
- Key features for businesses include Caller ID, the ability to block robocalls, call routing, remote call forwarding, call blocking, Do Not Disturb mode, text-to-speech messaging, and automatic call screening/auto attendant. These features improve efficiency, customer service, and call management.
6. How does text-to-speech messaging enhance call screening for businesses?
- Text-to-speech messaging allows businesses to send personalized voice messages to callers when agents are unavailable. This feature ensures that important information is communicated even when live assistance is not possible.
7. Is call screening compatible with Google Voice?
- Yes, call screening is compatible with Google Voice, Google Assistant, Google Call, and Google Phone. Google Voice, in particular, reads the caller’s name aloud, allowing users to decide whether to accept the call or send it to voicemail.
8. Are there any call-screening apps with a text message feature for businesses?
- Yes, business phone system apps like RingCentral, HeyMarket, and Openphone have call screening features. These apps may allow businesses to send text messages to unknown callers, seeking identification.
9. How does call screening contribute to customer retention for businesses?
- Call screening contributes to customer retention by providing quick responses to customer queries, reducing delays, and establishing trust in the service. It ensures that calls are directed to the right department, saving customers’ time and enhancing their overall experience.
10. Can I expect a call-screening app with text message features from Textr for small businesses?
- Yes, Textr plans to release a VoIP business texting app with call-screening features for small businesses. This app aims to revolutionize communication by allowing businesses to send texts to customers, and call screening will be one of its anticipated features.
