Spam suspected! There’s a good chance that is what’s been coming up on your clients’ mobile phones when you call them. And the issue is only getting worse.
You can fix the problem now by visiting this page and registering under “Please choose your issue below”. Or, you can read on for more info…
So, what’s going on then? The answer is down to a change in business practices by Hiya, a major caller ID service. Nathan Miller, CEO of Smart Cloud Phone, says he’s been aware of the issue for some time. He says, at first it was an annoyance occasionally reported by customers, but it has been getting markedly worse over the past six months.
“If you’re wondering why your answer rates are lower, it may be because the people you are calling are seeing a
‘Suspected Spam’ message on their phone in connection with your number,” Nathan explains.
“Hiya is one of the main services that phone companies use to provide caller ID for their users. When you receive a call and the caller’s information comes up on your screen, it’s often Hiya, not the phone company, providing that solution”.
While this article might be the first time you’ve heard of Hiya, it’s a legitimate telecommunications business. Launched in 2016 as a spin-off of Whitepages’ caller ID service, it is bundled into the operating system of Android phones, while also being common for iPhone users.
Already in the Hiya database
The thing to know is that virtually every caller is already in Hiya’s database. However, a change within Hiya’s systems means that callers whose information is incomplete are now being flagged as “Suspected Spam” when they make calls to smartphones.
“It is definitely not something you want to be happening for your business. However, we’re industry experts and this is the sort of problem we track and help people get in front of. Even if you’re not a customer, we’ll help you! All you have to do is log in to Hiya, prove who you are and that you are a legitimate caller.”
Sorting it out
Nathan says that the process to do this only takes 3 or 4 minutes of an admin officer’s day and then the Hiya database is usually updated within 48 hours.
“Yes, it is a clever business move by Hiya, but there is also a legitimate reason this needs to happen. There is more and more scamming going on,” Nathan says.
“Hiya is a good service. And one of the reasons it’s becoming more popular is that Australia needed some sort of system that could identify to a phone user if a call they received was a scam.
“Legally, we cannot fix this in Hiya on your behalf. All we can do is tell you about what is going on and show you how to resolve the issue quickly.”
If you have a couple of spare minutes, you can fix it right now by visiting Hiya’s service request page. If you’d like to know more, you can call Smart Cloud Phone on 07 3185 1111 or contact us here.