Robocalls are Interfering with my Business



Robocalls are at a point where they are now interfering with my business largely because my team is on cell phones. Yesterday I received 14 business calls and 32 Robocalls and the volume is only increasing. My blocked number list has now grown to an ungodly size and due to number spoofing, they just spoof a new number. I can now detect a robocall with seconds of answering my phone. The high majority of these calls originate overseas and they always have some service to sell my business.

I have to watch myself as I answer the phone because when I pick it up I am assuming its a robocall and not a new or existing customer. With the ability of these marketers to spoof a telephone number it is nearly impossible to screen for them. When a call comes in from +100000000000 you know its a robocall, but when the number comes in from a normal number it’s really hard. With people refusing to leave a voicemail these days I have no choice but to answer every call.

It’s really driving me crazy because we have a distributed work-force the high majority of my team are on cellphones. It gets worse the marketers are now even targeting our 800 number which gets a handful of these calls a day. I am not alone, talking with other business owners their frustration has grown as well. Today I looked at the iOS App Store and of course, all the Robo blockers are premium. Makes you wonder if they are not in cahoots.  In a future article, I will discuss whether the app I found and am paying for has helped or not. The only way to fight fire is with fire using the tech at our disposal to try and get the upper hand on these bad characters.

The National do not call list only really works on legitimate companies that are following the rules. The bigger issue is the off-shore folks that have 1000’s of people in phone centers who are trying to get you on the line long enough to do their pitch. I am sure it’s a numbers game to them but it sure drives me insane.

About Todd Cochrane

Todd Cochrane is the Founder of Geek News Central and host of the Geek News Central Podcast. He is a Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee and was one of the very first podcasters in 2004. He wrote the first book on podcasting, and did many of the early Podcast Advertising deals in the podcasting space. He does two other podcasts in addition to Geek News Central. The New Media Show and Podcast Legends.