In the digital age, SMS remains a cornerstone for user authentication, particularly through One-Time Passwords (OTPs). However, this reliance has made businesses vulnerable to a growing threat: SMS pumping fraud.

What is SMS pumping?

SMS pumping, also known as Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT) or SMS toll fraud, is a fraudulent scheme where attackers exploit SMS-based services to generate large volumes of fake traffic. This is typically achieved by:

• Automated Bots: Using bots to flood online forms with fake OTP requests.
  
• Premium Rate Numbers: Directing these requests to phone numbers that incur higher charges, often controlled by the fraudsters or complicit telecom operators.
  

The perpetrators profit by receiving a share of the revenue generated from these inflated SMS charges, leaving businesses to bear the financial burden.

Real-World Impact: The Twitter Case

A notable example of SMS pumping's financial impact is Twitter (now X). In 2023, Elon Musk revealed that the platform was losing approximately $60 million annually due to SMS pumping fraud. The scheme involved over 390 telecom operators worldwide, who were either complicit or negligent in allowing the abuse of SMS services.

How does SMS pumping work?

The process typically unfolds as follows:

1. Targeting Vulnerable Endpoints: Attackers identify websites or applications that send OTPs via SMS.
   
2. Flooding with Requests: Bots submit numerous fake requests, often using disposable or premium-rate phone numbers.
   
3. Revenue Generation: Each SMS sent to these numbers incurs a cost, which is shared with the fraudsters.
   

This leads to significant financial losses for businesses, as they pay for messages that serve no legitimate purpose.

Signs Your Business Might Be a Target

Be vigilant if you notice:

• Unusual Traffic Patterns: A sudden spike in OTP requests, especially from unfamiliar regions.
  
• Sequential Number Requests: Multiple OTP requests to consecutive phone numbers, indicating automated bot activity.‍
• Low Conversion Rates: A high number of OTPs sent but a low rate of successful authentications.

Preventive Measures: Safeguarding Your Business

To protect against SMS pumping fraud, consider implementing the following strategies:

• Rate Limiting: Restrict the number of OTP requests per user or IP address within a specified time frame.
  
• Bot Detection: Use CAPTCHA or other bot detection mechanisms to prevent automated submissions.
  
• Geo-Blocking: Limit OTP requests to regions where your user base is located.‍
• Traffic Monitoring: Regularly analyze traffic patterns to identify and mitigate suspicious activities.

Plivo’s Solutions to SMS Pumping

Recognizing the growing threat of SMS pumping, Plivo is proud to offer two innovative tools, free of charge, designed to protect your business from fraudulent SMS traffic:

1. SMS Pumping Protection for OTP Traffic: This solution is specifically built to safeguard your SMS API endpoints that handle OTP traffic. By detecting and preventing fraudulent OTP requests, it helps ensure your messaging services remain both secure and cost-effective. Read more about SMS Pumping Protection here.
   
2. Fraud Shield for Verify Applications: Designed for applications leveraging Plivo’s Verify API, Fraud Shield delivers advanced fraud detection by analyzing traffic patterns, identifying anomalies, and blocking suspicious activities. This ensures your verification processes stay protected from abuse. Read more about Fraud Shield here.

Learn more about Plivo’s tools for combating SMS pumping by requesting a trial.‍

At Plivo, we’re focused on making the 10DLC registration process as simple for our customers as possible — we’ve even won some awards in the process. Today, we’re excited to bring you an updated 10DLC console experience that gives you even more visibility into the entire brand and campaign registration process.

What’s new in the console experience?

Now you can view all the information you’ve submitted, including the sample messages provided to the carriers. In the event that your campaign is declined, you can see the error code and the reason for rejection. This enhanced visibility simplifies the process of fixing and resubmitting your campaign. Additionally, email alerts will instantly notify you of any status changes.

Let’s take a quick tour of what’s included in the console’s new profile, brand, and campaign screens.

Step 1: The profile screen

Profiles help Plivo understand your business and the types of messages you’ll be sending. Complete the profile section with your company information, details like your website URL and industry, and your EIN or Tax ID number. We also need a physical address and a dedicated contact. Once you’ve completed and submitted your profile, you’ll move on to the brand registration page.

Step 2: The brand screen

Start by selecting the profile you want to use for brand registration and providing details about the level of vetting you want the carriers to provide.

Then, give consent to share the required documents with The Campaign Registry (TCR) before you hit submit. Note that it may take up to a week for your brand to be registered. The results will show on this screen; you’ll also receive an email from Plivo notifying you when your brand has been approved or rejected.

STOP and review these campaign registration tips

Before you register your campaign in the console, take the following steps to avoid any issues or delays.

• Review the costs associated with 10DLC campaign registration. Make sure you have a standard account with sufficient Plivo credits to cover these costs. Learn more here.
• Campaigns can only be created for verified brands. Ensure that your brand is verified before creating a campaign.
• The Campaign Registry (TCR) and carriers expect businesses to provide details in a certain format. Make sure you have reviewed our 10DLC registration guidelines.

Step 3: The campaign screen

When you’re ready to launch a new campaign, select the brand for which you want to create a campaign and provide the required details. Fill out the form and submit your campaign to the TCR.

All campaigns are manually reviewed by carriers; various aspects of the campaigns are examined closely. As a result, campaign reviews now take between six and eight weeks. You can check the status of your campaign registration in the console and you’ll be notified via email once it has been approved or declined.

You also link phone numbers within the campaign screen. Keep in mind that numbers can only be linked to a campaign that has been approved by carriers (the “Registration Status” should be “active”).

To link a phone number, click on the campaign you want and navigate to the “Numbers” tab for that campaign. You will be able to see the list of numbers already linked to that campaign, add new numbers , or upload a list of numbers via CSV. You can also unlink a number to make it available for use somewhere else.

Email notifications

Users can now set up email alerts for up to 10 recipients in Plivo’s console. Receive an email  each time a brand is registered, fails verification, or when a campaign is approved or rejected by carriers.

10DLC resources

10DLC registration is complex and there’s a lot to keep track of. Now, you can do it even more easily within the Plivo console. Check out our list of related resources below or contact our support team if you need help.

• Plivo’s A2P 10DLC Overview
• Updated Console FAQ
• Here are our 10DLC Registration Guidelines
• What is the 10DLC campaign vetting process?
• Why was my campaign registration declined?
  

10 Tips for Better Contact Center Management

Contact centers have become essential hubs for businesses aiming to offer exceptional customer service, and each contact center needs a manager to steer the ship.

Mastering contact center management is foundational for fostering a strong customer service team, providing an unparalleled customer experience, and ensuring agent satisfaction.

What is contact center management?

Contact center management focuses on the comprehensive oversight of the center’s operations, from the technologies used in a business’ service motion to the performance of its agents.

Contact center management is a balancing act of ensuring customers have a positive experience while optimizing the performance and satisfaction of agents, and it’s the responsibility of contact center managers to maintain this equilibrium, ironing out any operational wrinkles and guiding their team towards consistent excellence.

Key contact center roles and responsibilities

Contact centers thrive on the synergy between managers and agents, each playing an indispensable role.

What is a contact center manager?

The contact center manager acts as the captain of the ship. They are responsible for training agents, establishing performance metrics, ensuring high-quality service, and creating a positive, productive work environment. The contact center manager’s leadership shapes the overall effectiveness and reputation of the contact center.

What is a contact center agent?

Contact center agents are the ship’s crew, keeping the ship running as it should and acting as the direct link between a business and its customers. Day in, day out, contact center agents interact with diverse customers, answering queries, solving issues, and ensuring each individual feels valued. Their expertise and demeanor directly influence customer perceptions and satisfaction.

10 Tips for effective contact center management

Tip #1: Train agents regularly

A well-informed agent is a game-changer. Continuous training ensures agents are updated with the latest products, industry practices, and communication strategies.

Organizing regular training sessions, like monthly product updates or communication workshops, can bolster agent confidence and equip them with tools for success, enhancing overall agent efficacy.

Tip #2: Use data to make decisions

Data serves as the compass for contact center improvements. By analyzing key metrics such as call durations, customer feedback, or response times, managers can pinpoint areas that need refinement.

This data-driven approach is vital for crafting strategies for success in contact center management and ensuring both agent and customer satisfaction.

Tip #3: Create a positive work atmosphere

The correlation between agent morale and customer satisfaction is undeniable. By cultivating a supportive and engaging work environment, you motivate agents to perform at their best.

Celebratory gestures, like ‘Agent of the Month’ awards or team outings, can uplift spirits and reinforce a sense of community.

Tip #4: Keep communication open

A transparent communication framework is the backbone of efficient operations. It’s essential for agents to feel they can voice concerns or seek guidance without hesitation.

This can be achieved through regular feedback sessions, an open-door managerial policy, and promoting peer interactions, fortifying trust and camaraderie.

Tip #5: Use the latest tech

Incorporating cutting-edge technology can revolutionize contact center operations. Tools like CRM systems not only make processes smoother but also offer agents a wealth of information about customers, allowing for a tailored, efficient service approach.

Embracing current technologies is integral to the modern strategies for success in contact center management.

Tip #6: Set clear goals

As a manager, it’s important to offer transparency in how your agent’s performance is being measured, and to provide attainable benchmarks for success. Clear goals act as roadmaps guiding agents toward exemplary performance.

By defining these benchmarks and revisiting them periodically, managers can provide a structured growth path, catering to agent satisfaction and ensuring they understand their roles and responsibilities.

Tip #7: Listen to customers

Customers’ feedback is invaluable. By actively seeking, analyzing, and implementing their suggestions, contact centers can drastically elevate their service quality.

Regularly engaging your customers and requesting feedback can offer insights into customer satisfaction, guiding refinements and adaptations in your customer service strategy.

Tip #8: Sharpen your skillset

The world of contact centers is dynamic. To stay ahead, it’s imperative to foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.

Encouraging agents to attend workshops, partake in courses, or simply share knowledge can invigorate the workforce, driving both personal and professional growth.

Tip #9: Stay flexible

Adaptability is an essential skill for contact center managers. As technologies evolve and customer preferences shift, the ability to swiftly adjust and modify strategies becomes crucial.

A proactive contact center manager always keeps an eye on these trends, ensuring their contact center remains agile and responsive.

Tip #10: Trust your agents

Empowering agents to make decisions not only boosts their confidence but also accelerates issue resolution. Granting them a degree of autonomy, like offering on-the-spot solutions within certain parameters, can streamline operations and significantly enhance the customer experience.

Conclusion

Effective contact center management is an intricate blend of strategy and people skills. Prioritizing both agent and customer needs is the key to unlocking success and growth. Study these contact center management tips and they’ll serve as a comprehensive guide for anyone aspiring to elevate their contact center operations and outcomes.

Looking to level-up your customer service motion? Our cloud contact center offers a simple workspace for customer service teams that seamlessly combines your customer conversations with your existing systems.

Set up some time with us to share your business needs and get started with a free trial.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• Top 100+ Customer Service Statistics and Trends in 2023
• How to Deal with Angry Customers: 12+ Tips that Always Work
• How to Increase Revenue by Improving Agent Satistfaction

Top 100+ Customer Service Statistics and Trends in 2023

We’ve scoured reports from industry leaders and compiled a complete list of the most compelling customer support statistics that will up-level your customer service.

Table of contents:

• 15 key customer service takeaways
• What are customers willing to pay for
• How poor customer service impacts your business
• Creating customer loyalty through excellent service
• The importance of privacy in customer service
• How customer service varies by channel and medium
• Even more ways that customer experience impacts your business
• Links to studies

If you’re looking for more information on meeting the service needs of modern customers, don’t forget to check out our other content:

• Leadership Talk: The Modern State of Customer Support
• How to Deal with Angry Customers: 12+ Tips that Always Work
• Cloud vs. Traditional Contact Centers: 5+ Reasons to Embrace Cloud-based Technology

15 Key Customer Service Takeaways

When customers are willing to pay more for good service

16. ​​​​A significant 63% of Gen Z individuals are willing to pay a premium for a quality mobile experience (PWC).

17. Among those with an annual income under $50,000, 50% express a willingness to pay more for exceptional customer service, compared to only 19% who are unwilling (Hyken).

18. In a group of people earning over $100,000 annually, a substantial 66% state their willingness to pay more, while nearly 15% express unwillingness to do so (Hyken).

19. Nearly 70% of customers are open to paying more for a convenient experience (Hyken).

20. More than 40% of customers are willing to pay extra for the convenience of same-day delivery (PWC).

21. Convenience in delivery is a priority for over 90% of customers, who are willing to pay extra for this service (Hyken).

22. Only 15% of customers are willing to pay more for engaging design, and 12% would do the same for a great atmosphere (PWC).

23. A notable 72% of organizations have a clearly defined customer success strategy in place (Regalix).

24. Nearly 80% of business leaders affirm that customers spend more (34% on average) when they receive a personalized experience (Segment).

How poor customer service impacts your business

25. After encountering more than one negative experience, approximately 80% of consumers prefer doing business with a competitor (Zendesk).

26. It takes a total of 12 positive customer experiences to compensate for a single negative one, according to Ruby Newell-Legner’s “Understanding Customers.”

27. Across all industries, there is a 38% gap between customer expectations and actual service delivery (Hyken).

28. Only one in five consumers is willing to forgive a bad experience at a company with customer service rated as “very poor.” However, nearly 80% are forgiving if they rate the service team as “very good” (Qualtrics XM Institute).

29. A significant 78% of customers have abandoned a purchase due to a poor customer experience (Glance).

30. Approximately 70% of the customer’s journey is shaped by how the customer perceives their treatment (McKinsey).

31. If a problem is service-based, a customer is four times more likely to switch to a competitor (Bain and Company).

32. 61% of customers indicate they would switch to a competitor after just one bad customer service experience (Zendesk).

33. For 72% of customers, explaining a problem to multiple people results in a bad customer service interaction (Zendesk).

34. A noteworthy 79% of high-income households avoid brands for at least two years after a negative experience (Zendesk).

35. If they receive unfriendly service, 60% of customers would cease buying from a brand (PWC).

36. A staggering 96% of customers leave a brand due to poor customer service (Hyken).

37. When employees lack knowledge, 46% of all customers stop doing business with a brand (PWC).

38. Globally, 59% of consumers believe that companies no longer understand the human element of customer experience (PWC).

39. A significant 95% of customers share a bad experience with others, while 87% share a good customer service experience (Zendesk).

Creating customer loyalty through excellent service

The importance of privacy in customer service

50. A significant 88% of individuals trust companies that commit to not sharing their personal information without permission (Salesforce).

51. An overwhelming 92% of customers value companies that grant them control over the information collected about them (Salesforce).

52. Social media is employed as a data collection and analysis tool by 23% of businesses (Gartner).

53. An impressive 79% of customers are willing to provide relevant information about themselves in exchange for personalized interactions that immediately recognize and understand their needs (Salesforce).

54. For 56% of customers, sharing personal information in exchange for improved service is acceptable (Salesforce).

55. A solid 90% of people are more inclined to trust a company if it has a robust privacy policy (Salesforce).

56. A majority (63%) of customers would be more open to sharing their data if they truly value the service (PWC).

57. A significant 61% of customers feel that they’ve lost control over how their personal information is used (Salesforce).

58. Only 40% of customers trust brands to securely and responsibly handle their personal data (Segment).

59. Just 27% of customers have a complete understanding of how companies utilize their personal information (Salesforce).

How customer service varies by channel and medium

60. For 67% of customers aged under 40, the preferred mode of communication is texting (Hyken).

61. Chatbots are employed for customer service by 67% of organizations (Salesforce).

62. Among customers over the age of 40, the easiest means of communication for 66% is through telephone and email (Hyken).

63. Social media (preferred by 12% of customers) and websites (preferred by 10% of customers) rank as the least-preferred customer engagement channels (Regalix).

64. Agent consoles or computers are utilized for managing the majority (54%) of customer calls (Salesforce).

65. Simple issues could be addressed through interaction with a bot, according to 69% of customers (Zendesk).

66. An impressive 98% of customers make use of FAQ, help centers, or other self-service online resources (Zendesk).

67. Digital channels are the preferred mode of engagement for 57% of customers (Salesforce).

68. In comparison to in-store purchases, 53% of customers prefer buying products online (Salesforce).

69. On average, 35% of consumers find the self-service option highly important (Emplifi).

70. For simple matters, 65% of customers prefer self-service options (Salesforce).

71. Contacting customer service through social media is considered convenient by 67% of customers (Zendesk).

72. A substantial 76% of clients expect to receive a response within 24 hours when contacting a brand on social media (Sproutsocial).

Even more ways that customer experience impacts your business

73. Customer experience is a critical factor in purchasing decisions for 73% of clients (PWC).

74. A remarkable 90% of consumers trust a company that they’ve rated as “very good” to cater to their needs (Qualtrics XM Institute).

75. For 70% of customers, the awareness of sales interactions by service agents is pivotal in retaining their business (Salesforce).

76. The expectation that businesses know their unique needs and expectations is held by 63% of consumers, and 76% of B2B buyers share the same expectation (Salesforce Research).

77. Providing cutting-edge digital experiences is seen as necessary by 59% of customers to maintain their business relationships with companies (Salesforce).

78. Including personalized consumer experiences can improve your online conversion rate by approximately 8% (Trust Pilot).

79. An overwhelming 88% of customers today have higher expectations compared to the past (HubSpot).

80. While nearly 76% expect consistent interactions across departments, 54% believe that sales, marketing, and customer service teams don’t share information (Salesforce).

81. Understanding their unique needs and expectations is desired by 73% of customers (Salesforce).

82. A significant 76% of customers expect to engage with a customer representative immediately upon first contact with a company (Zendesk).

83. A friendly, welcoming service defines industry success for 48% of U.S. consumers (PWC).

84. A quick response to the initial inquiry impacts the choice of the company to buy from for 89% of clients (Zendesk).

85. The speed at which their problem is resolved defines good customer service for 69% of consumers (Zendesk).

86. For almost 80% of American consumers, the most important elements of a good customer experience are speed, convenience, knowledgeable help, and friendly service (PWC).

87. Company employees have a significant impact on the experience for 71% of customers (PWC).

88. The experience a company provides is as important as its products and services for 80% of customers (Salesforce).

89. 87% of companies believe that customer success programs have aided clients in adopting products and services (Regalix).

90. Customer support having access to the status of their most recent order is expected by 64% of Baby Boomers (Epsilon).

91. A satisfying experience with a company is reported by 77% of customers (Hyken).

92. Sales reps who understand their goals are more likely to be chosen by 84% of customers (Salesforce).

93. Poor quality of product or service leads a 34% decrease in continued customer purchases from a brand (Morning Consult).

94. The experiences with one industry influence the expectations for others for 62% of customers (Salesforce).

95. Loyalty is driven for 63% of customers when they receive a discount within an hour of interacting with a brand (Segment).

96. Personalization is attractive to 90% of customers (Epsilon).

97. A 5% increase in customer retention results in more than a 25% increase in profit (Bain & Company).

98. On average, customer service agents only ask for a customer’s name 21% of the time (Glance).

99. The pandemic has raised customer service expectations for 48% of clients (Zendesk).

100. Despite technological advances, 55% of customers believe we will still need support agents for positive customer experiences (PWC).

Enhanced customer service with PlivoCX

Looking to level-up your customer service motion? Our modern cloud contact center offers a simple workspace for customer service teams that seamlessly combines your customer conversations with your existing systems.

Set up some time with us to share your business needs and get started with a free trial.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• Leadership Talk: The Modern State of Customer Support
• How to Deal with Angry Customers: 12+ Tips that Always Work
• Cloud vs. Traditional Contact Centers: 5+ Reasons to Embrace Cloud-based Technology

References:

• 15 Customer Self-Service and Experience Stats To Know (2020) – Vanilla Forum
• Emplifi Consumer Expectations Report
• Zendesk CX Trends Report 2022 – AI and automation
• Connect employee engagement with performance – Gallup
• Americans Have Increased Their Impulse Spending by 14% in 2022 Compared to 2021, According to Annual Survey Commissioned by Slickdeals
• Customer journey needs statistics
• Customer Onboarding Statistics 2020
• Customer Service and Business Results: A Survey of Customer Service from Mid-Size Companies
• Customer Service and Customer Experience Report
• Customer service is worse than ever and so is consumers’ rage
• CUSTOMERS 2020: A PROGRESS REPORT
• Employee Motivation in the United States
• Experience is everything: Here’s how to get it right
• Global State of Customer Service
• Global study: Consumer engagement best practices for 2020
• Local Consumer Review Survey 2020
• New Epsilon research indicates 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences
• Prescription for Cutting Costs
• State of customer success
• STATE OF SERVICE
• The State of Customer Service in 2020
• The Value of Online Customer Loyalty and How You Can Capture It
• What Are Customer Expectations, and How Have They Changed?
• WHAT DRIVES BRAND LOYALTY TODAY
• What is the impact of customer service on lifetime customer value?
• Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020
• The State of Customer Service in 2022 [HubSpot Data]
• Salesforce Report: Nearly 90% Of Buyers Say Experience a Company Provides Matters as Much as Products or Services
• Zendesk CX Trends Report 2022 – Challenges
• Salesforce State of the Connected Customer 4th Edition
• Live Chat Exposes a Fatal Flaw in Your Go-to-Market
• Zendesk research: customer satisfaction
• Zendesk CX Trends Report 2022 – Growth Areas
• The social media customer service statistics brands need to know in 2022
• Forrester’s US 2022 Customer Experience Index: Nearly 20% Of Brands See Drop In Customer Experience Quality – Forrester

What is Toll Fraud?

Toll fraud is a type of telecommunications fraud in which unauthorized individuals or entities gain access to a private telecommunication system to make long distance, international, or premium rate calls without the knowledge or consent of the system owner. The motive is financial gain — criminals profit from the charges generated by these calls when they’re directed toward premium-rate numbers controlled by the fraudsters.

Business victims of toll fraud can face high phone bills. The Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) reports that in 2021, toll fraud caused $6.69 in global losses.

How to Use Geo Permissions to Control Toll Fraud?

Plivo can help protect your account from fraud by restricting the set of countries your account can call. If, for example, you intend to place calls to numbers in North America only, you can disable call routes to all other continents.

1. Managing Geo Permissions to Control Toll Fraud

To manage geo permissions, navigate to Voice > Geo Permissions on the Plivo console.

Here you’ll see a list of all countries. You can filter the list by selecting specific geographic regions or countries.

Geo permission configurations are applied immediately to all calls initiated via Plivo APIs and Dial XML.

2. Blocking Premium Numbers to Prevent Toll Fraud

You can also use geo permissions to block premium rate numbers — phone numbers that cost callers more than normal numbers. Area code 900 numbers in the US, for example, are premium rate numbers. Part of the premium charge is paid to the service provider, and that makes premium rate numbers easy to exploit for anyone whose numbers come from shady operators. These numbers can be exploited via traffic pumping, a type of toll fraud in which bad actors artificially inflate traffic to their premium rate numbers. When done across countries, this type of toll fraud is known as International Revenue Share Fraud (ISRF).

Most businesses never need to call premium rate numbers, so by default Plivo blocks calls to all phone numbers with high-risk prefixes as a way to prevent unwanted charges.

3. High-Risk Permissions for Toll Fraud Prevention

Plivo has identified thousands of premium rate and high-risk prefixes. You can export a list of these prefixes from the Voice > Geo Permissions > High-Risk Permissions screen of the Plivo console. Plivo regularly updates this list based on factors such as the rates associated with the premium numbers, call patterns, and third-party trends.

If you have a legitimate need to make calls to premium rate or high-risk numbers, you can request activation of high-risk permissions for your account or a particular subaccount by contacting our support team and providing them with details of your use case.

Strategies for Toll Fraud Prevention

You can take several steps to make it harder for criminals to take advantage of your account and your phone numbers for toll fraud. In addition to use geo permissions:

• On the Voice page of the Plivo console, keep an eye on the usage summary to identify unexpectedly high call volumes.
• In your applications, limit the number of calls going out to a destination number based on your use case. For example, suppose you’re sending out one-time passwords (OTP) for two-factor authentication. Most OTP use cases set a duration for which the OTP is valid. During this time, you can block calls triggered toward the destination number. For more generic use cases you can write logic to not make more than n calls per minute or per day. Calling limitation is use case-dependent, and you’re likely to be the best judge of how to implement it.
• Secure your authentication IDs and tokens. Don’t push code that includes authentication information to public repositories. For mobile applications, follow the best practices recommended by the mobile OS.

Winning the battle against toll fraud

By using the tools Plivo provides and following best practices, you can fight toll fraud and avoid illegitimate charges.

Sending political texts is an art that requires precision, timing, and compliance. If the term “10-digit long code” or 10DLC is giving you nightmares, then you’ve probably already encountered some roadblocks as a result of the changing regulations.

Making the 10DLC process as easy for our customers as possible has been a big focus for the Plivo team — we’ve even won some awards to prove it. Here’s a guide for 10DLC specific to political campaigns including how Plivo can help streamline the process for you.

Why political campaigns need 10DLC

Engaging voters via text is one of the most direct methods to get your message across. However, with the increasing scrutiny over unsolicited messages and the need for carrier compliance, it’s crucial to get on the 10DLC bandwagon to send bulk SMS in a compliant way.

The carriers introduced 10DLC to combat spam and maintain trust in the SMS channel. With higher throughput rates and better delivery reliability, 10DLC ensures your message doesn’t get flagged or blocked, which is essential in the fast-paced world of politics. Before you send your first message, however, you must register the long codes you use as 10DLC numbers.

A different kind of campaign

10DLC terminology refers to brands and campaigns — just keep in mind it’s a different kind of campaign.

• A brand is a business entity that a 10DLC number represents. In this case it’s the political organization, such as a political party, the campaign committees for candidates for federal, state or local office or a political action committee.
• A campaign represents the type of messages the brand intends to send. The terms “campaign” and “use case” are often used interchangeably. Brands may run campaigns of several types, including fundraising, volunteer recruitment, or event update texts.

How to get started with 10DLC at Plivo

It’s important to note that Plivo doesn’t have a way for you to register political campaigns from our console so you’ll need to take a few steps on your own first to get your political campaign registered.

Start with The Campaign Registry

An organization called The Campaign Registry (TCR) vets and approves 10DLC requests on behalf of carriers.

1. Visit The Campaign Registry’s site. Refer to their FAQ page to create a TCR account, then create a brand for your 10DLC campaign.
2. Next, obtain a token from Campaign Verify, the political vetting partner for The Campaign Registry, and import it to your brand on TCR. Campaign Verify validates that campaigns are what they say they are, then creates authorization tokens that signal to The Campaign Registry, wireless carriers, and service providers that the campaigns have been verified. See the Campaign Verify FAQ page for more information.
3. Once you’ve done that, create a political campaign on TCR, making sure to follow our 10DLC campaign registration guidelines so that telecom carriers don’t reject your campaigns.

Let Plivo take it from there

Submit a Plivo support ticket that includes your brand and 10DLC campaigns and ask us to import those campaigns to Plivo. When we do so, we’ll submit your SMS campaigns to the carriers. We’ll let you know when the carriers approve them, and then you can link numbers to your 10DLC campaigns and send messages using our SMS API. If a 10DLC campaign is rejected by a carrier, Plivo will share with you the reasons and our feedback; you can resubmit after addressing the issues. (Plivo can help if a messaging campaign is rejected for minor issues such as the phrasing of sample text messages, but not if you fail a carrier review for more substantive reasons, such previous violations on the part of your brand.)

The registration process can take two to three weeks, so plan accordingly. It’s also worth noting that Plivo customers on our discounted pricing agreements receive customized rates, guided onboarding, premium support, and a dedicated customer success manager assigned to your account.

Additional resources

Here’s a few additional resources that you may find helpful.

• 10DLC fee overview — Visit the fee section of our 10DLC product page for more information. Fees include a one-time setup fee and ongoing monthly recurring fees for every 10DLC campaign registered in addition to standard messaging costs and carrier surcharge fees.
• Consent requirements — Visit the consent section of our political texting guide for an overview on gaining consent and requirements for what to include in your messages.
• Best practices — Visit our blog to learn more about examples and best practices to drive engagement with political texting.

In addition to 10DLC, Plivo also offers toll free and short code numbers, MMS, and voice call options for political use cases. Contact our sales team and include “political campaign” in the Detailed Requirements field along with your campaign website’s URL. Be sure to also indicate your expected monthly volume, so we can discuss our discounted pricing agreements with you if you’ll be sending a million or more messages a month.

Happy campaigning!

Within a Cloud Contact Center where hundreds, if not thousands, of tickets flow in, managing angry customers isn’t a simple task.

Successfully navigating these situations, however, plays a critical role in fostering customer loyalty and reducing friction.

Dealing with Angry Customers

Imagine you’re a customer support agent in a bustling Cloud Contact Center. The phone rings, and on the other end is a disgruntled customer, venting about an unresolved issue they’ve faced multiple times. The pressure is on to pacify them and find a solution, all while maintaining the image and reputation of your company.

To sail smoothly through the stormy waters of customer complaints, we must take a look at what makes a customer angry in the first place.

What Makes a Customer Angry?

Every customer is different, with unique preferences and pain points. However, there are some common threads that seem to ignite frustration among the majority.

Understanding these can give agents a proactive edge in tackling issues even before they escalate. Here are some typical triggers:

1. Unresolved issues: When a customer faces the same problem repeatedly without a clear resolution, it can lead to mounting frustration.
2. Long wait times: We’ve all been here — nobody enjoys waiting, especially when they need immediate assistance. For customers seeking urgent support, prolonged waiting periods can heighten their agitation.
3. Miscommunication: When promises don’t match deliverables, it’s a recipe for disappointment. Miscommunication can stem from ambiguous terms, misinformation, or even language barriers, leading to a mismatch in expectations.
4. Feeling undervalued: Every customer, regardless of the size of their purchase or the frequency of their engagement, wants to feel important and valued. If they sense indifference or a lack of respect, it can rapidly sour their experience.

Understanding these triggers and the underlying concerns of your angry customer is a crucial step toward resolution.

How to deal with angry customers: 12 tips

Now that we’ve covered why your customers might be angry to begin with, we must take a look at how to resolve their frustrations.

Fortunately, there are time-tested and proven methods for dealing with upset customers that can turn a negative customer experience into a positive customer experience.

Tip #1: Listen Actively The foremost step is to listen. More than a solution, sometimes the customer just wants to be heard. Let them share their grievances without interruptions. For example, say, “I apologize and understand your concern. Please tell me more about your issue, so I can best help you.”

Tip #2: Empathize with Their Situation Show genuine concern for their issues. A simple statement like, “I’ve been there,” or, “I can imagine that was frustrating,” can bridge the gap between the company and the customer.

Tip #3: Stay Calm and Professional No matter how heated the situation, maintain your cool. Responding with calm reassures the customer. Instead of saying, “You’re wrong,” you might say, “Let’s find out what went wrong.”

Tip #4: Use Positive Language Focus on what can be done rather than what cannot. Instead of “We can’t immediately process your refund,” say, “We will process your refund within 48 hours.”

Tip #5: Offer Solutions, Not Blame Shifting the blame doesn’t help. Focus on finding a viable solution for the customer. Offer them a workaround if an immediate solution isn’t available.

Tip #6: Apologize Sincerely An honest apology can go a long way. “I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience you’ve faced,” conveys empathy and acknowledgment.

Tip #7: Offer Follow-Up Check-ins After resolving an issue, make a note to follow up with the customer after a day or two. This shows proactive concern and might prevent future grievances.

Tip #8: Stay Informed Know your product or service inside out. If you’re unsure about something, tell the customer, “Give me a moment. I’ll find out for you.”

Tip #9: Offer Alternative Solutions If a direct solution isn’t possible, offer alternatives. “Although X isn’t available right now, may I suggest trying Y?”

Tip #10: Stay Patient and Don’t Take Offense It’s essential to remember that the customer isn’t angry with you, but with the situation. Patience can help in understanding the core issue better.

Tip #11: Seek Feedback Post-resolution, request feedback. Simply asking “Is there anything else I can help you with?” or “How can we serve you better next time?” can provide key insights.

Tip #12: Document the Interaction Ensure that every interaction is logged and available for review down the line. This will help in future communications and will serve as a reference for recurrent issues.

More tips for dealing with angry customers

Bonus Tip #1: Avoid Over-Promising It’s crucial to set realistic expectations. If you cannot guarantee a resolution within a specific timeframe, don’t promise it. Instead, give a timeframe you’re sure you can meet, and if possible, try to exceed that expectation.

Bonus Tip #2: Use Their Name Personalize the conversation by using the customer’s name during the interaction. This small touch can make the conversation feel more human and let the customer know they’re not just another ticket number.

Bonus Tip #3: Continuous Training The world of customer service is constantly evolving. Regularly train your team on new tools, techniques, and soft skills. This ensures they’re always prepared with the latest knowledge to handle a variety of situations.

Reduce Customer Friction to Create Loyalty

Resolving a customer’s issue promptly can transform their experience from frustrating to fantastic. It’s all about the approach and perspective. A satisfied customer not only sticks around but also becomes a brand ambassador, spreading positive word-of-mouth.

Conclusion

Dealing with angry customers can be challenging, but with the correct approach, it can be turned into an opportunity to cultivate customer loyalty. Patience, empathy, and a problem-solving mindset can provide even the most irate customer with a positive customer experience.

Looking to level-up your customer service motion? Our cloud contact center offers a simple workspace for customer service teams that seamlessly combines your customer conversations with your existing systems.

Set up some time with us to share your business needs and get started with a free trial.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• How to Reduce Customer Friction and Remove Common Hurdles
• Leadership Talk: The Modern State of Customer Support
• Simple Ways to Improve the Ecommerce Customer Experience

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Telecommunications fraud costs billions of dollars each year — estimates put global losses from telecom fraud between $25-40 billion annually — and every business is a potential victim. That’s because every organization uses telecom services — voice calls, SMS, even website click-to-call — which means they’re targets for sophisticated criminals looking to exploit vulnerabilities and rack up unauthorized charges.

Types of telecom fraud

What constitutes telecom fraud? There are many common types of telecom scams.

1. SMS pumping: This involves sending high volumes of SMS messages to premium rate numbers owned by the fraudster. They make money off the interconnect fees paid by the operator.
2. International revenue share fraud (ISRF): Fraudsters hack into business PBX systems or cloud services and make expensive international calls that terminate on high tariff destinations. The revenue is shared between fraudsters.
3. SIM box or SIM farm fraud: This uses SIM boxes with multiple prepaid SIM cards to terminate international calls as local calls, bypassing international rates.
4. Subscription fraud: Getting postpaid connections using fake identities to make calls and default on payments.
5. PBX hacking: Gaining access to enterprise phone systems to make unauthorized calls.
6. Robocalls: Illicit robocalls may use your numbers without your consent, harming brand reputation.

Telecom fraud prevention

Fighting fraud takes the combined efforts of governments, carriers, cloud providers like Plivo, and businesses. A number of tools and techniques are available from each of these entities to detect and mitigate telecom fraud.

✔ Government measures

At the government level, in the last couple of years we’ve seen a mandate for the use of the STIR/SHAKEN framework for caller ID authentication to verify originating numbers and identify spoofed calls in the US and Canada. Information from STIR/SHAKEN gives individuals more information about whether they should pick up an incoming call.

Governments can take other measures as well. In addition to making it harder to spoof phone numbers, the UK government plans to ban cold calls on all financial products, and ban SIM farms, which criminals use as a way to bypass legitimate communications platforms to send thousands of scam texts at once. In India, officials are working on a bill to mandate that the identity of a person sending a message or calling be visible to the receiver irrespective of the platform used for communication.

✔ Carrier measures

At the carrier level, US carriers have mandated businesses register their brands and use 10-digit long codes (10DLC) for application-to-person texting over long codes — regular 10-digit phone numbers. Similarly, toll-free numbers must be verified before being used for texting, and short codes have to meet carrier-mandated conditions when they’re set up. All of these measures are designed to mitigate unwanted robocalls.

Carriers have several other tools at their disposal.

• Real-time fraud management, in which carriers use AI and ML to analyze call patterns and identify fraud immediately through rule-based scoring.
• Fraud analytics, which uses historical data to identify fraud trends, high-risk periods, and fraud hotspots through geospatial analytics.
• Blockchain, in testing now by some operators, may provide immutable caller ID verification between networks.

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✔ Service provider measures

Cloud providers help combat fraud by offering geo permissions to disable call routes to countries and regions in which a business has no presence, thereby avoiding potential ISRF. Plivo, for instance, lets you filter calls to specific countries and continents, and block high-risk voice network groups.

Service providers also offer tools businesses can use to lower the risk of fraud. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a critical tool for keeping unauthorized individuals out of company accounts and away from company resources.

✔ Customer measures

As a business you can adopt several practices on your own to counter telecom fraud:

• Work with telecom providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN caller authentication and trace back spoofed calls originating from your numbers.
• Use CAPTCHA as appropriate to deter bots from exploiting systems.
• Conduct regular dark web scans to check whether any numbers you use are being sold to scammers.
• Deploy tools to block high-risk traffic identified through telecom fraud analytics.
• Have your application server or content delivery network set rate limits by user, IP address, or device identifier, to prevent sending more than 1 message per n seconds to the same mobile number range or prefix. You can also limit call duration or the number of concurrent calls.
• Monitor customer complaints about receiving robocalls/spam from your numbers.
• Require 2FA for all account and data access. Confirm users’ email addresses and/or phone numbers before enrolling them in 2FA.
• Audit telecom invoices frequently for unusual spikes.

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✔ Individual awareness

All of those techniques can cut the risk of fraud for businesses and limit risks for their customers as well. However, individuals still have to stay alert and cautious to avoid being targeted by fraud that slips past all of the defenses. Number spoofing may be the most common scammer technique, in which fraudsters mimic legitimate numbers to socially engineer victims. Advanced telecom analytics solutions can help detect unusual calling patterns associated with these scams, providing an additional layer of protection.Another is Wangiri fraud, where scammers call phone numbers and hang up after one ring to bait recipients into calling back premium rate numbers. The more cautious your customers are, the less likely they are to become victims of telecom fraud.

Stay safe out there

Telecom fraud has been around for about as long as the telephone itself. As calling technology changes and evolves, so do scammers’ techniques. Businesses need to take advantage of layered fraud prevention provided by governments and carriers and continuously refine their own anti-fraud practices. With proactive participation from the business side, carriers can often trace, flag, and block fraudulent telecom activity being conducted over your platforms and numbers.

Plivo is committed to complying with all national and carrier regulations and best practices reducing telecom fraud. Our goal is to help you keep your customers safe from phone scams while controlling unauthorized telecom charges.

Today, political engagement is no longer limited to print and broadcast channels. With the rise of mobile technology, SMS campaigns have proven to be a powerful tool for driving political participation.

Benefits of political text messaging

Using SMS as a communication medium offers several advantages for political organizations. Firstly, it allows for direct and instantaneous contact with potential voters, reaching them wherever they are. Whether you use them for sharing campaign updates, fundraising appeals, or mobilizing supporters for events, SMS messages provide an efficient and effective means of communication.

Secondly, SMS messages have a high open rate, ensuring that your political message gets seen. Unlike emails or social media posts that may go unnoticed, text messages are typically read within minutes of delivery. This high open rate increases the likelihood of your campaign message reaching its intended audience and driving engagement.

Lastly, by leveraging an SMS API from a trusted cloud communications provider, political campaigns can scale their efforts and reach a wider audience. An API allows for automated message sending, enabling campaigns to reach thousands or even millions of voters simultaneously. This scalability is especially crucial during election campaigns, where timely and targeted communication is essential.

Successful text message campaign examples

To understand the power of SMS campaigns, let’s explore some successful examples.

• Mayoral campaign: One notable campaign comes from a mayoral candidate who utilized an SMS API to engage with voters. The candidate sent personalized messages to registered voters, highlighting their campaign promises and encouraging them to participate in local events. By leveraging SMS, the candidate was able to track the responses and engagement levels, allowing for data-driven decision-making and targeted follow-up communication.
• Statewide ballot initiative: A campaign used SMS messages to educate voters about a proposed ballot measure and mobilize support. Through a series of informative and persuasive texts, the campaign was able to reach a broad audience and generate widespread awareness. The SMS API provided the necessary tools to track voter sentiment and adjust the campaign’s messaging and strategies accordingly.
• Presidential campaign: A presidential candidate utilized an SMS API to engage with supporters across the country. By sending personalized messages with updates on campaign events, policy initiatives, and volunteer opportunities, the campaign was able to mobilize a vast network of dedicated supporters. The SMS API’s tracking capabilities allowed the campaign to measure engagement levels and adjust messaging strategies accordingly.
• Local election campaign: A local election campaign used an SMS API to target undecided voters in key districts. The campaign sent persuasive texts highlighting a candidate’s qualifications, policy positions, and endorsements. Through the API’s segmentation capabilities, the campaign was able to tailor messages based on voter demographics, increasing the effectiveness of the outreach efforts.
• Advocacy campaign: An advocacy group utilized an SMS API to rally support for a specific cause. By sending informative texts that highlighted the issue, provided resources, and encouraged supporters to contact their representatives, the campaign was able to generate significant grassroots mobilization. The SMS API’s analytics allowed the organization to track the impact of their messaging and adjust their strategies accordingly.

These examples demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of SMS campaigns in political engagement. By leveraging an SMS API, campaigns can create personalized, targeted, and trackable messages that resonate with voters, ultimately driving increased engagement and support.

Best practices for creating effective SMS campaigns

Creating effective SMS campaigns requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Opt-in only: Federal, state, and local regulations control how you can and can’t use text messaging in campaigns, and telecom carriers have their own regulations too. Before you start, find out how to comply with text messaging requirements.
• Segment your audience: Divide your voter database into segments based on demographics, interests, or previous engagement levels. This allows for more personalized and targeted messaging, increasing the likelihood of engagement.
• Craft clear and concise messages: SMS messages have character limitations, so make every word count. Use clear and concise language to convey your message effectively.
• Include a call to action: Prompt your recipients to take action, whether it’s visiting a campaign website, attending an event, or donating. Including a clear call to action increases the likelihood of engagement.
• Timing is key: Consider the best time to send your messages to maximize open rates. Avoid late-night or early morning messages that may disrupt recipients’ sleep.
• Test and optimize: Continuously test different messaging strategies, timing, and calls to action to optimize your campaign’s effectiveness. Use the SMS API’s analytics to track engagement levels and make data-driven adjustments.

Scale your political texting with an SMS API provider

Implementing an SMS API for political engagement is a relatively straightforward process. First, you need to choose a trusted cloud communications provider that offers an SMS API service.

The pricing and features of SMS API for political campaigns vary among cloud communications providers. Choose a provider that offers a pricing structure and features that align with your campaign’s needs.

As for features, an ideal SMS API for political campaigns should offer message personalization, automation, analytics, and integration capabilities. These features enable campaigns to create targeted messages, automate their outreach efforts, track engagement, and integrate the SMS API seamlessly into their existing campaign infrastructure.

When evaluating different providers, consider your campaign’s anticipated SMS volume, budget, and desired features to make an informed decision.

SMS campaigns offer a powerful and effective means of driving political engagement. By leveraging successful text message campaign examples and following best practices, political organizations can create impactful SMS campaigns that resonate with voters and drive meaningful engagement.

Visit our guide on how to comply with political text messaging requirements in US elections for more details on how to get started with Plivo.