Truecaller report flags trust gap in India business calls

Truecaller has published a report on business calling in India, commissioned with Tata Tele Business Services and conducted by Kantar.

The findings point to a gap between consumers' stated preference for phone calls and their actual behaviour when calls come from unfamiliar numbers. The report found that 76 per cent of consumers prefer calls over digital alternatives, yet 79 per cent of businesses said customers avoid answering calls from unrecognised numbers.

Kantar surveyed more than 500 B2B businesses and 1,000 consumers across 17 Indian cities. The research found that voice remains the most trusted and widely used business communication channel, ahead of email, SMS and chat.

Even so, trust in voice calls is weakening. The study identifies spam, weak caller identification, lack of context and poor timing as the main reasons consumers hesitate to answer, including when the outreach is legitimate.

Voice still holds a strong position when customers want certainty or immediate clarification. The study found that 56 per cent of respondents favour voice when clarity is needed, and it remains important in urgent or high-stakes interactions.

This has created what the report describes as a filtering effect rather than a rejection of voice itself. As digital channels multiply, consumers are becoming more selective about which business communications they engage with.

One practical change could improve response levels. Nearly 49 per cent of consumers said the ability to schedule callbacks at a convenient time would significantly increase their willingness to engage with business calls. Clearer caller identity and a visible explanation of the call's purpose also ranked highly.

Businesses appear to be responding. The report found that 64 per cent are prioritising caller identity, while verification symbols and previews of call purpose are also seen as important tools for improving engagement.

Measurement gap

The research also highlights a mismatch between why companies use voice calls and how they judge success. While 41 per cent of businesses said trust and brand perception are key reasons for using voice, the most common measures remain response rate, time to resolution and cost per interaction.

Those metrics were cited by 72 per cent, 57 per cent and 53 per cent of businesses, respectively. By contrast, the report argues that voice often contributes to outcomes such as higher customer satisfaction, stronger retention and reassurance in ways not easily reflected in cost-focused scorecards.

Higher customer satisfaction was identified by 42 per cent of respondents, while 36 per cent pointed to stronger customer retention. This suggests many organisations still manage voice primarily as a transactional channel, even when it plays a broader role in customer relationships.

Regulatory measures in India have sought to distinguish between promotional and service calls, including through distributed ledger technology frameworks and dedicated number series. Despite those systems, consumers may still receive essential service calls even when do-not-disturb preferences are in place, making recognisable identity and clear context important for response rates.

Sector use

Usage patterns also vary by industry. Banking, financial services and insurance, along with IT services, continue to rely heavily on voice for verification and compliance tasks, while eCommerce and logistics use calls alongside digital channels for transaction-related and support communication.

Priyam Bose summarised the report's central interpretation of the findings. "India does not have a calling problem. It has a trust and attention problem. Consumers today expect to know who is calling, why they are calling, and whether it is worth their time. At Truecaller, we are focused on enabling verified identity and contextual communication to help businesses rebuild trust and improve engagement. Our report clearly reveals the opportunities for businesses to invest in the right customer experience," said Priyam Bose, Global Head, Truecaller for Business GTM, Truecaller.

The study also introduces three internal benchmarks intended to help companies assess their use of business calling: the Voice Adoption Index, the Feature Engagement Index and the Feature Interest Index.

Vishal Rally said voice remains relevant even as customer expectations shift across channels. "Voice remains an important channel for enterprise communication, particularly when immediacy and human connection matter most. As customer expectations evolve, businesses need secure, intelligent, and context-aware communication experiences. At TTBS, we are enabling enterprises with integrated voice and digital communication solutions that strengthen customer trust and engagement," said Vishal Rally, Chief Revenue Officer, Tata Teleservices.