Do You Need Phone Validation?

Understanding phone validation is important for any business. It helps ensure that you gather real phone numbers for your customer database, making it easier to connect with customers and reduce fraud. click for more info free phone number validation service

Why Use Phone Validation?

Phone validation can provide several key benefits:

1. Preventing Fraud: When you collect real phone numbers and email addresses from customers, it helps cut down on fake sign-ups. Verified phone numbers can also be used for further verification. This is especially important in industries like insurance and finance, where confirming a customer’s identity is crucial.
2. Segmenting International Customers: Validating phone numbers lets you organize customers by their country code without needing extra personal information. This approach is efficient for onboarding customers and keeping data compliant.
3. Registration Authentication: By linking a valid phone number to a user’s account, you can use it for important updates like delivery information or as a part of two-factor authentication (2FA).
4. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 2FA is vital for online security, helping verify users through something they know (like a password) and something they have (like a phone). People often use SMS for this purpose. In 2021, 79% of users reported using 2FA, up from 28% in 2017. Collecting valid phone numbers is essential for effective 2FA, giving users peace of mind that their data is safe.
5. Efficient Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Valid phone numbers allow you to contact customers through their preferred channels. Many consumers now expect SMS updates. Research shows that two-thirds of millennials prefer getting texts for important notifications, such as delivery updates and appointment reminders.
6. Effective SMS Marketing: Having accurate phone numbers is crucial for successful SMS marketing. Text messages are often read much faster than emails. For instance, 82% of people read business texts within five minutes. However, it’s essential to build trust by showing that your messages are legitimate, especially since scam texts are common.

Best Practices for Phone Validation

1. Identify Mobile vs. Landline Numbers: Knowing whether a number is a mobile or a landline helps you choose the right communication method. Sending SMS to a landline is ineffective, so understanding your customers’ phone types is essential.
2. Allow Users to Edit Numbers: During sign-up, let users correct any mistakes in their phone numbers. This is important for accurate communication. However, if the number is part of 2FA, avoid displaying the full number for security reasons.
3. Keep Country Codes Separate: When collecting phone numbers, it’s best to ask for country codes in a separate field. This makes data cleaner and easier to use. It also helps identify where the number comes from and can enhance security by cross-referencing it with the user’s location.

Conclusion

Phone validation is crucial for maintaining an accurate customer database and providing a smooth user experience. Once you have valid phone numbers, you can implement additional security measures like two-factor authentication to protect your customers and business. Phone validation aids in effectively organizing customers by location.