How to Improve Call Answer Rates as a Business in the Middle East

In the Middle East, effective communication is essential for businesses to build trust, enhance customer service, and increase conversions. However, many companies struggle with low call answer rates due to factors like spam call perception, time zone differences, and caller ID issues.

To maximize customer engagement and sales, businesses must adopt strategic approaches to improve their call answer rates. In this guide, we explore the best practices, technologies, and cultural considerations that can help businesses increase their call pick-up rates in the Middle East.

How to Improve Call Answer Rates as a Business in the Middle East

The following are some of the best practices, advanced technologies, and cultural insights to enhance call pick-up rates for businesses in the Middle East.

1. Use Local Virtual Numbers for Higher Trust

Using local virtual numbers can significantly increase trust with potential customers because it presents your business as a familiar, established entity within their area, making them more likely to engage with you due to the perceived local presence and reliability associated with a local phone number. 

Why It Matters

Customers are more likely to answer calls from local numbers rather than unfamiliar international ones.

Best Practices:

• Get local virtual numbers for each Middle Eastern country you operate in.
• Use Caller ID branding to display your business name instead of an unknown number.
• Ensure number registration with local telecom authorities to prevent spam filtering.
  
  

2. Optimize Call Timing for Middle Eastern Markets

To optimize call timing for Middle Eastern markets, consider the region’s flexible approach to time, respect prayer times, prioritize afternoons and evenings during the workweek, and be mindful of major holidays like Ramadan, adjusting call times accordingly to avoid disruptions during peak prayer or fasting hours; always confirm call times with clients in advance and be prepared for potential schedule changes due to cultural norms. 

Why It Matters

Cultural norms and work schedules vary across the region, impacting call availability.

Best Practices:

• Schedule calls during business hours (9 AM – 6 PM) in each country.
• Avoid calling during prayer times, Fridays (Islamic weekend), and Ramadan fasting hours.
• Use AI-powered call automation to optimize call schedules based on customer engagement trends.
     

3. Implement AI-Powered Call Routing

To implement AI-powered call routing, you can define goals, select AI software, and train your agents. AI call routing can help improve customer experience and reduce costs. 

Why It Matters

Routing calls to the right agent improves response times and customer satisfaction.

Best Practices:

•  Use skill-based call routing to connect customers to the most relevant agent.
• Implement IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems to filter and direct calls efficiently.
• Provide Arabic and English language support to accommodate customer preferences.

4. Reduce Spam Flagging & Improve Caller Reputation

To reduce spam flagging and improve your caller reputation, focus on managing call volume and patterns, adhering to compliance standards, maintaining accurate caller ID information, avoiding suspicious calling practices like number spoofing, and using a reputable call center with robust call quality controls; essentially, make sure your calls appear legitimate to carriers and recipients by following best practices for outbound calling. 

Why It Matters

Many business calls go unanswered because they are mistaken for spam.

Best Practices:

•  Register business numbers with regional telecom providers to avoid spam classification.
• Use STIR/SHAKEN protocols to verify caller ID authenticity.
• Encourage customers to save your business number for better recognition.
  
    

5. Follow Up Missed Calls with SMS & WhatsApp

To follow up on missed calls with SMS and WhatsApp, send a brief message acknowledging that you missed their call, apologize for not being available, and suggest a convenient time to connect either via phone call or WhatsApp chat; tailor the message to the individual depending on the situation and your relationship with them. 

Why It Matters

Many customers prefer messaging over answering calls, especially in the Middle East.

Best Practices:

• Send automated SMS or WhatsApp follow-ups if a call goes unanswered.
• Personalize messages with customer names and call-back options.
• Use WhatsApp Business API for secure and verified business messaging.
  
   

6. Use CRM-Integrated Call Tracking & Analytics

“CRM-Integrated Call Tracking & Analytics” refers to a system where call tracking features are directly integrated within a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, allowing businesses to automatically capture and analyze data from phone calls alongside other customer information, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions and enabling better marketing campaign attribution, sales insights, and customer service improvements. 

Why It Matters

Data-driven call tracking helps identify trends and improve strategies.

Best Practices:

•  Integrate VoIP systems with CRM software (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho).
•  Analyze call answer rates by time, region, and agent performance.
•  Use AI-powered analytics to predict customer behaviour and improve response rates.

7. Offer Multiple Contact Options & Omnichannel Support

“Offering multiple contact options and omnichannel support” means providing customers with the ability to reach your business through various channels like phone, email, live chat, social media, and SMS, while ensuring a seamless experience where interactions across these channels are connected and customer information is accessible regardless of which platform they use to contact you; essentially, allowing customers to start a conversation on one channel and continue it on another without repeating details. 

Why It Matters

Customers prefer different communication channels based on their comfort level.

Best Practices:

• Provide live chat, email, and WhatsApp support alongside phone calls.
• Offer call-back options for customers who can’t answer immediately.
• Use AI chatbots to assist with inquiries when agents are unavailable.

Conclusion

Improving call answer rates in the Middle East requires a combination of technology, cultural awareness, and strategic communication. By using local virtual numbers, optimizing call timing, reducing spam risks, and integrating AI-powered solutions, businesses can enhance customer engagement and increase conversions.

By adopting multi-channel communication strategies and data-driven call analytics, businesses can ensure higher call success rates and improved customer satisfaction.

Upgrade to FreJun Today and boost your call answer rates with AI-powered business communication solutions!

Further Reading: UAE Phone Number Examples: A Complete Guide with Calling Codes