What is Number Masking? Protect Your Agent and Customer Privacy
In this generation where digital interactions dominate how we connect, privacy and data protection have taken center stage. Be it booking a cab, ordering food, scheduling a repair, or speaking with customer service, there’s a good chance you’ve shared your phone number sometimes without even realizing it.
But what happens to that number once the conversation ends is what matters, as it can be misused without our knowledge. This is where number masking plays a vital role.
Number masking, also known as phone number de-identification, is a privacy-preserving technology that allows two parties to communicate via voice calls or SMS without actually revealing their actual phone numbers to each other. It uses temporary or virtual numbers as a middle layer, enabling secure, traceable, and private communication.
This solution is increasingly adopted by on-demand platforms, logistics companies, healthcare providers, customer support teams, and marketplaces, anywhere secure, short-term communication between two parties is needed.
How Phone Number Masking Works?
Here’s a simplified flow of the number masking service:
When a call is being initiated from the customer to the agent or vice versa, the system, in turn, assigns a virtual number (via a cloud telephony provider like Tevatel), and the call is now connected using that temporary number. Finally, once the conversation ends, the number can be reused or expire based on your setup.
This can be implemented via APIs through CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) providers, making integration fairly straightforward.
Need for Phone Number Masking
The most obvious benefit: it keeps personal numbers private.
When users know their personal data is protected, their trust in your business increases. It shows that your company respects privacy and takes consent seriously, and pitches in to take action.
Also, revealing the real numbers can lead to unwanted consequences such as data leaks. Number masking service ensures the interconnection only happens within the boundaries of your service.
With regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA in place, businesses must reduce the disclosure of personal data. Phone number masking is a clear step toward meeting those compliance requirements.
Key Features of Number Masking Software
The main objective of this is to enable communication without compromising privacy. But the benefits go far beyond just privacy. It also helps businesses enhance customer trust, comply with data protection regulations, minimize liability, and create controlled environments for engagement.
Two-way Anonymized Communication
In call masking, both parties interact without knowing the actual numbers, and this anonymization is bidirectional, which ensures total privacy on both sides where the data is being exchanged.
Dynamic Virtual Numbers
Each session can be assigned a temporary virtual number, which acts as a bridge between two real phone numbers. These virtual numbers are assigned dynamically on demand and are recycled or deactivated after a session ends. It’s configured with expiration policies to reduce future risks.
Geo-specific Masking
Call masking can be localized by using area codes familiar to the user’s location. This surges both parties’ confidence and thereby improves association rates while most privacy is still maintained.
Session-based Control
Call masking service can be used in specific instances, like a delivery window, a scheduled appointment, or a ride duration. But once the session is complete, access via the masked number is automatically nullified.
Audit and Monitoring Tools
Most number masking solutions come with dashboards or APIs for real-time call or SMS monitoring, to analyse performance, and to detect fraud and report abuse.
Integration with CRMs and Ticketing Systems
Masked interactions can be tied back to CRM records or support tickets, allowing businesses to:
- Keep communication context-rich.
- Maintain secure but connected customer records.
- Power personalized, privacy-conscious support.
Summary
In a secure environment, masking phone numbers when calling isn’t just a technological feature; it’s a business feature. Whether you’re protecting your customers or your frontline team, this simple solution can go a long way in creating safer, more private communication.
Tevatel’s cloud telephony software, dooCTI, provides the phone number masking service, protecting user privacy at every step through a virtual number during active interactions. Schedule a demo with our specialists today to discover more and begin your free trial.