Is your answer rate collapsing but you don't know why? Your numbers might be blacklisted without you knowing. In February 2026, managing your call center's phone reputation requires daily tracking of specific metrics. Without a proper dashboard, you're flying blind.
This guide details the essential KPIs to monitor your numbers' health, detect issues before they explode, and maintain optimal sales performance.
Why Track Phone Reputation KPIs?
Anti-spam algorithms from carriers and apps like TrueCaller or carrier-branded apps constantly analyze your numbers' behavior. A single red flag can trigger cascading blacklisting.
According to Vocalcom, outbound call centers that monitor their KPIs daily identify problems 3 to 5 days earlier than those doing monthly reviews.
For a B2C call center, this early detection can represent hundreds of thousands in preserved revenue.
The 7 Essential KPIs to Monitor
1. Answer Rate (Contact Rate)
This is the king metric. It measures the percentage of calls that get a human response.
Formula: (Answered Calls / Calls Made) × 100
Benchmarks:
- ✅ > 40%: Excellent, your numbers are healthy
- ⚠️ 25-40%: Acceptable, but watch the trend
- 🚨 < 25%: Alert, urgent investigation required
A sudden drop in answer rate (more than 10 points in a week) almost always signals a reputation problem. If you notice this, immediately check if you've exceeded call volume thresholds that trigger anti-spam algorithms.
2. Spam Report Rate
Percentage of calls reported as unwanted by recipients.
Formula: (Reports / Calls Made) × 100
Critical Thresholds:
- ✅ < 0.5%: Green zone
- ⚠️ 0.5-2%: Orange zone, adjust your practices
- 🚨 > 2%: Red zone, stop and analyze immediately
This KPI is often invisible without dedicated tools. Reports go to carriers but rarely reach you. A monitoring solution like HUHU lets you track this rate in real-time.
3. Reputation Score Per Number
Overall score assigned to each number, typically on a 0-100 scale.
Interpretation:
- ✅ 80-100: Excellent reputation
- ⚠️ 50-79: Degraded reputation, preventive action recommended
- 🚨 0-49: Critical reputation, number is likely blacklisted
Each number must be monitored individually. A single blacklisted number in your pool can contaminate others if you use them in rotation.
4. Call Rejection Rate
Percentage of calls actively refused by the recipient (immediate hangup or blocking).
Difference from non-answer: Rejection is an active signal from the user, much more damaging to your reputation than a simple non-answer (absence, unavailability).
Thresholds:
- ✅ < 5%: Normal
- ⚠️ 5-15%: Concerning
- 🚨 > 15%: Critical
5. Voicemail Detection Rate
Percentage of calls going to voicemail.
According to Ringover, a voicemail rate above 60% may indicate your numbers are being filtered by anti-spam apps, which automatically redirect suspicious calls to voicemail.
A good progressive or predictive dialer should detect voicemails to avoid counting these calls as failures.
6. Average Talk Time (ATT)
Average time spent in conversation with prospects who answer.
Why it's a reputation indicator: Very short ATT (under 30 seconds) combined with low answer rates suggests people who answer hang up immediately—a sign your number is identified as spam.
B2C Benchmarks:
- Appointment setting: 2-4 minutes
- Qualification: 3-6 minutes
- Direct sales: 5-15 minutes
7. Conversion Rate
Percentage of calls achieving the set objective (appointment, sale, qualification).
This final KPI validates that your phone reputation translates into business results. A stable conversion rate despite declining answer rates indicates you're reaching fewer people, but those who answer are good prospects.
Building Your Daily Dashboard
Data to Collect
For each number, every day:
- Calls made
- Calls answered
- Calls rejected
- Voicemails
- Total talk time
- Spam reports (if accessible)
- Reputation score
Recommended Tracking Frequency
| KPI | Minimum Frequency | Optimal Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Answer Rate | Daily | Real-time |
| Reputation Score | Daily | 2x/day |
| Report Rate | Daily | Real-time |
| ATT | Weekly | Daily |
| Conversion Rate | Weekly | Daily |
Automated Alerts to Configure
Set up alerts for immediate notification when:
- Answer rate drops > 10 points in 24h
- Reputation score falls below 50
- Report rate exceeds 1%
- New number blacklisted
HUHU's real-time alerts feature lets you set these thresholds and receive notifications by email or SMS.
Interpreting Variations: Case Studies
Scenario 1: Sudden Answer Rate Drop, Stable Score
Likely diagnosis: External issue (holiday, news event, weather) or change in your prospect file.
Action: Check your lead quality and wait 48h before concluding it's a reputation problem.
Scenario 2: Declining Score, Stable Answer Rate
Likely diagnosis: Your numbers are degrading but not yet filtered.
Action: Immediately reduce call volume and diversify your numbers. This is the time to act before blacklisting.
Scenario 3: Everything Collapses Together
Likely diagnosis: Your numbers are blacklisted.
Action: Stop calls on these numbers. Launch a recovery procedure and switch to backup numbers.
Tools for Automated Tracking
Reputation Monitoring Solutions
- HUHU: Automatic monitoring of all your numbers, real-time alerts, unified dashboard
- Hiya: Spam detection, reputation score
- TrueCaller Business: B2B reputation verification
CRM Integration
The best CRMs for call centers (Salesforce, HubSpot, Aircall) allow call data export. Combine them with a reputation tool for a 360° view.
Verification API
For technical teams, the HUHU API enables reputation verification integration directly into your business tools and custom dashboard building.
Training Your Team on KPI Tracking
A dashboard is only valuable if the team knows how to interpret it. Include in your sales training program:
- Reading key indicators
- Recognizing warning signals
- Escalation procedures when problems arise
- Best practices for reputation preservation
Every teleprospector must understand that their individual actions impact the collective reputation of the numbers.
