| CLI, which is the acronym for Calling Line Identity, is a | | | | integrated phone system operated at a network level |
| method by which inbound calls made to a business or | | | | then it is usually possible to ask the vendor to |
| individual can be identified by their number of origin and | | | | automatically record the inbound numbers and details |
| in some cases the name of the person or organisation | | | | of the caller's identities as they are received. Details |
| that is associated with the number. CLI can be used on | | | | relating to inbound caller identities can be used in a |
| analogue telephone services, but is also widely | | | | number of ways and can help when attempting to |
| available for network-based VoIP (Voice over Internet | | | | improve the efficiency of a call centre or in analysing |
| Protocol) calls as well and the capabilities of CLI are | | | | the demographics that make up your inbound call |
| constantly expanding. CLI can be used for a number | | | | traffic. For example, if you are attempting to find out |
| of reasons, but most businesses make use of the | | | | the proportion of your inbound callers who originate |
| inbound caller's data as part of a statistics gathering | | | | from non-geographic business numbers as opposed to |
| process, or in order to screen inbound calls and | | | | residential numbers, CLI logging will make this easy to |
| respond to them appropriately. | | | | determine. It might also be useful for discovering if a |
| Many small businesses can benefit from CLI, especially | | | | particular client is in contact more frequently others, |
| if they have limited telephone lines and need to work | | | | allowing you to tailor your service to the requirements |
| out the nature of the caller's requirements before they | | | | of the most common inbound callers based on CLI |
| pick up the phone. Since business-to-business calls can | | | | statistics. |
| sometimes involve numbers being screened, CLI | | | | CLI is not just for use by firms wishing to monitor the |
| systems that automatically force the inbound caller to | | | | numbers and identities of inbound calls; it is also |
| reveal their identity can also be useful in this situation. | | | | possible for calls made by a business to customers |
| For small businesses, it might also be useful to view | | | | and clients to bear the correct contact number as part |
| CLI information relating to the number that the inbound | | | | of a built-in CLI system. This will make it easier for |
| caller has dialed. Small businesses may operate | | | | those who have been contacted to call back and be |
| several general numbers, all of which route to a single | | | | dealt with appropriately. The majority of mobile phone |
| telephone line and as such it will be useful to find out | | | | handsets have CLI built-in to make sure that all inbound |
| whether the inbound caller has dialed the number for | | | | calls are recognised, although it is of course possible to |
| technical support, billing enquiries or service cancellation. | | | | block the identity of your number when making an |
| It will then be far easier to deal with the caller, with their | | | | outbound call. |
| identity revealed before the call is answered and any | | | | Another option for Numberstore customers have the |
| necessary preparations made ahead of the | | | | option of forcing the CLI of their number. For example, |
| conversation. | | | | if you had some 0800 numbers. routing through to your |
| CLI logging equipment for calls made to your business | | | | office number and you wanted to distinguish where |
| may also prove to be useful. There are individual | | | | each call was coming from, the Force caller ID option |
| telephone handsets that can perform this function, or a | | | | would show the number that was being called on your |
| range of desktop devices. However, if you have an | | | | caller ID display. |