79% of Indians avoid unknown business calls, creating new challenge for brands: Report

Nearly eight out of ten Indians avoid answering business calls from unknown numbers, even though voice remains their preferred mode of communication with companies, according to The State of Business Calling 2026 report released by Truecaller in partnership with Tata Tele Business Services (TTBS).

The report, commissioned by Truecaller and conducted by research agency Kantar, surveyed more than 500 B2B businesses and 1,000 consumers across 17 Indian cities to understand how businesses and customers interact through voice calls.

The findings reveal a striking contradiction in India's communication landscape. While 76% of consumers said they prefer voice calls over digital alternatives such as emails, SMS, or chat for business interactions, 79% of businesses reported that customers actively avoid answering calls from unrecognised numbers.

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According to the report, voice continues to be the most trusted communication channel, particularly in situations requiring clarity (56%), urgency, reassurance, or high-stakes decision-making. However, growing concerns around spam calls, unclear caller identities, poorly timed outreach, and a lack of context are steadily eroding consumer trust.

"India does not have a calling problem. It has a trust and attention problem," said Priyam Bose, Global Head, Truecaller for Business GTM (Go To Market).

"Consumers today expect to know who is calling, why they are calling, and whether it is worth their time. At Truecaller, we are focused on enabling verified identity and contextual communication to help businesses rebuild trust and improve engagement. Our report clearly reveals the opportunities for businesses to invest in the right customer experience," Bose added.

The study found that 49% of consumers would be more likely to answer business calls if they had the option to schedule callbacks at a convenient time. Other features that could improve engagement include clear caller identification, verified business badges, and previews explaining the purpose of the call.

Businesses, meanwhile, are increasingly recognising the importance of trust-building features. Around 64% of enterprises identified caller identity as a top priority, followed by verification symbols and call-purpose previews.

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The report also highlighted a disconnect between how businesses use voice communication and how they evaluate its effectiveness. While 41% of businesses said trust and brand perception were key reasons for using voice calls, most continue to measure success using operational metrics such as response rate (72%), time to resolution (57%), and cost per interaction (53%).

The study argues that these metrics fail to capture voice communication's broader impact on customer relationships, including improved customer satisfaction (42%) and stronger customer retention (36%).

"Voice remains an important channel for enterprise communication, particularly when immediacy and human connection matter most," said Vishal Rally, Chief Revenue Officer, Tata Teleservices.

"As customer expectations evolve, businesses need secure, intelligent, and context-aware communication experiences. At TTBS, we are enabling enterprises with integrated voice and digital communication solutions that strengthen customer trust and engagement," he added.

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The report notes that sectors such as banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), IT services, e-commerce, and logistics continue to rely heavily on voice calls for verification, compliance, customer support, and time-sensitive communications.

It also points out that although regulatory frameworks such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and the 140/1600 number series help distinguish promotional and service calls, consumers may still receive important service-related calls despite Do Not Disturb (DND) preferences. As a result, recognisable caller identity and clear communication context have become increasingly critical.