What Is B2B Data Verification? A Practical Guide
What B2B data verification means, which fields to check, how often to do it, and how it differs from data enrichment.
Read articleA phone call is still one of the fastest ways to start a B2B conversation, but only if the number reaches the right person. Here is what phone number verification checks, and how to keep your call lists accurate.
Why phone data goes wrong
- Direct dials are reassigned when people leave
- Numbers are saved in mixed formats that dialers reject
- Switchboard numbers are stored as if they were direct lines
- Mobile numbers are typed with missing or wrong country codes
What a proper phone check covers
- Format. The number is converted to the international E.164 format: a plus sign, country code and number, up to 15 digits.
- Validity. The number is a real, possible number for its country.
- Line type. Mobile, landline, direct dial or switchboard is identified.
- Owner. The number is checked against the contact and their company, so it reaches the person you want.
- Status. The number is marked valid, invalid or bounced.
Direct dial vs switchboard
A direct dial or mobile reaches one person. A switchboard reaches reception, where calls are often passed on or filtered. Both are useful, but they should be labelled differently so reps know what to expect and your connect-rate reports stay honest.
Valid, invalid or bounced: what each status means
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | A real number that is in service | Keep it and call |
| Invalid | Wrongly formed or impossible, such as a missing digit or wrong country code | Fix it if you can, otherwise remove it |
| Bounced | A real number that is no longer in service, so calls fail | Remove it, or find the contact’s current number |
Keeping call lists accurate
- Verify numbers before loading a new list into your dialer
- Update a record as soon as a rep reaches a wrong number
- Re-verify your most-called accounts every quarter
- Remove bounced numbers as soon as a call fails
Let our team handle it with phone number verification, or add missing direct dials with contact enrichment.
Frequently asked questions
What is phone number verification?
It is checking that a phone number is valid, correctly formatted and belongs to the person or company you plan to call.
What is E.164?
The international phone number standard: a plus sign, the country code and the number, with no spaces, up to 15 digits.
How often should phone numbers be verified?
Before loading any new list into a dialer, and every quarter for the accounts your team calls most.
Does Achivix verify international numbers?
Yes. We verify and format numbers in 150+ countries.
Related service
Phone Number Verification
Achivix phone number verification confirms that the direct dials and mobiles in your data are valid, correctly formatted and belong to the person you want to reach. Every number is marked valid, invalid or bounced.
