What is automatic number identification (ANI)?

Automatic number identification (ANI) is a feature that essentially tells you (or your contact center agents) who is calling you. In this guide, we’ll walk through what ANI is, how it works, and how to use it in your contact center.

How does ANI work?

Automatic number identification works by automatically transmitting a unique digital signal that contains the caller’s phone number to the recipient’s system during a call. When a call is initiated, the telephone network embeds this identifying data within the signaling information. The receiving system decodes and displays the ANI data (usually the caller’s number) before the call is even answered. This process helps businesses verify caller identity, route calls efficiently, and collect call analytics automatically.

Step-by-step process of how ANI works

1. Signal transmission: When a call is placed, the originating carrier sends a digital signal through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or VoIP infrastructure. This signal includes the caller’s phone number (the ANI). The information is transmitted along with other call setup data, ensuring the recipient system can identify the call source in real time.

2. Data display: Once the call reaches the recipient’s carrier or business phone system, the ANI data is decoded and displayed, often before the call connects. This allows agents, IVR systems, or call routing software to immediately see the caller’s number, even if Caller ID has been blocked.

3. Data integration: The ANI information can be automatically integrated into CRM platforms, call tracking software, or analytics dashboards. This allows organizations to link incoming calls to customer profiles, campaigns, or geographic data, improving reporting accuracy and operational efficiency.

4. Functionality: Beyond displaying phone numbers, ANI enables advanced call handling features such as call routing, fraud detection, and customer verification. Businesses can prioritize or redirect calls based on known numbers, use ANI data for billing accuracy, and enhance customer experience with personalized responses.

5. Limitations: While ANI is highly reliable, it only transmits the billing number, not necessarily the true caller identity. For instance, calls made from PBX systems or VoIP services might show a generic outbound number. Additionally, ANI data is not foolproof for identifying mobile or spoofed numbers, making it less effective for certain verification use cases.

The benefits of ANI for contact centers

Automatic number identification delivers real-time caller information that helps contact centers operate efficiently and provide positive customer experiences. By instantly identifying a caller’s phone number and location, ANI empowers agents to respond faster, personalize conversations, and route calls intelligently. When integrated with a CRM or unified communications platform, ANI turns every call into a data-driven opportunity to improve service and sales performance.

Faster caller recognition

ANI instantly displays the caller’s number and sometimes their geographic location as soon as the call connects. This means agents don't need to waste time asking who’s on the line; they can greet customers by name or company, creating a smoother and more professional interaction. Faster caller recognition helps reduce friction at the start of the conversation.

Smarter call routing

By automatically identifying where a call originates, contact centers can use ANI data to intelligently route customers to the right department or agent. For instance, calls from specific regions or area codes can be directed to agents with local knowledge or specialized skills. With Dialpad’s call routing features, organizations can combine ANI data with IVR and skill-based routing to reduce transfers and maximize overall efficiency.

More personalized service

With ANI, agents gain valuable context before the conversation even begins. Instead of starting with a generic “Who am I speaking with?”, they can see where the customer is calling from, reference recent interactions, and tailor their tone or message accordingly. This level of personalization helps build rapport with customers.

Shorter handle times

Because ANI provides caller information upfront, agents spend less time verifying identity or searching for records. Customer details are already linked through CRM integrations, enabling agents to jump straight into solving the issue or addressing the need. Over time, these seconds saved per call translate into significantly improved average handle times.

Improved agent focus

ANI reduces cognitive load for agents by streamlining call prep and minimizing repetitive tasks. Instead of juggling screens or manually entering customer numbers, agents can focus on active listening and problem-solving. With integrated ANI and CRM tools, their attention stays on the customer. This can improve both agents' job satisfaction and the quality of their interaction with customers.

Stronger fraud protection

ANI adds a layer of security by verifying that calls originate from valid, billable numbers. It helps detect spoofed or suspicious calls, allowing businesses to flag or block potentially fraudulent activity before it reaches an agent. When combined with call monitoring tools, ANI helps protect both the organization and its customers.

Reliable callback capabilities

Because ANI captures the caller’s phone number even if they hang up before connecting, contact center agents or inbound sales reps can easily return missed calls or follow up on dropped ones. This ensures no lead or customer request slips through the cracks.

Better data and analytics

ANI contributes to more accurate and comprehensive call data within contact center analytics dashboards. Each captured phone number can be linked to customer records, campaign performance, and conversion metrics. This allows managers to identify trends, measure ROI, and make data-informed decisions about staffing, training, and marketing strategies, all from reliable ANI-driven insights.

How call centers use automatic number identification

Automatic number identification plays a vital role in helping contact centers manage calls effectively. By automatically identifying the caller’s phone number and geographic location, ANI provides valuable data that supports faster call routing, better customer recognition, and improved agent efficiency. When combined with CRM and analytics tools, ANI transforms raw caller information into actionable insights that streamline every stage of the customer interaction.

Geographic routing with ANI

ANI can detect the caller’s area code and, in many cases, determine their general location. This enables call centers to route incoming calls to agents who specialize in that particular region or territory. For example, if a prospect is calling from Chicago, the system can automatically forward the call to a Midwest-based agent who understands the local market. This geographic routing reduces wait times and provides a smoother, more relevant customer experience.

CRM match and personalization

When a contact center platform integrates ANI with its CRM system, it can instantly match an incoming call to the corresponding customer record. This allows agents to greet customers by name, reference their account details, and tailor responses based on previous interactions. With Dialpad’s contact center integrations, ANI data can automatically be synced with CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM, so agents can see call history, notes, and deal stages without switching screens.

ANI in sales vs. support environments

ANI supports both sales and support teams, but in slightly different ways. In a sales environment, ANI helps identify inbound leads and prioritize calls from high-value prospects, ensuring that top opportunities are handled quickly. In a support environment, ANI helps agents instantly recognize returning customers, pull up their service history, and resolve issues faster without needing to ask for repeat information. In both cases, ANI enhances agent productivity and creates a more seamless customer experience. (If you're managing an inbound sales team, check out Dialpad Sell.)

ANI vs. DNIS

Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is just one of the tools used to identify details about a phone call. Another is Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), which provides information about the number that the caller dialed.

While ANI focuses on identifying the caller’s phone number, DNIS focuses on identifying the destination number. This distinction makes DNIS especially helpful for businesses that manage multiple phone numbers for different campaigns, departments, or languages, all directed to the same call center.

Comparison: ANI vs. DNIS

Together, ANI and DNIS give contact centers a complete picture of both sides of a phone call: who is calling and which number they dialed. This information helps businesses deliver accurate routing, positive customer experiences, and clear performance insights.

Want to equip your contact center agents with ANI technology?

The good news is you don't need to buy a separate ANI tool or service. Dialpad Support can show caller ID and other caller information, and also integrates with a wide range of CRMs to give agents valuable context on every caller.

With Dialpad, you get a versatile, omnichannel contact center solution that lets your team manage all internal and external communications from one platform, including digital channels like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and more. It’s not only more cost-effective than managing multiple systems, but it also makes life easier for your agents and supervisors by centralizing communications and caller data.

What to look for in ANI tools

When evaluating ANI tools, contact centers should look for reliability, integration capabilities, and data accuracy. The best communications solutions with ANI should automatically detect and display caller information in real time, and connect seamlessly with your CRM or customer database. This ensures agents have instant access to caller history, geographic data, and any previous interactions, which helps improve service quality and efficiency.

How Dialpad enables smart ANI

Dialpad goes beyond standard ANI functionality by combining automatic number identification with AI-powered insights and CRM integration. When a call comes in, Dialpad automatically pulls caller information from your ANI database and CRM, displaying relevant context like customer status or previous interactions, all within a single unified communications platform.

Ready to see how ANI can power your contact center?

Automatic number identification is just one of the many features that help Dialpad’s AI-powered communications platform deliver better customer experiences. Together with CRM integrations, real-time insights, and intelligent call routing, ANI gives your agents the context they need to personalize conversations and resolve issues quickly.