Sales rep, Sales manager
Gong Engage*
What’s changing
Apple’s new call screening feature transcribes your opening lines in real time, letting the person decide whether to pick up based on what they read.
What this means for you:
Your calls are not blocked, but the bar to earn a response just got higher.
Use Gong to refine your team’s first few seconds, test what resonates, and keep your connect rates strong—even when buyers are screening.
Will my calls still go through?
Yes. This feature doesn’t block calls, it just gives the recipient more context before they decide to pick up. Your calls will continue to ring as usual.
Does this affect parallel dialing or Gong Engage calls?
Not in a material way. Android has had similar screening tools for years, and parallel dialing has continued to work effectively. The key difference is that iPhone users may now see a transcript of your first few seconds before picking up.
How do I ensure my connection rates don’t dip?
As we can expect call screening to be standard moving forward, having an effective and compelling call opener is key to increasing the chances that someone picks up.
Best practices to adapt to call screening
Lead with relevance. Mention their company name, role, or a recent change (“Hey Tom, calling about the new product launch you announced last week…”)
Avoid generic intros. “Hi, this is John from XYZ” won’t earn attention. Make your reason for calling immediately clear.
Pattern disruption. Open with a relevant question instead of a statement, like “Tom, are you still hiring SDRs this quarter?” Questions trigger curiosity and feel less “salesy,” pushing the prospect to pick up.
Social proof. Name‑drop a peer company or result. For example, “…the same approach we just rolled out for AcmeCorp’s launch”. This gives you instant credibility and conveys value, not a cold intro.
Use a data hook by leading with a metric. For example, “Gong analysis of 53 million sales calls shows calls that open with a concrete stat are 29 % more likely to be answered.” Numbers jump off the transcript and signal insight, not a pitch.
Keep it brief. Limit your opener to 20 words or about 7 seconds max. One easy way to do this is by trimming out filler words like “just,” “really,” and “basically”.
Friendly caller ID. Where possible, use a local presence number and display name. This reduces unknown number anxiety and pairs nicely with a strong opener.
Test and refine your openers. Use Gong to analyze which intros lead to pickups or callbacks:
Review your team’s top-performing openers
Smart Tracker alerts: add trackers for filler phrases like “uh just calling to…” so managers can surface weak intros faster
Use Smart trackers to flag specific phrases and outcomes
Perform weekly “screen tests” by listening to real call snippets for inspiration and coaching. Grab ten random calls and read only the first 10 seconds out loud in your pipeline meeting. If it wouldn’t make you pick up, rewrite it.
Track changes in connect rates after trying new openers
Practice in short bursts. Have your team members rehearse their opener until it’s second nature, then tweak and improve it weekly.
Keep it natural. Call screening transcription doesn’t handle jargon well. Speak clearly and conversationally.
*The features available to you depend on your company’s plan and your assigned seats.