CallRail DNI & GTM Phone Number Bug — Resolution
Overview
During a client review call on 2025-11-05, Bluepoint ATM reported that their website was intermittently displaying an incorrect phone number — swapping between their correct 540 number and an unrecognized 720 number. The issue was traced to a CallRail Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) tag installed in Google Tag Manager, and was resolved by disabling the tag. A site backup restoration was required after the fix caused a layout break.
Client: [1]
Reported by: Wade (Bluepoint ATM)
Resolved by: Mark Hope
Problem
The phone number displayed on the Bluepoint ATM website dynamically swapped between:
- 540-253-1668 — the correct, intended number
- 720-xxx-xxxx — a CallRail pool number not intended for public display
The client noticed the discrepancy during a live screen-share with Melissa. Clearing the browser cache confirmed the swap was real, not a caching artifact.
Root Cause
CallRail Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) was active via a tag in the Bluepoint ATM Google Tag Manager container.
- CallRail had a website pool of four 720-area-code numbers configured to forward to the main 540 line.
- The DNI script was swapping the visible phone number on the page with a pool number depending on the visitor's traffic source (e.g., ad click vs. direct).
- The tag had been in GTM for approximately three months. It was not installed via a WordPress plugin — the CallRail plugin was not present in WordPress.
- It is unclear whether Asymmetric or the client originally installed the GTM tag; the client had separately requested CallRail configuration work via email.
Resolution
Step 1 — Disable the CallRail GTM Tag
Mark located the CallRail tag inside the Bluepoint ATM GTM container and deleted/disabled it. This removed the DNI script from the site, stopping number swapping.
Step 2 — Site Restoration
Disabling the tag unexpectedly broke the site layout (visible only in incognito/cache-cleared sessions). Mark restored the previous night's backup, which returned the site to a stable state. The GTM fix persisted because it was made at the GTM level, not in WordPress.
Outcome
- Site is stable with the correct 540 number displayed.
- No CallRail code is currently active on the website.
- Number swapping has stopped.
Open Items (as of meeting date)
| Item | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm which phone number Bluepoint ATM wants displayed on the site | Melissa → Wade | Pending |
| Determine whether DNI should be re-enabled with correct configuration | Mark + client | Pending |
| Verify all phone numbers across the site route correctly | Mark / Eshock | Pending |
Key Decisions
- DNI disabled by default until the client explicitly confirms their desired static number and whether call tracking via DNI is still wanted.
- Do not give clients vector/EPS logo files for digital use; provide locked hex-color raster files (PNG/JPEG) to prevent color shift issues. (Related issue raised in same call — see [1].)
Technical Notes
- CallRail DNI works by injecting pool numbers into the page DOM based on traffic source. If a visitor arrives organically (not via a tracked ad click), the pool number may display instead of the static number — which is confusing if the client doesn't understand the system.
- Pool numbers forward to the real destination number, so calls are not lost — but the displayed number looks wrong to the client.
- GTM tag changes take effect immediately on publish; WordPress backup restoration does not revert GTM changes.
Related
- [1]
- [2] (PMAX lead automation — discussed in same meeting)
- [3]