The Power of SMS in Business
Why businesses are integrating SMS into their communications strategies
SMS in business has been overlooked for decades. We will explore the advantages of having the short-message-service technology also known as SMS, a technology that has been around for almost 30 years and is starting to stand out now.
Contrary to popular belief, SMS is still one of the most important communication channels of all. Virtually everyone has access to it, even if they don’t use the internet, making it among the best platforms for engaging and informing customers in a concise and convenient manner.
Today’s business leaders might be forgiven for thinking SMS is a dated form of communication that’s costly and complicated to integrate into their communications strategy, but they would be wrong. Here are some reasons why:
Maximize your availability
While almost everyone in the US now has access to the internet, connectivity isn’t everywhere, especially for people on the move or limited by stringent data caps. SMS, on the other hand, is available almost universally, even in areas where cellphone signal strength isn’t enough to get online. Moreover, text messages boast an open rate of around 98%, compared to email, which has an open rate of about 18%. This is extremely important for organizations that need to be consistently available, such as healthcare providers and educational institutions.
Gain visibility into your communications
As a direct and easy-to-use channel, SMS offers a great way to learn more about customers. By integrating SMS into your communications strategy, you can improve visibility and tracking, since you’ll receive delivery receipts showing the precise time each message was delivered to a customer’s handset. That way, you’ll have a complete audit trail of your communications, giving you a chance to escalate quickly in the event of a failed delivery. This is ideal when you need to deliver urgent notifications, such as upcoming appointments and other reminders.
Learn more about your customers
SMS offers a powerful and convenient way to acquire feedback from your customers. Not only will most customers read an SMS and tap on an included link – it’s also an opportune moment to carry out a quick survey of customer satisfaction. By integrating SMS into your marketing and customer support strategy, you can implement a natural way to follow up after a previous interaction, such as a recently concluded appointment or purchase. You can also use SMS to thank customers for their business, provide additional support, or ask for a review.
Streamline communications
The use of instant messaging apps might be almost universal, but SMS is the gold standard in today’s often busy and hectic world. After all, the internet isn’t always available, and relying exclusively on it for customer communications can result in disruptions that are frustrating for customers and company representatives alike. Adopting SMS can help you improve customer engagement and differentiate your customer experience in an otherwise saturated market. A lot of businesses still don’t appreciate the value of SMS, which is exactly why it provides value.
How can SmartChoice help?
SmartChoice is proud to announce the launch of its new Smart SMS feature, which gives businesses the ability to communicate with their clients faster and foster genuine and ongoing relationships. We deliver world-class messaging quality, seamlessly integrated with your wider communications strategy.
SmartChoice is a technology company based out of New York City with a unique portfolio of solutions including UCAAS, collaboration, software and analytics, dedicated contact centers, security, infrastructure, and managed connectivity. Through its unsurpassed white-glove service and 24x7x365 U.S. based support, it has grown to become one of the largest award-winning PBX/SIP providers in North America.
