Over the past ten years, SMS has moved from being a mere curiosity in users hands to an extension of the arm, as a communication channel adopted by almost every consumer of all age groups.
Everything from booking a holiday and making a table reservation right through to paying bills and ordering a taxi, all these services are often just a-click-of-a-button away and have led to an increased demand in expectation and immediacy when it comes to customer service and support.
With estimates that by 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as a key brand leader (Customer 2020 Report) it is becoming increasingly more important for brands and businesses to adapt to social change and the needs of the customer.
The text message’s power to send concise, versatile and fast SMS brings great opportunities to reach out and achieve a more personal line of experience with the consumer.
Emails, phone-calls and letters are all costly in time and money, which can often bring undesired frustrations for the customer and company. What do you do about reduced open rates, lost post, noisy environments and bad connections?
At a time when there is no excuse for delayed communications or lengthy waiting times with super-charged broadband and same day delivery, is SMS the answer that customer service has been waiting for?
It appears so for 45% of companies who opted to use mobile or web services and saw an increase in traffic and reduced telephone inquiries in 2014 – winner! (Salesforce)
When you consider that 64% of consumers with smartphones prefer text messaging over voice as a customer service channel and that 77% are more likely to have a positive perception of a company that offers SMS (One Reach) why risk the frustrations that ‘Please wait, you are on hold and your call is important to us’ produces?
As mobile phone subscriptions go from strength-to-strength with landline totals declining, the likelihood that your customer base carries a mobile device with them at all times is high – in fact 91% of people say that they carry their phone on them 24/7 (Nielson), so providing customers with a service when and where they want it has never been easier.
Instant contact and versatility make SMS the new customer service channel, use it to:
– Let customers check order status’
– Ask a question
– Offer call back requests
– Respond with feedback to a service or product
– Reset account details
– Find a store location
– Schedule or alter appointments
– Check balances or payment dates
– Make reservations
– Check stock availability
81% of people are already frustrated being tied to a phone or computer waiting for support so transform their experience into a more positive one with bulk SMS – you could see the results within just 90 seconds…