To be successful in your business, you need to be customer-centric!!

Customers are the centric parts where your business revolves. It is very much important to please them to make them stick with your brand in the long run. 

Many of the businesses follow many of the tactics for the same, but not all of them succeed to get a good customer retention rate. This, of course, wastes their spendings and time and at the same time, discourages them as well.

Customers are smarter nowadays, they need pampering, they need the business to value them and most importantly, they demand a good means of interaction.  Undeniably, there are many ways that you can follow for regular communication, but the one that never fails to delight customers is SMS (Short Message Service). It has become prevalent in today’s culture.  Surely, there are many reasons for it. 

As it eases to reach and use,  SMS Communication With Customers is just one way to interact with customers concerning businesses. 

Because more and more consumers cut off fixed phones and become mobile-oriented, this trend will only increase with time.  Considering that, the businesses are formulating the policies that encourage employees to interact with customers in this way.

Consider- the more the customer is satisfied with your services, the more he/she will reach you again. So, allow your team to proffer the services that the customers feel pleased with.

You might have several questions in mind that- there are other means that even can easily reach the customers.  Yes, there are!!

But, every manner has some downfalls. 

As a business owner, you have to reach plenty of customers and many potential channels as well. You can make a call, but, might leave voicemails and mail the postcard with many email marketing tools. Additionally, you can give a try to social media posts, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Some mind-blowing SMS communication statistics

Though, most of the customers prefer text over anything to get in touch with the businesses.  To know-how, look at the statistics below:

  • 75% of consumers are satisfied with getting SMS messages from brands.
  • The open rate of SMS is as high as 98%.
  • The response rate of SMS is 209%  higher than that of email, phone, or Facebook.
  • Usually, the SMS gets to read 90% of SMS messages in 3 minutes.
  • The coupon exchange rate by customers from SMS is 10 times that of other coupons types of coupons.
  • The average user takes 90 seconds to revert to the SMS messages and takes 90 minutes to revert to email.
  • Approximately, 6 billion users all around the world send and receive text messages by 2025.

The aim of this article is to make you aware of why and how SMS communication with customers is better. 

Benefits of SMS communication 

There are several reasons why Short Message Service is more preferred than any other service. Find out some of them below:

#1. Low entry barriers

SMS Communication With Customers does not need a specific application or setting configuration file. It is more suitable for customers with hearing impairments.

#2. Reliability

SMS messaging has nothing to do with the Internet and can be used on all mobile phones. Despite letters, SMS does not have to pass a spam filter.

#3. Global reach

SMS is generally synchronized among all mobile phone operators around the world and can establish communication with approximately 10 billion phones currently in use.

#4. Time efficiency

It consumes less time than calling or writing an email. You can also set up templates and perform SMS notifications automatically.

#5. Fast delivery and results

The SMS messages, that are 98% open rate is four to six times more than that of the email, which is 15 to 25%.

#6. Privacy

SMS messages are more careful than telephone calls because sensitive details cannot eavesdrop.

#7. Cost-effectiveness

SMS Communication With Customers are economical. The prices can get reduced when purchased in bulk or when subscribed to the SMS provider.m 

#8. Trackable

Tracking the SMS is an easy task, this can be done by means of delivery reports. This report aims to show you how successful SMS campaigns are successful and effective.

#9. Personalization

Because mobile phones are their own devices, hence, you can edit the messages for every customer and accordingly, they will revert back in-person immediately.

Note: 

Notably, as compared to the usual phone calls, the two-way communication of SMS is on the top, as:

  • It does not let the customers wait for long.
  • With SMS, the employees and customers can carry out multi-tasking.
  • Incomprehensible dialects and accents, noise levels, social anxiety, and many other mitigating forces are not constituted.
  • The customers do not have to worry about being publicly eavesdropped or embarrassed to disclose sensitive information.

How to leverage SMS two-way communication accurately

SMS is a versatile communication medium. The study has shown that customers prefer to perform these activities from SMS:

  • Ask questions and get a solution.
  • Monitor the status of an order.
  • Schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment.
  • Get marketing offers.
  • Reset a password.

Although you may think of it, there are still 75% of customers who do not mind positioning via SMS marketing. The above-mentioned list is incomplete, as SMS also offers a unique opportunity to build a strong connection with the customers.

SMS provides you an in-depth analysis of the customers thinking towards your business or brand and offers you improvement measures. Also, Money Making SMS to Increase Revenue of your business.

The most viable SMS communication application, particularly, in COVID-19 outbreaks is engaging and informing regularly with the customers remotely. Considering that, we are showing you how Qwaiting SMS features are a useful tool.

A. Text message communication welcome message

Text message communication welcome message

When a visitor signs in and adds it to the waiting list, a welcome message will be sent. The aim is to:

Relax your visitors.  Receiving a welcome message shows that the process of checking-in is successful.

Allow you to make good relations with the customers. Just a virtual handshake is needed to start the conversation and make the visitors comfortable.

For creating the welcome message, establish a Welcome Message as an auto notification type and compose the text.

B. Automated SMS alerts for check-in

Automated SMS alerts for check

Checking-in remotely is an invaluable asset, however, it could be a serious issue. 

How to maintain interaction with customers when you cannot see them?

The answer to this question lies in- SMS (text message communication).

First and foremost, find out if this feature is enabled or not?  To do that: Move to location tab-> Qwaiting Dashboard and choose the location you like to set up the automated SMS for.

**In other cases, if you do not want SMS alerts to follow, then contact us, we will delight you with an exceptional offer.**

After that, it’s time to compose the new templates. Select the “+ New Auto Message” and then select the option you want.

What is best here is to- take a closer look at all possible options and how they can assist you to get along with your customers.

C. SMS Two-Way Communication

SMS Two-Way Communication

When it is about engaging more customers, you need to follow several ways.  Depending solely on templates is not going to work. Start interacting more with the customers. 

To carry out the conversation:  navigate to the visitors’ profile in the Service view-> choose “Write a message to the visitor” in the Activity to start writing the message. 

This could be the question regarding the customer’s preferences and needs, updates of the possible days, and an explanation of the terms and services. 

And accordingly, the customers can select the SMS chat to notify. Like, if the customers have forgotten the ID and are running late then the given time.  In addition to this, they can also send an image of this via SMS. 

D. SMS waitlist reminders and queue notifications

SMS waitlist reminders and queue notifications

The automated messages are sent in the form of alerts to the customers.  It notifies them regarding the important carry-outs.

Choose “Visitor is being called to a desk”. And, then, create a message that the customers will get when their turn is approachable.  The same alert will be shown on the Qwaiting TV screen if you will use it in the waiting area.

Select “Visitor is being called to a desk” is appropriate when the service desk is selected.  In this scenario, the visitor will get intimation about the turn and which turn they have to come to.

Every message, despite the type, can be customized freely. Some placeholders can be used that are highlighted in the textbox:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Location
  • Desk

The placeholder can update their value according to the location information or customer.  Like;  “Hello, first name and last name” will show the customer’s first and last name.

Also, with the small text message, you can improve the character and feel of the brand. Besides, do not overlook the emojis.  This can be used to reduce stress or make the exhibit more human.

E. Post-service text messaging for customer reviews

Relying on the fact- “To measure, to be managed”. You need to find out how the customers are perceiving the services you are providing, probably in a way that could be compared and tracked arithmetically.

Net Promoter Score? Customer Effort Score? Customer Satisfaction Score? 

In any case, feedback is the lifeblood of any company worth paying. Its aim is not only to let you examine some disadvantages of the customer satisfaction approach but, also, provides you a unique prospect on the overall business. This can also be executed in the form of SMS messages.

For making the new automated notification, draft the message type as “After Service”. Later, select the delivery time from three perspectives:

  • Immediately
  • One hour after service
  • 24 hours after service

This opportunity can be used to acknowledge the customer for their visit and inviting them for the reviews.

Get an open review of the time they spent with you. Or, if you require them to have an honest opinion on certain aspects of the service, please send a review.

Send them the text to the link to the Google Form Survey. Let it be short and assure that everyone is responding to it.

F. Examine the message history with a visitor

Do not forget to track every message send to the definite customer in the activity log in the dashboard.

The log records every communication and sets them on the timeline in sequential order.  Accordingly, you can find out who has communicated with whom, how, and when.

Concluding Remarks

The SMS Communication With Customers is valuable when it is about building customer context: unique needs, preferences and demands, and so on. 

Significantly, it can aid you to find out more about your customers. Show them that you are valuing them and care about them genuinely.  Give priority to their convenience level, particularly, when it is about communication.  Undoubtedly, your customer volume will amplify!!

We hope this piece of article is liked by you. If you have some queries and suggestions then let us know in the comment section below.  

Thanks for reading!!