If you have any online accounts, you’ve received text messages from businesses. Your banks and financial institutions send out authorization codes every time you try to access account information online. Google, Facebook, and nearly every other online service offers SMS interactions when you forget your password. But if you aren’t running a large financial institution or billion-dollar enterprise, is there value in connecting with customers through SMS services?
The Case for SMS Marketing Services
SMS messaging has a tremendous upside for B2C businesses of all sizes that are trying to build relationships with their customers. 99% of texts are opened by customers, and according to a 2016 Forbes survey, 95% of texts are read within three minutes of being received. You may be surprised to learn that 45% of all texts the request a response actually receive one. When you compare that to the 6% email response rate, you can easily see the value in a two-way text campaign.
A 2015 Pew Research Center poll found that 1 in 3 American adults prefer texting to all other forms of communication, while Twilio reported last year that 9 out of 10 consumers want to send text messages to brands.
Clearly, there is a consumer need for business SMS services.
Types of SMS Services for Business
If your business involves engaging, servicing, or selling to consumers, automated SMS messages with two-way communication capabilities can deliver exceptional results. Here are a few types of businesses that have proven SMS successes.
Retail Service Providers – There’s no reason brick-and-mortar stores can’t take advantage of digital tools and technologies. SMS messaging can be timed to deliver contextual promotional messages when the customer is most likely to act.
With two-way SMS communications, customers can check on item availability, take consumer surveys, and opt in to membership or loyalty programs.
Healthcare Providers – Digital technologies have already improved patient care. Real-time SMS services can smoothen communications between physicians, labs, nurses, and pharmacies, ensuring that patient care isn’t compromised by misplaced notes or illegible handwriting.
Medical practices can reduce costly missed appointments with automated SMS patient reminders, issue emergency notices, and manage office staff.
Financial Service Providers – Protecting customer assets from fraud is one of the key challenges financial institutions face today. With the power of SMS communications, banks can communicate with customers in real time to determine if any suspicious activity is actually fraud.
Banks and credit card companies can also use text to verify account details, provide one-time PIN authorizations, and send out account notifications.
Travel Service Providers – It’s comforting for travelers to know that wherever they are, their airlines, hotels, and hospitality companies can update them on changes to their itineraries, travel alerts and last-minute deals.
SMS communications can also be used to notify travelers when their room is available, provide information about local weather, and share coupons for area attractions.
Restaurants – Restaurateurs are using SMS as a tool to drive traffic into their restaurant. Timely reminders about daily specials and coupons can help pack up an empty dining room.
Diners appreciate the faster service they receive when SMS technologies are involved in their dining experience. Reservations and table availability notifications reduce the need to huddle in the doorway waiting for their table to be ready. Meanwhile, SMS communications between wait staff and the kitchen facilitates faster, more accurate ordering.
Contact us today to learn how simple text tools can power growth in your business.
