Here’s why businesses should be making use of SMS messaging

SMS business messaging

SMS messaging and communication is important for every business. A new survey shows that the majority of people want to talk to businesses using chatbots. The businesses that aren't using this form of communication are missing out on important customer interaction –  and mobile engagement is where they want to be. The survey made it very clear that there's a vast opportunity for businesses to harness the power of SMS-enabled chatbots to communicate with customers.

Related: The benefits of SMS marketing to your business

The survey, released just a few weeks ago, validates what we’ve been saying for many years. Your customers want to SMS you. Simple as that. Using this form of communication not only enhances customer experience but amplifies customer loyalty. The industries which should be making use of this form of communication? Finance, travel and hospitality, and retail. So, if you’re in one of these industries and not making use of SMS bots, what are you waiting for?

“The ways we get in touch with customers when we need to get in touch are hopeless. People are avoiding business to business emails (spam has ruined the party) and voice calls tend to be infuriating. But SMS messaging is an option for better customer communication,” says the study which surveyed 1 500 people in the UK and US. Interestingly, those surveyed ranged in age from 18- to 60-years-old indicating a multi-generational preference for SMS.

Why SMS messaging is the best way to communicate

They cite a number of reasons why SMS messaging is the best form of communication. These include:

• Almost everyone on earth uses SMS messaging

• A massive 98% of messages are opened

• SMS messages are always responded to

• People feel the need to check their phone the second it pings or buzzes

There you have it. That’s why your business should be communicating with your customers using mobile engagement. And if you really want to ramp things up a notch? Use chatbots.

SMSes are the perfect option if you want your customers to:

• Know something. Like details of an appointment or flight.

• Decide something. Like when they’d like something delivered.

• Remember something. Like their dinner at your fancy restaurant.

• Do something. Like rate your service or their experience.

Related: Why Clickatell Platform and SMS make all the difference to your business

“In all those situations, emails and call centers are simply no good. Emails are useless for time-sensitive interactions because everyone ignores them. (Some enterprises actually use SMS messaging to prompt their customers to read critical emails!)

“And voice calls are disruptive, frustrating, time-sapping irritations your customers are desperate to avoid. 70% of consumers want to resolve queries without ever talking to anyone,” the survey concludes.

Chatbot SMS

The answer? Your business should be using chatbots. And it should be using them now. Making use of a chatbot will enable you to say goodbye to your slow, unhelpful call center. That means less expense for your business and happier customers. Your customers won’t be forced to be on hold for many minutes. They won't be forced to switch from department to department, never quite managing to reach the one person who can answer their query. The best part is, they can respond to you when they want to and in their own time.

And, the kicker, a call center agent can only handle one call at a time. A chatbot, on the other hand, can handle multiple queries at once. That means it can do more, in less time. Another benefit? Machine learning enables the chatbot to begin to interact automatically.

To find out more about how you can get closer to your customers and provide 24/7 access to the information they need, check out Clickatell Touch. A chatbot for customer support, it’s the ideal option for communicating with your customers.