Mobile phone technology has transformed the communications landscape. In 2020, market data guru Statista reported more than three billion smartphone users worldwide. Mobile users vacillate between voice and SMS text communications, with texting use continuing to grow. TrueDialog, a leading SMS text messaging provider, notes that with a 98% open rate, text messaging is a highly desirable customer communication and marketing channel.
Why Quality Mobile Customer Experience Is Key
Mobile use has drastically increased in the past few years. The technology gained an impressive foothold in 2015 when Google stated that mobile traffic had eclipsed desktop traffic for the first time. Since then, the trend has continued to accelerate. The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s 2019 data showed that smartphone users averaged over 2.5 hours online daily.
More importantly, 9 out of 10 smartphone users have used their phones during some part of a purchase decision cycle. Consumers between 16 and 45 years of age are especially likely to use their smartphones for browsing and shopping. Finally, 4 in 10 consumers have engaged in mobile commerce, using their phones to buy products or pay for services.
Because consumers frequently have their smartphones with them at all times, they’re prime candidates for real-time text message communication. A Google study found that 50 percent of users who engaged in a local smartphone search took a related action. Providing a good mobile customer experience through text messaging will encourage more engagement and drive brand loyalty.
Ways That Texting Can Improve Mobile Customer Experience
Text messaging has become a go-to marketing and customer service channel in today’s mobile world. To some degree, the popularity of text messaging stems from their ability to reach users’ inboxes when marketing emails are blocked and calls/voicemails are getting ignored.
Here are a few ways that text messaging improves mobile customer experience:
Reminders and Notifications
SMS notifications have a higher reach rate and a higher engagement rate than other forms of communication like email. Texting is a fast and easy way for consumers to stay connected. SMS texting campaigns allow users to schedule texts in advance, create personalized messages, segment out the audience, and opt-in new users. One of the most popular and helpful methods of keeping customers engaged is sending out reminders and notifications. For example, at a college, administrators can use texting as a means to remind students of application and FAFSA deadlines.
Text Messaging for Marketing
Many businesses have implemented the use of SMS/MMS texting as a means to increase customer engagement as a part of their marketing strategy. Starting an SMS texting campaign encourages customers to interact with the brand by creating a personalized experience. Companies can promote brand awareness by creating a text a keyword to a short code campaign to drive new customers. One of the key perks of utilizing SMS texting is that anyone who owns a phone can engage without needing to download anything.
Also, brands must be timely in their texts and responses to achieve steady growth. Along with timing, having a call to action statement in the SMS text creates a sense of motivation for the reader. Texts are constantly being read by cell phone users, which is why marketing campaigns must include interactive language that encourages users to engage. For example, many universities are starting to use SMS text messages as a way to remind students of deadlines or events going on around campus and may include a link to learn more or sign up.
Companies can also benefit through SMS texting by offering special sign up offers, promotions, or discounts. Creating an actionable change encourages users to follow up on the text. Offering specialized messages for customers to learn more by replying with a word can also increase engagement. For example, this could mean asking the customer to respond to the text with a day of the week to potentially book an appointment time. Encouraging customers to sign up for loyalty programs via text is also an amazing way for retailers and small businesses to increase their outreach.
SMS Texting for Customer Support and Feedback
In addition to marketing campaigns, SMS texting is an incredible resource for improving customer support. There are over 5 billion people sending and receiving texts every day. Texting is one of the most cost-effective and fastest methods of communication all around which is why consumers find it easier to engage with. Customer support via text is more convenient because users don’t have to communicate aloud and can use it anywhere, anytime.
Text messaging can also improve the responses of customer feedback surveys by reducing the stress of giving in-person feedback and allowing users to respond in real-time. This allows for a more accurate and speedy solution for customers. This can be done via SMS texting, over social media, or online. While SMS texting can be an excellent tool to improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs, HubSpot noted that it is crucial for companies to balance automation with human input. Chatbots are great for reducing costs, but customer service should never be exclusively automated. Also, companies must prioritize how support requests are handled. Offering customer feedback via text messaging is a great way to get an instant reaction while the memory of the experience is still fresh.
Furthermore, integrating SMS texting with other support channels creates a seamless customer experience. TrueDialog offers CRM integration with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics as one of the many features available on the platform that can benefit users in improving their customer service experience. These include short code and long code messages that involve a combination of 1-on-1 conversations and mass texts which are important to address specific needs. TrueDialog offers a unique feature where users can engage with both short codes and long codes that are all combined in the same thread, so users can send mass text messages and then respond in one-to-one texting conversations at scale. Also, sending reminders via text for appointment times and dates can be done in advance and keeps customers posted while improving staff productivity.
Summary
When a business wants to conduct one-to-many or one-to-one communication with a customer or prospect, texting is the ideal vehicle for that targeted exchange. TrueDialog serves thousands of customers who send hundreds of millions of text messages each year. Whether for an enterprise-level company or a small business on a budget, TrueDialog’s unmatched technology and customer focus make this leading SMS text messaging service the ideal partner.