We live in an interconnected world where communication has never been more accessible or more vital for a wide range of interactions. For businesses, maintaining communication channels is essential to providing better customer service. Fortunately, platforms like Mitto offer businesses the ability to maintain omnichannel messaging and provide better solutions to their customers.
But it’s not enough to have multiple forms of communication open and available to customers. Businesses can be more proactive with this technology to achieve different marketing, sales and customer service goals. For example, using an SMS gateway allows a business to send text reminders to customers for appointments, follow-ups, and even repeat orders.
SMS campaigns are quickly becoming the norm in many industries. So, it’s time to embrace this technology and see how it can positively impact your business. Here's everything you need to know about text messaging for customer service.
Why is omnichannel messaging vital for customer service?
Consumers these days are much more tech-savvy than in the past. It is therefore imperative that businesses adapt to the changing landscape. Omnichannel messaging is an essential part of modern branding, and businesses that adopt this strategy tend to perform better than those that don't. Here are some eye-opening statistics that illustrate the value of omnichannel customer service.
- Businesses that use SMS messaging to interact with prospects are 47.7% more likely to convert them into customers.
- Omnichannel messaging can result in a 90% higher retention rate of existing customers compared to a single-channel service.
- A third of customers (35%) expect to be able to interact with a company across all communication channels.
- Up to 90% of customers expect consistent interactions across all channels.
In summary, maintaining multiple communication channels is essential because it is expected. If your customers assume they can interact with your business through email, chat, and text, they will be disappointed or upset if one or more of these channels are unavailable.
However, on a more practical level, omnichannel customer services have tangible benefits for your brand. First of all, you will see better productivity. A single customer service representative can interact with multiple people across different channels simultaneously. A representative does not need to focus on just one call at a time, making them more productive.
It is also more profitable. By installing an application programming interface or SMS gateway, you can send automated messages and reminders, saving you the hassle of relying on expensive customer service representatives for every interaction.
Finally, customer satisfaction is increased. Happy customers are more likely to continue doing business with your organization. By offering multiple communication options, you ensure you improve long-term customer loyalty.
The Trend of SMS Reminders for Customer Interactions
By 2022, more than half of businesses (55%) were texting their customers. This trend has continued to grow over the past decade and shows no signs of slowing down.
On the customer side, 60% of individuals say they prefer to communicate with a company by text, because of the speed and efficiency of these interactions. Plus, with texting being their primary means of communication anyway, it makes sense that consumers would want the same convenience when speaking with a business.
The top five ways businesses use SMS messaging for customer interaction include scheduling and reminders (63%), customer service and support (44%), alerts (38%), internal communications (30%), and marketing and promotions (25%).
As you can see, SMS campaigns are perfect for notifications and reminders because they can be automated and don't require a representative to take care of everything. However, customers can always contact the service department for any assistance, such as rescheduling, canceling, or getting more information.
Pros and Cons of Using SMS Campaigns for Reminders
With so many benefits to using an SMS gateway for customer service and appointment reminders, there are more than enough reasons to implement this communication channel. However, there are some potential downsides to consider, so here's a quick overview of the pros and cons.
On the plus side, you don't have to worry about reminders slipping through the cracks and being forgotten because a computer is sending the messages. This system can help your customer service run like a well-oiled machine and ensure everyone is on time and ready to go.
Plus, it’s more convenient for the customer. Not everyone checks their email inbox every day, and even then, messages can get buried under a pile of spam. Text messages are much better because users are more likely to receive and open them immediately. While an email reminder may go unnoticed, a text often does not.
The downside is that response options may be limited. Typically, automated messages only work one way. If a customer responds to the notification text, their message will not necessarily be forwarded to a representative. Instead, the person may need to use another channel. But you can get ahead of this problem by directing customers to a two-way channel to receive immediate support.
And remember, legally, a company cannot send messages to a user without their express permission. Not everyone is comfortable receiving these texts, or may forget to sign up for the program. In this case, you will need to find a way to make your SMS campaign more interesting to encourage additional signups. You can also fall back on other channels as part of your omnichannel strategy to better attract customers who are resistant to SMS.
Factors to Consider When Setting Up Automated SMS Reminders
Fortunately, it is possible to take a “set it and forget it” approach to SMS reminders and notifications. However, while the system can operate with minimal oversight, it also requires upfront planning and development to ensure it works as well as possible. You should also not forget to regularly check that the system is working correctly. It’s always best to be proactive and anticipate potential problems before they arise.
Here are some tips on how to set up automatic SMS reminders for your customers.
First, you can ask users to register immediately. Ideally, you can have a form submission to activate the opt-in process. This way the customer can be placed into the email campaign immediately.
You can also use multiple reminders. While you don't want to spam your customers with too many messages, you also don't want to assume that one callback is enough. In fact, you should schedule a second reminder for the day before (or the same day) of an appointment, so that it is fresh in the client's mind.
Make sure you have a clear response system. If your SMS API doesn't allow two-way messaging, make sure users know how to contact you if they have questions or need to make changes. This will eliminate guesswork and streamline the entire process.
You can also consider other SMS campaigns. Although many consumers prefer businesses to communicate with them via text, they don't want to be inundated with text messages. If you also run other campaigns for marketing and sales purposes, keep in mind how they might interact with reminders or notifications.
How platforms like Mitto make it easier for your business to interact with your customers.
While automated SMS can make life easier for your customer support team, you also need comprehensive software that allows you to launch multiple campaigns and manage multiple communication channels within a single dashboard. Fortunately, a platform like Mitto, an all-in-one omnichannel solution, works well for businesses of all shapes and sizes. With Mitto, you can set up reminders, launch marketing campaigns, and handle customer support tickets all from the same platform. Contact Mitto today and see how Mitto can meet your needs.