SMS (short message service) or texting, has been a communication option for over 20 years.
It has grown along with the rise of the cell phone and our acceptance of the smart phone, which at 84% penetration among American adults, has become the standard bearer of how we interact with the world.
In many ways, text has become the comfort food of digital communication.
Around 97% of people utilize text messaging…the most of any other feature on the phone.
Though millennials are the heaviest adult users, 98% of 30-49 year olds and 92% of those 50+ utilize the feature on regular basis.
Though it began as a marketing tool, with American Idol using it for voting and local retailers using it as a promotional couponing tool, its adoption as a business tool has been spotty at best.
Texting as a business communications tool has many benefits. They have a sense of urgency that emails don’t possess. In fact, 90% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of being received.
Most businesses use texting as more of a notification tool used to confirm appointments, notify of impending deliveries and other types of alerts
As an inbound marketer with a goal of delivering value to your customers and prospects, offering a text based communication channel gives them access to your brand in a way that most smartphone users are extremely comfortable with and one they have with them almost all the time.
One area you might not have seen text as having value is as a customer service vehicle.
A Harris Poll looked at texting as a customer service tool and asked respondents if they were amenable to the idea. The results illustrate how powerful the public perception is of companies that offer this customer service communication option.
- 64% of all consumers are likely to have a positive perception of the company.
- 41% are likely to feel the company understands their time is important.
- 40% are likely to believe the company is progressive.
- 28% are likely to recommend the company to others.
- 23% are likely to stay loyal to the company.
- 21% are likely to choose the company over others that do not offer the service.
This goes along with marketing research that shows that customer service is being seen as having huge potential when it comes to customer retention and brand loyalty.
Text messaging is cost effective and native to all smartphones, make it an ideal communication tool
Because it is a permission based medium, offering text as a customer service forum can be an effective way to get your customers to embrace giving you their cell numbers, which is viewed as a more personal contact option.
The other benefit of text based customer service is that we have become accustomed to multi tasking while texting
Giving your customers a way to engage with you on their terms without having to sit on the phone and wait for someone to talk to can be viewed as a huge benefit.
In fact, a 2012 Global Customer Service Barometer conducted by American Express found that 67% of customers have hung up the phone out of frustration they could not talk to a real person.
In an age where the consumer wants to have more control of the conversation, giving them text accessibility is extremely attractive to them.
Marketing the advantages of this form of customer service to current and potential customers can be an effective way to gain access to these customers and give them a reason to pick you over a competitor.
The White House Office of Consumer Affairs found that news of bad customer service reaches more than twice as many ears as praise for a good service experience. The same study reported that for every customer who bothers to complain, 26 other customers remain silent. Giving them a convenient way to interact and convey feedback can be invaluable to retaining customers and building new ones through word of mouth.
Importantly, giving customers a user-friendly way to connect with you realizes another inbound marketing goal. By having a better understanding of who your customers are, you gain real time understanding and a clearer knowledge of who your buyer persona is. You gain a deeper understanding of what your customers’ needs, interests and pain points are. When you know those things, it helps you craft the right content that answers your customers’ questions and solve their problems.
Conclusion
With so many touch points available to reach your target customers, it only makes sense to explore new pathways to communicate with them. By developing a customer service relationship via text, you open up a channel that can be further utilized in marketing and customer outreach. It is an effective way to build brand loyalty, delight your brand ambassadors and create potential upselling outcomes.
