Customer Relationship Management

How SMS for business can seriously affect customer service

SMS for customer service

SMS for business is about finding your ideal target customer, then providing them with a range of valuable services via SMS, that they will appreciate. Unlike old forms of SMS marketing, this new kind attempts to retain and nurture clients, as opposed to finding and recruiting completely new customers.

The question today is - how can SMS for business seriously affect customer service in the age of social media, emails and IM chats?

Customer service for long term business success

For more on the SMS broadcast  click here.

It makes sense that in order to tap into your ideal target market, you will need a medium that allows you access to your clients at any time, wherever they are. With SMS for business, you can contact your clients on their smartphones as part of an exclusive brand network, which will differentiate you from app users, and other methods of marketing online.

  • SMS is available on all cell phones. That means the financial demographic of your customer doesn't matter, as long as they own a phone. SMS technology allows you to reach everyone, even if their cell phones aren't smart!

  • Keep your customers in touch with your business. With SMS for business you will be able to offer your clients exclusive discounts, specials, products and offers before anyone else, as SMS is instant. Plus, more people redeem SMS coupons.

  • Offer SMS contests to give back to your customers. If you want to reward your customers and improve brand loyalty, then SMS for business is the way to do it. Simply run a few contests to spread the word about your business, and publish the results on your social media pages.

  • Use SMS as a market research tool. Customer service is about knowing what it is your customers want from you. Inviting your clients to participate in brief SMS surveys is a great way to collect feedback and data on your services.

  • Keep the dialogue open. Every now and then, your business should say hello, send something of value or say something worthwhile to your customers. This two-way communication is key to customer service, and SMS for business makes it work.

  • Establish expertise, improve brand identity and add value. In customer service, few things are as important as making your customer fall in love with your brand. With SMS for business a few well-placed discounts, coupons, pieces of information or valuable access to free stuff will do this for you.

If SMS for business was the only linchpin you had for holding together a great customer service facility, you would be alright. This is because SMS is a uniquely non-intrusive, underutilized modern media that people prefer over other forms of ad contact.

SMS for business can seriously affect the way your customers think and feel about your brand. With the right campaign, you will always be 'top of mind' as the company they want to use when your services are needed. With great service comes great text responsibility!

For more on the SMS broadcast click here.

Explore other articles

Step into the future of business messaging.

SMS and two-way channels, automation, call center integration, payments - do it all with Clickatell's Chat Commerce platform.

New