Customer Relationship Management

How will SMS benefit your retail CRM strategy?

Benefits of CRM in retail

A retail CRM strategy is critical if a brand is going to connect with their in-store customers for repeat sales. As a developer who builds the systems that support retail CRM, you need to understand exactly how integrating SMS into these systems will steadily and consistently improve customer experience, sales, and conversions. CRM in ecommerce may function in the online arena, but when you integrate SMS it provides your brand with a host of added benefits. Let's explore them here.

The many benefits SMS integration in a retail CRM strategy context

  • When you add SMS functionality to your existing retail CRM strategy, you allow your brand to utilize cross-channel marketing in exciting new ways.

  • Cross-channel marketing, also known as multi-channel marketing, gives your brand more chance of attracting, retaining and converting new and existing consumers.

  • The main challenge when working with customer relationship practices is to get the right message, to the right user, at the right time - and SMS ticks all of those boxes.

  • As a touch point, online retail SMS-CRM integrations are incredibly powerful, as consumers using them spend 3 or 4 times more than single channel customers!

  • A good retail CRM strategy will use SMS to break down company silos and assist in the control and management of front-end employees, for better customer service.

  • The customer relationship with your brand improves when a development team adds SMS functionality that contributes to foot traffic numbers in-store. More contact means more chances to connect and sell.

  • Retail stores struggle with slow days, and SMS geolocation can identify when they are close, and entice them into the store with special discounts and deals.

  • When consumers can quickly and effortlessly interact with your promotions in-store, thanks to your integrated SMS and retail CRM strategy - your customer communication and experience improves.

  • In the choppy world of direct advertising, prefer to engage with your brand via SMS, which is massive for promotions and sales.

  • Once your customer has left the store, if you have SMS integrated into your retail CRM strategy they are more likely to return sooner, which influences sales.

  • In-store customers will forward your special text-based promotions to their friends, which increases brand awareness and gets more consumers in your brand's doors.

  • SMS gives your brand a list to promote, and an asset to use when they need to move stock, host specials or gain market research from their customers.

For you as a developer working on these retail CRM strategy integrations, there is no doubt that these SMS benefits will be appreciated once you get the infrastructure in place. As another channel to reach your in-store consumers, text messaging is second to none. Not only can SMS integrate with any number of mobile apps - even increasing app downloads in-store - but it gives your brand an opportunity to collect valuable consumer data from text engagement. If your brand has a lot of consumer data, you will be able to learn more about what your consumer's need, which will improve your system building. If you're keen to learn more, have a look at our recent article detailing how you can use SMS to improve the customer-brand conversation.

 

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