Digital Marketing

SMS Two-way: How 64% of your customers prefer communicating

SMS 2 way messaging

Research has found that the majority of customers – 64% with text messaging capabilities - would prefer to perform customer service activities with companies via SMS than over the phone. They feel it’s a more efficient and convenient use of their time.

Young people are even more likely to want this. A significant 7% of those aged 18 to 34 say they prefer SMS two-way messaging over other types of communication when it comes to solving issues. Moreover, they’ll choose to stay loyal to a company that offers SMS messaging services.

How does SMS two-way fit into your business?

Many companies are already using SMS to disseminate bulk marketing messages or send reminders to customers. But users want more: they want a conversation; they want to send a question and receive an immediate answer.

Research has found that customers would like to complete these activities via SMS:

  • Check the status of an order

  • Schedule or change an appointment

  • Make or follow up on reservations

  • Ask a question

  • Find the location of a store

  • Check due dates or balances

  • Arrange for orders to be refilled

  • Reset passwords

And the most compelling statistic to convince companies to set up customer service via SMS? A massive 81% of people say they find it frustrating to be tied to a phone or computer to wait for customer service assistance. If that isn’t enough to convince a company of the importance of this method of communication, 90% of customers will choose to leave due to a bad experience and are willing to pay more for more pleasant customer experience from a competitor.

Reasons customers prefer using SMS two-way to resolve queries

  • Customers dislike waiting on hold.

  • SMS communication allows customers to multitask while resolving their queries.

  • They are able to find solutions while in a noise-sensitive environment.

  • Customers sometimes just don’t want to talk on the phone – for example if they are in an office where they don't feel comfortable speaking aloud.

If you’re convinced and are looking for a customer relationship management solution that your base will appreciate and enjoy, have a look at Clickatell’s product selector to choose the best SMS option for your business.

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