Unlocking the Potential of SMS Campaigns: Maximizing Customer Engagement and Support

One of the keys to customer satisfaction is meeting your customer where they are. To achieve this means sending the messages that are most relevant to them. And, it also means communicating with them through the platform they most prefer.

Nearly everyone has a mobile phone at this point, making short messaging service, aka texting, a natural platform for customer communication. However, for this to truly be effective for your brand, you need to make sure you are doing SMS right. If you are new to SMS in your business, using the right approach and the right tools from the start can help ensure you are getting the most from this technology. 

Introduction to SMS Campaigns

A customer peruses a clothing website, scrolling through the latest dresses for summer. While they are on the designer’s site, a pop-up informs them they can get 15% off by signing up to receive text messages from the brand. Often, this sort of discount is the push they need to finish the transaction and have the items in their virtual cart sent to their door.

The interaction does not end there, though. Based on information gleaned from this order and other sources, the designer now knows what sorts of styles the customer prefers. They can send out an SMS blast when a highly coveted item is back in stock. When it’s time to release the new season’s offerings, the customer can be automatically notified right on their phone. 

SMS campaigns, lso known as text messaging campaigns, allow you to send customized text messages to your customers. 

Each customer opts in to your service, so you know you’re sending messages they want to receive. Cellphone use is now nearly universal, meaning SMS messaging is one of the most effective ways to reach the largest portion of your clientele.

Plus, a quality SMS application programming interface integrates seamlessly with the other customer relationship management solutions you use. You can either send automated drip campaigns or interact one on one with customers to ensure you are always getting the right messages to them at the right time. 

Benefits of SMS Campaigns for Customer Support

SMS messaging isn’t just for marketing and promotions; it can be a key component of your customer support efforts. Mindful use can help you communicate with customers effectively to ensure your relationship is strong. 

SMS reminders, for instance, help protect against no-shows and scheduling conflicts for your customers. Avoiding missed appointments means that you don’t have unexpected downtime and your clients don’t have to worry about the hassle of rescheduling. In one study, 78% of customers or patients said they found SMS appointment reminders helpful. Plus, reminders were found to reduce the incidence of missed appointments by over 11%.

Customer service is another area in which SMS is hugely valuable. Mistakes in business are inevitable; what matters is how you work with your customers to make it right. An SMS gateway means your customer can communicate with you through text while your representative is handling the transaction from their connected computer. There, they have access to all the relevant information to resolve your customer’s issue. Your customer gets to use the platform they prefer to quickly get service when they need it. 

A study conducted by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company revealed that 70% of customers make their future purchasing decisions based on how they are treated by a brand. By delivering a positive experience and effectively addressing customer support concerns while valuing their time and preferences, you greatly enhance the likelihood of fostering a valuable long-term relationship.

Personalization and Customer Engagement

Your current customers are your business’s most valuable asset. Businesses thrive when they do the work to keep that relationship.

One of the ways you can keep your clients happy is by communicating with them in a way that feels personal and appropriate. Customers like to know that you understand them and what they want from your brand.

An impersonal interaction with a brand has consequences. Nearly half of Generation Z shoppers say they’re less likely to purchase if their experience doesn’t feel personal. Fully 27% say they’ll stop shopping with a brand altogether and may share their negative experience with their friends. 

SMS gateway providers like Mitto make it easy to segment your lists so that your customers are always getting the messaging that is most relevant to them. 

Consider a company that offers a variety of new and vintage board games. The business has a group of customers who exclusively seek out specific types of titles from various periods. Customers can sign up for text-based alerts when the games they are looking for are in stock. This means buyers are far more likely to find what they are looking for when it’s time to purchase something new. The retailer has a better conversion rate because customers have already told them they are interested in those products; they just need the notification when the items they want most are available.

Proactive Communication and Issue Resolution

When a customer has a problem, they want a quick and painless resolution. SMS is becoming the channel of choice because text can be much faster than either email or phone. 

As an example, consider a housewares site that has shipped out a teapot to a customer. The customer loves the brand, but there’s just one problem: The teapot is not in the color they ordered.

Mistakes happen, and customers do understand. However, their issues must be resolved quickly and easily when they occur. If the customer is not in front of their computer, it can be inconvenient for them to hop online and tediously enter the details of their issue line by line. A customer support service offered through SMS, though, allows them to talk to the seller in real time to tell them what went wrong and how their issue can be fixed.

Removing friction from your customer service experience means your customers are happier with you and your brand. This is the sort of thing that keeps them coming back and ensures you are getting the most value from each customer you serve. 

Best Practices for Effective SMS Campaigns

SMS is personal, and it is always important to remember that when interacting with your customers. Be sure you always include simple opt-in and opt-out features, so you’re sure you are communicating with customers who want to hear from you.

SMS should make your clients’ lives easier. Ever get transferred from one customer service agent to another and have to repeat your problem again and again? A full 85% of customers say they expect their conversations with agents to move seamlessly from platform to platform. A good SMS application programming interface is part of a system that allows you to continue interacting with them whether they are following up with phone, text, or email. Customers should not have to repeat their problems to get them solved.

SMS marketing campaigns should always be segmented to address your customer’s specific wants and needs. No one likes getting an overly generalized message or one that offers items they aren’t interested in. A well-segmented list informed by your customer’s past purchases and web-surfing habits ensures you are always sending the right message to the right person.

The Takeaway: Harnessing the Power of SMS 

SMS gives you the ability to reach your valued customers wherever they are. Customize your messaging to appeal to their unique needs and to build a stronger relationship.  

By reaching out through text, you can be sure you’re getting your message to the customers you want. Your brand can reach customers where they are and build a relationship that offers value, both to you and to them.