Do you ever forget to pay a bill? How about missing an appointment because you didn’t remember between all the things you have to do? People have many things to attend to, and understandably, they forget about some of them. As a client, missing an appointment you had with your dermatologist might not make a big difference, but as a business, it does. SMSes are some of the methods businesses use to remind customers about payment dates, events, and appointments, among other responsibilities. Text messages are highly effective communication media between companies and their customers. They don’t just deliver messages but ensure engagement as well. How do they accomplish this?
SMS is Readily Available
Text messaging is one feature you can expect to find on all phones, regardless of make or model. It’s an inbuilt system that provides basic communication for users. Therefore, you can be confident that your SMS reminders will reach almost every customer with a phone. It doesn’t even have to be a smartphone. Your customers don’t have to do anything extra, like downloading an app, to receive your messages. Due to the minimal effort involved in receiving and reading SMS, you are certain of getting your message across to a large audience.
Fewer Interruptions
With SMS reminders, you can interact with customers with minimal disruption. A reminder sent as a text message doesn’t require the recipient to write back. So, all your target audience has to do is open and read. It takes less than a minute, meaning no disruptions. As a business, you eliminate the need for customers to call back. You have an even bigger advantage by automating SMS reminders since you don’t have to rely on employees to send the messages every time.
Higher Receive and Read Rate with SMSes
Another justification for spending money on SMS reminders for your business is because they have a higher open and read rate of 42%, than emails, at 32%. Therefore, they are more effective when looking to interact with customers. When you send reminders for an upcoming sale, you can be confident that almost half of your recipients read them.
Instant Communication
SMSes boost engagement between businesses and their customers because they are instant. Picture how quickly it takes you to read a text. When you receive it, you can read it immediately or even skim through it as a floating notification. Now, consider how effective a phone call or email would be in delivering the same message. Phone calls are invasive, which is how many people avoid them. If your audience is the younger generation, you will particularly have a hard time reaching them through calls. As for emails, many people check their inboxes a few times a day, some even once. If you are going to send reminders, then you end the recipient to see them as soon as possible. SMSes do that.
Electronic reminders are an excellent way for businesses to build stronger relationships with customers. It facilitates engagement with customers without overwhelming them. Increased interaction with customers goes a long way in inspiring loyalty. It’s how you boost the chances of repeat customers. SMS reminders also help reduce cancellations for appointment-based services, thus increasing revenue.