Texting Can Change the Game for your Business: Six Use Cases

Texting has become a popular tool for businesses looking to improve their communication and customer experience. With the widespread adoption of smartphones, businesses are now able to reach customers where they are most active – on their mobile devices.

In this blog, we'll explore six key use cases for texting in a business environment, and how it can help businesses communicate more effectively and efficiently.

Use Case #1: Customer Service

Businesses can use texting to communicate back and forth with customers, answering incoming customer requests in real-time, hence improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. This can be especially useful for businesses that operate in industries that receive a high volume of customer inquiries, such as retail, hospitality, and financial services.

For example, a customer who is having trouble with a product can send a text to the company's customer service number and receive a timely response on the device of their choice. The customer and company rep can continue a texting thread until the issue is resolved. Texting is also more convenient than a traditional phone call or email, resulting in a more positive customer experience. Bonus: the company has a written log of the communication thread, which can be sent to the customer for reference, or be saved by the company for training purposes.

Use Case #2: Appointments and Scheduling

Many businesses now use texting for scheduling appointments and confirming details with customers. This not only saves admin time but also increases customer responsiveness.

For example, a hair salon can send a text to a customer to confirm their appointment time and date. The customer can then send a text message back, confirming their attendance. And since the communication has been initiated, the hair salon can ask for images or photos to better understand the customer's needs and expectations.

Use Case #3: Marketing and Promotions

SMBs can use texting to communicate special offers and promotions to customers, helping their business increase sales and improve customer engagement. This is a more personal and targeted approach than other marketing channels like email or advertising, and can result in a higher conversion rate.

For example, a spa can send a text message to one of its customers offering a discounted care package with a link to book an appointment. The customer can then choose to send a text back, which will initiate a private conversation with the spa, or click on the link in the text message to book an appointment.

Note that SMS/MMS marketing campaigns in Canada are subject to Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL) requirements. If this use case applies to you, please make sure your campaigns are in compliance with CASL. For more information, visit the CASL website.

Use Case #4: Order Confirmations and Delivery Updates

Businesses can use texting to confirm orders and provide delivery updates, reducing the number of calls to customer service and improving overall customer experience. This can be especially useful for businesses that sell products online or through mobile apps, such as e-commerce companies and food delivery services.

For example, a food delivery service can send a text message to confirm a customer's location or inquire about a specific instructions entered during the order process. The food delivery service can then send another text to the customer to provide updates on the delivery status, ensuring that the customer is informed and satisfied with the delivery experience.

Use Case #5: Employee Communication

Texting can also be used to communicate with internal employees, too. Internal team messaging helps improve team collaboration and efficiency. It's a great communication channel that can be added to the mix and used to provide updates, send reminders and delegate tasks. This can be especially useful for businesses with remote or distributed teams, such as consulting firms, software development companies, and technology providers.

For example, two employees in the same consulting firm can text back and forth about an upcoming deadline and quickly delegate ownership of any remaining tasks. Not only does team messaging improve the firm's productivity, it gives team members a convenient way to quickly communicate while ensuring project deadlines are met.

Use Case #6: Lead Generation

Texting can be used to reach out to potential customers and generate new leads, expanding the customer base and increasing sales. This can be especially useful for businesses that operate in industries with high customer acquisition costs, such as real estate, insurance, and financial services. For example, a real estate agent can publicize their business number and receive text messages from potential customers. This can help the agent to generate new leads and expand their customer base.

Texting is now a critical tool for businesses, whether for improving internal team communications, leveling up customer experience, or increasing sales. Many businesses are utilizing SMS/MMS to communicate with clients, and if your organization hasn't started, you may be missing out. Contact our team for a Cloudli Connect demo and to learn how you can add SMS/MMS to your communication mix.