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Customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to determine the success of a business. You may have the best product in the world, but having inefficient customer support could diminish the value of your brand. Customer support is an integral part of every business and has a dramatic impact on its growth. Having an effective customer support strategy not only adds value to your brand, but also helps with retaining customers, and positive endorsements for the business. Here’s how the humble SMS can lay the foundation of customer support.

Emails and phone calls have always been the standard portal for customer service. But in 2018, emails seem somewhat inept and no one wants to spend time being put on hold while waiting for an issue to be resolved.

SMS is a very important channel when it comes to catering to a customer base that thrives on the mobility of services. According to research, nearly 78% of people would prefer texting a business rather than a phone call or email. Phone calls are unpopular because they require a person to answer the phone and the recorded message while waiting for the call to be answered doesn’t make things any better. Emails are not checked as frequently by most customers and the speed at which they are delivered depends on internet speed from the customer’s end.

Texting tends to fill the gaps in the area of customer support. Furthermore, SMSes can be automated based on the nature of the inquiry.

In addition to being faster, SMSes provide a personal touch when communicating with customers. Customers also feel empowered since they have a record of the conversation as opposed to a phone call where the transcripts of the call are available only with the customer support team. SMSes are a proactive way of lending support to a client.

SMSes can enhance customer support by:

• Encouraging customer interaction
• Scheduling service requests
• Providing guidance in a methodical manner
• Notifying customers when the request has been completed
• Confirming if the customer is satisfied with the resolution of the problem

Whether used in combination with other modes of communication, SMSes are a great way of building customer loyalty in a manner that goes beyond a business interaction.

Here’s why you need and should open up a channel of support through SMS for your customers: 

#1. It’s Private

When someone receives an SMS, it is aimed towards their eyes only. It’s personal, between them and the sender. This brings about a sort of personal touch to the idea of SMSs. This level of personalness is comforting to the customer which leads to loyalty.

#2. Get the Right Feedback: 

SMS is a useful tool for getting accurate information and feedback from the customer. It is of great importance that the information received from customers is accurate and with SMS, this can be confirmed at the convenience of the customer. Customer feedback helps shape the road ahead of businesses. It gives them areas to work on, directions to consider, and changes to be made.

#3. People are forgetful, they appreciate gentle reminders: 

A missed appointment is a waste of time and resources. A gentle reminder is always a good thing. Businesses can ensure no allotted time spaces are missed through just SMS reminders. Apart from this, the SMS can serve as a reliable medium to inform customers whenever an appointment is canceled.

#4. Don’t let them forget you are always looking forward to seeing them again:

Customers appreciate being rewarded with kindness and gratitude. Telling them, through a simple SMS, that their presence was appreciated makes a lot of difference in comparison to saying nothing at all. This is something to keep in mind.

#5. No beating around the bush: 

Texting is all about being concise. An email is a place for being flashy and thorough. In SMS, you’re only writing a brief summary of whatever message you’re trying to convey. With practice, it becomes a skill to convey all you want to say in 160 words.

There we have it. The SMS is a crucial and often ignored aspect when it comes to achieving a smooth relationship with customers, and shouldn’t be overlooked. We hope this post had served as a reminder for something you should be doing if you’re not, and if you are, to continue doing better.