The Rise of SMS and Unified Communications
“Just text me”
Those three words are being said now more than ever. It’s the perfect way to send a message without verbally interrupting a current conversation, meeting, class, ride – really anything. I even have some friends that, if they call me, I automatically assume something is wrong, because they never call… they just text.
With gen-Zers and even young millennials thinking that a phone call is just “old fashioned” or “formal”, choosing to send a text over making a phone call truly is the new normal. Now, it’s becoming highly requested and, in some cases expected, in the business communication world.
SMS stands for “Short Message Service”, and it’s basically a technical term for a text message. Business owners can now harness the immediacy and convenience of SMS messaging with many UC (Unified Communications) business phone systems. Imagine sitting in an Uber on your way to the airport, or sitting in a drive-thru on your lunch break. You have a simple question you want to ask your realtor/broker/child’s teacher/lawyer/insert profession here, and you don’t want to navigate the formalities or time of an actual phone call. Imagine being able to both call or text the exact same business phone number to ask that question. In my opinion, that’s a dream come true!
SMS is getting business accomplished faster than ever. Companies can protect their employees by giving them a way to receive messages from customers or clients without having to give up their personal phone number. With an SMS-enabled business phone system, you can add “Call or Text” to your business cards, and potentially get more business than you would have if it involved an actual call. I’d rather send a quick text message to a company for a rough quote or set-up a meeting without having to dial and sit in an IVR waiting to speak with someone. And voicemails….don’t even get me started! Yes, they are a way to communicate a message, but a text – now that’s immediate! The industries that can benefit from this are virtually everywhere!
Here are some examples of how customers and prospects can use SMS to communicate with a business:
Here are some ways business owners and organizations can use SMS to offer better service and improve customer experience:
I could go on and on. Minimally invasive yet effective and convenient ways to communicate will win every time. It’s not just sales departments that benefit: SMS is a great way for customer service teams to check-in with a customer, or for a small business to put a personal touch on recent orders. I personally text my hairdresser on her business number to see what she has available for a haircut next week.
According to Forbes: “64% of consumers believe that businesses should use SMS messages to interact with customers more often than they currently do.”
Texting is the most prominent form of communication in the industry today, and it deserves its place in day-to-day business communication. SMS gives businesses a way to stand out from their competitors and offer unmatched availability. It saves your company time, gets you feedback from customers faster, and helps you engage with your customers on a more personal level.
Having been in the game for quite some time and listening to our customers and partners requests, Sangoma has implemented SMS capabilities with it’s UC phone systems. Tying in SIPStation Retail with Switchvox provides users the convenience of the “call and text” from the same number feature with messages coming straight to your desktop softphone.
Not to mention that SIPStation is saving them money each month (up to 80%) from costly analog or PRI lines. Switchvox Cloud now has access to Sangoma Connect Mobile, SMS text messaging, an updated Switchvox Desktop Softphone, and more built right in. And as always, with Switchvox ALL features are included. Our Sales Team is standing by.
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