Embrace Text Communication 

The first text message was sent almost 25 years ago. Today, 18.7 billion texts are sent EVERY day! Texting has become the most popular communication channel around the world, across all age groups. A Gallup poll found that sending and receiving text messages is the most prevalent form of communication for American adults under 50. Text communication is the most common form of communication for almost half of those over 50.

Texting communication is real-time. Text interactions create faster exchanges between customers and businesses and reduce customer effort to contact businesses. Customers want quick, easy ways to resolve problems and get questions answered. Reducing customer effort increases customer loyalty, retention and spending.

Businesses that open a text channel to their customers can reap benefits that result in both top line and bottom line growth. Here are five benefits of real-time communication for businesses.

Improves Customer Service

Customers are highly frustrated with having to contact a business multiple times to resolve an issue. In fact, 78% of customers have abandoned a transaction or not made an intended purchase due to a poor service experience.

Text communication enables customers to easily reach the right person in a business with one message. Businesses can establish a knowledgeable team to respond quickly to answer questions or provide information. No more phone transfers, phone tag, web-forms,  or email exchanges.

A robust text communication channel also allows businesses to proactively communicate with their customers, anticipating questions and building trust.

Resolve Problems More Efficiently

Customers don’t give businesses much time to resolve a problem with 50% leaving within 24 hours of experiencing a problem and 79% leaving within one week.

A text channel enables businesses to contact customers quickly when issues arise. Quick response reduces the escalation of problems. Customers, who are experiencing problems, want to know that someone is working on their issue and will often can contact a business multiple times if they feel no one is helping them.

Text Messages Get Read

Businesses increasingly rely on surveys, delivered through email, to get customer feedback.  Survey response rates are often low, resulting in worthless data. At the same time, 97% of text messages are opened. Customers desire short, concise messages and are more likely to open text over an email.

Own the Interactions

Businesses that open a text communication channel can control the relationship and own the data they get from those interactions. Businesses can use text communications to prompt actions, ask for feedback and provide valuable information to customers.

Businesses that offer a text communication channel must commit to interacting differently with their customers. When they do, they will reap the benefits of real-time customer interactions.

Originally published by Current in Carmel. 

Categorized in: Customer Service, Customer Experience

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