Business is quickly changing, and ensuring your customers are loyal and happy is increasingly important. Text messaging helps you retain customers through a clear and quick communication channel.
With recent events, customer support teams have seen an influx of support tickets, cancellations, returns, service disruptions, and heightened levels of uncertainty. A recent report showed increases of 6 to 24 percent in companies’ average weekly ticket volume since February. Companies are searching for ways to maintain customer satisfaction, even among increased frustrations and support tickets, so they don’t lose previous customers.
Messaging is a popular channel with customers. Compared to 2016, 23% more people will opt-in to receive SMS messages from companies in 2020. It’s clear that customers, especially right now, want fast and convenient access to support. They are able to search for brands that offer immediate resolution through their preferred channels. You must be prepared to respond and help customers through messaging because companies who consistently deliver fast and personalized support will come out on top.
3 Ways Text Messaging Helps Retain Customers
1. Better and faster customer service
Today, if customers have a bad support experience they will find a new brand or company to do business with. There is little room for error when it comes to ensuring customer satisfaction. Text messaging allows you to respond quickly to ever inquiry and resolve more tickets, faster. Reps can respond to multiple inquiries simultaneously so customers aren’t left waiting in long queues. Conversational history that is saved through your text messaging service will allow any rep to jump into a conversation with a customer and quickly understand the relationship with this customer. They won’t have to ask repeat questions and the customer will appreciate that every person they talk to is aware of the problem. It shows that your company cares about each individual, something that is very important for retention.
2. Personalized communication
Customers are tired of getting emails spamming their inbox. Email open rates are much lower than text messaging because email is less personalized and often customers don’t want to read through paragraphs of information. Text messaging can be automated and personalized to each individual customer, ensuring their experience is unique to their interests. And with only 160 characters, they don’t have to sift through tons of information to know exactly why you are reaching out to them. You can include simple CTAs that are relevant to each customer. For example, upcoming webinars on topics they are interested in, discount codes for merchandise or online educational courses, or case studies. They will appreciate that each time you reach out it is purposeful and relevant to them.
3. Customer polls and feedback
Getting customer feedback is important to improving your business. Text messages offer a simple way for you to handle customer polls and follow-up surveys. Rather than calling or emailing surveys, you can just text them a poll with a few questions. They can answer anonymously and are more likely to respond because they don’t actually have to talk to anyone. You can then use answers and feedback to create even better experiences for your customers.
The Bottom Line
Text messaging helps you retain customers. During a time where it’s important to stand out, texting helps you personalize conversations and quickly respond to questions and offer support. Customers will appreciate that you’re reaching out via their preferred channel and will remain loyal to your business as you continue to provide relevant conversations.
Want to see how SMS-Magic Converse helps clients achieve all of this with text messaging? Reach out and we’d be happy to give you a personal tour and share examples from our clients!
