There’s been a generational shift in how we use our phones. Gone are the days of tying up the landline. In fact, 8 in 10 people today won’t answer a call if it comes from an unknown number! In contrast, texts have a 99% open rate, with almost all recipients opening their texts in the first few minutes. Texting is a powerful way of getting in touch with customers or donors, so if your contact center is yet to get on the texting bandwagon, now is the time! Here are some ways SMS messaging can help you do better business.
Gauge Sentiment with One-Tap Reviews
Post-call or visit SMS follow-ups are a great way to monitor customer or donor satisfaction and ensure that your service meets their needs. If they’re unsatisfied, you’ll know promptly – meaning that you’ll be able to address the issue before they leave a negative review or take to social media with a complaint. If they are satisfied, you can gather quotes for reviews or testimonials to be used on your website or review platforms.
Keep Customers and Donors Up to Date
SMS messaging is a simple way to keep building customer and donor relationships without taking up too much of someone’s day. Send out personalized messages highlighting relevant new stores or products, upcoming events, and exciting brand or campaign milestones. Use this approach sparingly and without always “selling”, and you’ll gradually build a powerful rapport with the recipient.
Offer Benefits and Perks
SMS outreach is a great way to show customers or donors you care. Share discount codes and “first look” opportunities, celebrate personal milestones such as birthdays or brand anniversaries, and send “thank you” or “impact” messages to donors when campaigns reach certain milestones. You’ll show your subscribers the value of being on your list – and increase the likelihood that they’ll open your messages and engage with your organization.
Reduce Your Outreach Costs
Direct mailers are effective but expensive. While they can deliver solid ROI in some niches, in others, such as the non-profit space, you want to keep expenses as low as possible while still ensuring campaign effectiveness. Switching to SMS outreach for event invitations, responses, or donation pledges can help reduce costs and drive higher response rates. You’ll also avoid sending costly mail-outs to people who no longer live at their listed address. Don’t forget to add a Google Maps address card to any event invitations you send!
Boost Your Donations with Text Integration
Texts aren’t just about sharing information and keeping customers updated. For non-profits, they can also be a great way to boost donations. An integrated donation capture platform like ACD’s SimpleDonate makes capturing donations through tailored forms easy- and then maintaining full control over those donations. With A/B testing, the ability to donate on behalf of others, and social media sharing functionality, it’s a text-based option with plenty of opportunities to expand your campaign reach.
Integrate SMS into your Contact Center with ACD!
SMS is a powerful component of any omnichannel contact center solution. At ACD, we offer a full-service, cloud-based platform that helps your organization elevate its customer service no matter how your customers or donors like to get in touch. Our seamless solution even extends to an on-demand pool of experienced customer service pros who can step in to scale up your team whenever you need – such as during a major launch or in the lead-up to Giving Tuesday. To see how ACD can empower you to deliver an industry-leading customer experience, get in touch!
