If you have been researching the many benefits of Business Texting to learn if it is right for your business, you probably have come across some of the more common industries that have been reaping the rewards of this strategy.
Real estate businesses, for example, have been on the forefront of the business texting trend. Other industries, such as restaurants, hair salons, and auto body shops have also found great success with business texting.
However, the advantages of business texting are certainly not exclusive to a handful of industries. Likewise, business texting is so much more than a marketing strategy; it is a versatile tool that can be used to supplement, or even replace, a wide array of strategies in your tool box.
If you’re still deciding whether or not business texting is the right strategy for your business, consider the wide variety of ways that it has been put to great use across industries that you might not have ever expected.
To show you what we’re talking about, this article will delve into some of those less-talked-about industries and how they are using business texting.
- Banking and credit card institutions
One great use for business texting is providing an extra level of security, as shown by certain banking institutions and credit card companies.
According to Pew Research Center, 51% of U.S. adults bank online, while 32% of U.S. adults bank using their cellphones. This method of banking, though certainly convenient, may put security at risk. If someone were to gather your online banking username and password, it would only be a matter of time until they also had your account numbers and your hard-earned money.
Luckily, banking institutions and credit card companies have been utilizing business texting to further serve their customers by making them feel more secure in their online transactions.
TD Bank, for example, allows customers to opt-in to receiving a temporary six-digit security code every time they sign into their mobile banking app. That means, if a scammer is able to obtain someone’s username and password, they still would not be able to sign into their bank account (unless of course, they also have that person’s cell phone).
Credit card companies have implemented similar security measures by alerting customers who have opted-in via text of every transaction with their credit cards. Therefore, if someone steals a physical credit card or its number, the owner will be notified of the charge immediately. This ability for credit card companies to almost instantaneously alert customers of transactions- valid and fraudulent- increases security and brand trust.
Security has always been a concern for American consumers. With more personal information entered into the internet, it has become more crucial than ever for brands to ensure the safety of their customers. Business texting has allowed brands to provide that very security that their customers need and expect.
- Government and political campaigns
Another surprising entity using business texting is the government! No, they’re not sending SMS marketing campaigns with offers of “10% off your taxes this year.” Instead, governments and political campaigns are using business texting to update constituencies on pertinent information.
For example, with roughly 30 million Americans receiving unemployment benefits, largely as a result of COVID-19, the Department of Labor needed an efficient way to update claimants on changes to their benefits. Enter: business texting. The New York State DOL, for example, has been able to notify claimants about the recent changes to federal unemployment aid and other information that is crucially important to the livelihoods of so many New Yorkers.
Even major political candidates are taking advantage of business texting! Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, has made very good use of his mass texting service by sending campaign updates and donation requests. He even notified many American voters of his Vice Presidential pick via text!
No matter your business, or in this case government body, people want to be kept in the loop. 69% of consumers want to communicate with businesses via text; far be it from your business to disappoint.
- Doctor’s offices and pharmacies
The healthcare industry has also been enjoying the versatility of business texting, especially doctor’s offices and pharmacies. Doctors have found success in the use of business texting for scheduling appointments, requesting patient feedback and sending appointment reminders.
Business texting hasn’t just proven to be more convenient for doctor’s offices; it actually can save a significant amount of lost revenue in cancelled and missed appointments. Each year, missed appointments cost the healthcare industry about $150 billion. Less than 5% of scheduled appointments, however, actually result in cancellations after sending a reminder via text.
At the completion of an appointment, some doctor’s offices are also requesting patient surveys via text. This provides patients the ability to respond candidly, which is crucial to improving future care. Feedback is a vitally important resource for any business, and that’s especially true when it comes to the healthcare industry.
Pharmacies have also been able to provide better customer service through the use of business texting. For example, Walgreens offers text alerts for prescription updates. Now, customers can text Walgreens’ 5-digit short code to obtain the status of their prescription or refill, as well as its price. Customers can even request a refill via text after receiving a reminder from the pharmacy.
Walgreens makes good use of keywords in this case to prompt automated responses. Keywords such as ‘RXSTATUS’ and ‘Refill’ are common inquiries, and they have enabled their mass texting service to respond automatically for added customer convenience.
Business texting has allowed doctor’s offices and pharmacies to take patient care to all new heights through reminders, status updates and patient feedback requests. Even if your business is not in the healthcare industry, you could still use the same principles to provide exemplary service to your customers.
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As shown here, business texting is an incredibly flexible tool that can be used in any number of industries- even when you least expect it. And the benefits are undeniable! Whether you have already begun using a mass texting service or you’re still deciding whether this tool is right for you, it’s time to start thinking outside the box. Brainstorm innovative ways that you can use this tool to strengthen both your customer service and your business!
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