Businesses are formed by people and are structured to provide services or products for a specific target audience. In addition to tailoring services for each niche, it is up to each company to select the most effective and convenient form of communication with their consumers because it will lead to a higher customer satisfaction rate. SMS business texting has proven itself to be one of the most resourceful styles of communication because you’re able to instantly deliver a message to the palm of your customer’s hands. Some companies are content with making phone calls or emailing their audience, while others find that spreading their message over social media platforms is what works best for them because their goal is to gain followers.
While the above-mentioned forms of communication may work well for many industries, in the service industry, it’s imperative that you’re able to contact your customers as fast as possible. If anything changes prior to or during a scheduled service job, you’ll want to have immediate communication with your customer to ensure quality service. More times than not, a scheduled service means you’re repairing, installing, treating, or improving something in someone’s home and that affects their quality of life so keeping them in the loop is crucial and will determine how they rate the service you provided.
Making phone calls to customers has always been the most common method of contact but SMS business texting delivers a more immediate and responsive communication tool that’s easy for all target audiences to use. 98% of all text messages sent by a business are opened, and 95% of those messages are read within a matter of a few minutes.
The Text My Main Number SMS platform is being used by service professionals to:
Send Appointment Reminders
“Good Morning, Mrs. Taylor. Super Repair Technicians will be arriving at 3 pm today to fix your air conditioning. Your technician today will be John Smith. If you need to reach him, you can call him at 555-555-5555.”
The most universally accommodating and common form of using SMS business texting is to send appointment reminders. When customers schedule work to be done, especially if they need to be home for the service, a quick text an hour prior to you arriving will significantly reduce the number of customers who forget about their appointment. With a heads-up message an hour before, you’re giving your customers time to get ready for your arrival.
Schedule Appointments
“Hi there, is it possible to get a full cleaning this afternoon at 2 pm? I have some new prospects that are looking to view the property today. Thank you!”
If your customers know they can reach to you by text, you’re opening the door to faster and better customer service by providing a communication channel that instantly connects to you. Now, your customers don’t have to wait until they find time to make a phone call or write an email to request service. Facilitating how a customer can schedule an appointment may even boost your sales because you’ve made it easier for them to request service.
Make Schedule Changes
“Hello Mr. Douglas. Your technician, John, is stuck in a little bit of traffic. He’s going to arrive about half hour late. Sorry for the inconvenience!”
It’s not always easy to time a home service. Unexpected circumstances happen in real life and there will be times that either you or the client needs to reschedule. It may be because your work gets backed up, a worker calls in sick, your truck or equipment breaks down, or any other unforeseen situation that causes a change in the schedule. At times like this, using SMS business texting to send a message to update your customer can avoid upsetting them any further. By the same token, texting also allows your customer to tell you about any personal emergency that has presented itself that will cause them to have to make a schedule change as well.
Send Status Updates
“We’re installing the insulation tubes now, so your pipes are almost done!”
If you’re providing a service that will take many hours or days and your customer doesn’t need to be home to overlook the entire development, the best way to keep them updated is through text messaging. You can even send an image to show them how the work is coming along. Sending status updates helps the customer feel like they’re right there with you as you complete the work and leaves no room for them to guess where in the process you are. Keeping them engaged delivers a more connected form of customer service and the feedback you’ll receive upon completion of the project is sure to be a positive one.
Provide Quick Consultations
“Hi, ABC Electric! Would this light fixture be a bad idea, or might it be a safety hazard?”
Customers having the ability to send you a picture of an item they’re looking to buy or install can prevent disastrous situations from occurring. Many service professionals offer repair or maintenance services and people would love the idea of getting a quick consult before they cause the need for a repair. If your client is not sure about how dangerous an item may be and they’re able to reach you for a quick consult, it can easily result in scheduling a work order right after. For example, your response to their question may be:
“That light fixture would actually be a great addition to your hallway, but I don’t recommend you install it on your own. The wiring work may be tricky or hazardous so let me know when you’d like me to come by to install it for you.”
Answer Logistical Questions
“Good afternoon, Lacey. My GPS says we’re at the right address, but I don’t see your house number. Is the entrance around back?”
At times, preparing and scheduling for a work order requires more coordination than other cases. Logistics can get tricky but having the ability to quickly send a text to ask the right questions will reduce the chance of being late and causing the rest of your work orders for the day to get backed up. You can also notify them of any other problem that presents itself prior to arriving like their payment method being declined. Sending a message to notify them can help them resolve the issue before you arrive so that the payment is complete, and you can get started with the work upon arrival.
Send Follow-Up Messages
“Hi Mr. Patterson. Thank you for scheduling service with Super HVAC Techs today! Feel free to reach out to us via text if you have any questions or concerns. We look forward to working with you and receiving feedback.”
Sending follow-up messages is very important in the customer service process. Sending a text message to your customers after they schedule or upon completion of your work, lets them know that you care about the service you’re providing them with. Maintaining a relationship with your audience usually results in more work later on down the line. You can also collect feedback and invite customers to write positive reviews which will secure repeat business. If you’re a service professional who still uses traditional forms of communication like making phone calls or writing emails, it’s time you modernize the way you communicate by using SMS business texting to reach out to your customers. Find out how the service industry is using the Text My Main Number business texting platform by signing up for our free trial today and start providing a faster and more convenient way to communicate with customers.
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