SMS for customer service: 7 Tips to delight customers

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Flawless customer service is essential in this crowded and competitive business landscape. As a SaaS solution with over 20 years of experience in SMS for customer service, we know how critical it is to provide immediate support.

Our clients use our solution as a reliable and effective way to communicate with their clients.

This blog post will explore the reasons why you should adopt text customer service to interact with clients and how to integrate it into your business successfully.

SMS for customer service as a channel

According to Statista, there will be 7.33 billion mobile phone users worldwide in 2023, nearly all able to send and receive SMS messages. So SMS is one of the most common forms of communication worldwide.  

The accessibility of SMS customer support is appealing, as clients can easily text customer service regardless of their location or time zone. Businesses can use SMS customer support to keep in touch with their customer base, send updates, and respond to common questions.

3.5 trillion SMS business messages will be sent in 2023 from an estimated 2.5 trillion in 2019.

Source: Juniper Research

Why use SMS for customer service?

You can easily increase customer satisfaction and streamline communication processes with SMS customer service. Let’s explore the perks of text customer service and how it can be a powerful tool for your company.

1. Customers prefer SMS for customer service

According to a study by CTIA, the open rate for text messages is 98%. Also, text messaging is conversational in nature, allowing customers to resume their conversations quickly. 

Customer service SMS allows for a more personal connection with your customers. You can customize your messages by addressing them by name and establishing a direct line of communication. This can go a long way in building trust and enhancing the overall customer experience.

2. SMS is increasing in demand

SMS has increased in demand over the last few years because of how easily it can be used for any situation. It’s no longer just about sending a quick “Hey” or “Happy birthday.”

Instead, it solves common problems – such as appointment reminder confirmations, delivery notifications, two-step authentications, etc.

3. Customers are more interested in on-the-go solutions

One-third of all consumers believe that the most critical aspect of a positive customer service experience is having their issue resolved in just one interaction, regardless of how long it takes.

On-the-go solutions allow customers to access support wherever they are without using any other software. Ultimately, SMS texting support offers customers a quick and easy solution that is more convenient for them.

4. Customers want to be able to provide feedback

Customers appreciate the convenience of sending a text message to share feedback quickly and easily.

Setting up SMS flows for feedback can be automated. Simply determine the criteria for sending a message.

For example, a message is sent automatically after a purchase is complete or a customer service issue has been resolved. You can tailor the message and even include a survey or review page link for easy customer feedback.

5. SMS for customer service is gaining popularity

Customers can receive quick, individualized support using SMS instead of waiting hours on hold for a customer service agent to answer the phone. More and more helpdesks and support tools are also adding SMS as a support channel. 

Text customer service has been known to improve your NPS and CSAT scores by providing quick resolution of customer issues.

Benefits of SMS for customer service

Here are the main benefits of using text messaging for customer support.

SMS delivers instantly to any device

Text customer service delivers instantly to any device — it can reach your customers even if they’re waiting in line to get fresh coffee or working from home.

Easier to access than live chat or phone-based support

With text messaging, customers can reach out for support anytime without worrying about call center hours.

Less intrusive than a phone call

You can also use SMS to send reminders for important milestones, like when your customer’s subscription is about to expire or the delivery date of their package. This is much less intrusive than calling.

According to a Pew Research survey from 2020, the majority of American adults, 80% or more, do not take calls from unrecognized numbers.

It doesn’t feel like asking for support

Text-based customer service is often less formal than other types of support. This can make clients feel like they’re having a one-on-one conversation with a representative rather than interacting with an AI.

Additionally, SMS support allows for back-and-forth dialogue, which can help build rapport and foster connections.

Cost-effective and easy to use

Unlike other forms of communication, SMS enables businesses to rapidly and effectively reach customers. Additionally, it is convenient to use due to its minimal setup and maintenance requirements. The cost per message for business texting platforms like TextMagic starts at only $0.04 per message.

Automation opportunities

Data sharing is facilitated by integrations, which automate workflows. You can integrate data acquired from customer service into marketing efforts using an API to link the customer SMS software and your CRM.

By integrating autoresponders with various apps, you can give your customers the instant support they need. Zapier SMS integrations can also help you create no-code automation using IFTTT logic.

It’s more reliable than email (which ends up in spam folders).

SMS messages tend to be more reliable than emails. They have a 98% open rate compared to 20 percent for emails. Also, SMS service texting is less susceptible to spam filters, meaning less chances that your messages are lost or deleted. 

Actionable tips for using SMS for customer service

Here are seven tips that will help you make the most of texting for customer support.

1. Determine the right SMS provider

The first step is to choose the right solution provider. Depending on the specific requirements of your business and the goals you want to achieve with SMS customer service, there are two types of communication tools to consider.

1.1. A dedicated business texting solution

If you are a smaller business, all you need is a dedicated business texting software for customer support. This type of software offers the following functionalities:

• Virtual SMS phone numbers,
• SMS autoresponders and templates for common inquiries, 
• Merge fields for message personalization,
• Text message scheduling, 
• API and no-code integrations.

1.2. A multi-channel communication software

If you want to provide multi-channel support and add more context to your support and marketing activities, we recommend an all-in-one communication tool.

2. Stick to relevant information

When using SMS customer service, it is vital to stay focused on relevant information and provide clear, concise answers. An easy way to do this is to provide essential information in the initial message, such as the customer’s name or the order number.

Use simple language so that your customers can easily follow what you’re saying.

Follow basic texting etiquette and avoid using long words, emojis, or slang. Don’t use complicated sentence structures, and steer clear of trying to impress with fancy words or purple prose.

3. Synchronize other channels with SMS for customer service

You should provide customers with multiple channels for contacting support, depending on the nature of their inquiry. Email or web forms might be more appropriate for complex issues, while SMS is recommended for emergency situations or when a user has already left your website.

Here are a few ways that you can improve your SMS customer support experience:

• Proactively push valuable data to your customers before they even ask for it.
• Allow agents to work on SMS support requests like any other service channel.
• Maintain a consistent tone on all your support channels.
• Offer SMS as a contact option in your chat widget or add click-to-text forms on support pages.

4. Send regular updates and respond quickly

One way of keeping customers in the loop is by ensuring you’re sending regular updates. 

Whether it’s a new product release, a policy change, or an update to a help ticket, make sure you follow up immediately.

Clients expect to receive responses from customer text support within a reasonable timeframe. This could even mean responding to a question within a few minutes.

Regular updates and prompt replies can help build trust and foster a positive relationship between your business and your customers.

It’s essential to update customers on their issues and when they will be solved. Here’s how:

• Give them an estimate of how long it will take to fix their problem. 
• Keep them informed about what is happening with their issue: if you’re waiting for another department or person to handle the problem, let them know! 
• If there are any complications along the way, let your customer know that, too–it’ll help build trust in your brand.

5. Balance SMS automation with human interaction

Balancing automated customer service texting with human interaction requires a deep understanding of your customer’s needs.

There are instances where automation just isn’t enough. In these cases, agents need to step in and provide personalized service.

Automation is excellent for pre-scripted responses, but agents are generally needed in conversations requiring more complex answers. 

For example, you’ll want an agent to handle a misdelivered package to the wrong address. The customer support agent can provide a personalized response based on specific customer order details.

6. Provide multiple communication channels

It’s a good idea to offer multiple options for your customers to get in touch with you. Texting, web chat, and live chat are all great ways to stay connected with your customers and help them.

Having various communication channels will make your customers feel supported. Think of a client who requires more information due to a complicated problem. 

Switching from SMS to email in this situation might make sense. The client will receive a more thorough response to their problem, and you can also follow up with ticket updates via SMS to keep them in the loop.

7. Prioritize and categorize incoming support texts

One way to prioritize and categorize incoming text messages is to connect your SMS channel to a support tool.

Another way to keep support messages organized is by using dedicated virtual numbers to categorize support requests. For example, you could have a specific number just for customer support. Or, if you’re a bigger company, you could have dedicated numbers for different support categories (tech support, shipping, delivery, etc.).

The rise of text messaging is a great opportunity for customer support teams

The rise of messaging platforms has created a fantastic opportunity for customer support teams to delight their customers. As most consumers seek convenient solutions to their problems, the ability to provide instant support via text messaging is a game-changer for businesses.

By using SMS customer service as part of your customer support strategy, your business can streamline its support processes and improve response times, leading to increased efficiency.