How SMS is emerging as a customer service channel

OABPO Blog Team Published on June 24, 2014

male-customer-on-smartphone-SMS-customer-service
When people hear the term “customer service,” the first thing that would come to their mind are outsourcing, call center, the Philippines, India, or other words that have become synonymous to customer care. This is because phone lines, along with email, live chat, and more recently, social media, are common channels that people use to contact companies and receive assistance. There is another platform, however, that is gaining traction in the customer service realm. It is SMS (short messaging system) or text messaging.

customer-service-couple-sms-text

Text messaging emerged as a customer service tool around the same time live chat and email gained ground as secondary channels and, sometimes, even alternative to the traditional phone lines.
Many businesses looked past SMS and, instead, focused on popular Internet-based services that the public can easily view and access. But these same reasons made companies realize the value of private and personal service that SMS gives, compared to the public and less personal nature of online customer service, particularly on social media.

Advantage over more popular customer service channels

SMS gives more than just greater privacy. Text messaging is more ubiquitous than services that require Internet access to work. In email and live chat, customers have to navigate through programs or the company website and fill out forms before they could send their message to an agent. On the other hand, customer relations apps require installation and might even be too confusing for some users to embrace. All these make SMS convenient for more urgent issues because of its simplicity and its function as a direct line to business representatives.

customer-service-sms-text-team

In addition, SMS is more cost-efficient and less complicated than telephones, making it preferable by companies with cost-cutting in mind and by consumers who don t want to go through queues and time-consuming call menus.

The potential of SMS

Text messaging has an enormous potential to be a major customer service channel or tool that can be operated alongside email and live chat in call centers.
In North America alone, 75% of the total population uses SMS, sending an average of 72,760 text messages every second. American mobile users also spend more time on their phone sending messages than making calls, with 2.3 trillion text messages getting sent annually and 2.29 trillion voice minutes spent each year. These numbers only fortify the notion that the demand for SMS-based customer service solutions is indeed growing, given that the texting generation is at its peak.

Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 23 hours ago
#TeamOABPO Davao marked #CustomerServiceWeek with a full week of engaging and fun activities. The celebrations brought everyone together through friendly competitions, shared meals, and moments that recognized the people who deliver excellent support to our clients every day.

It was a meaningful way to show appreciation for the teams who help us build lasting partnerships and deliver dependable customer experiences.

#OABPOCSWeek2025
#CSWeek2025 #MissionPossible
#CSWeek #WeAreOABPO
Open Access BPO 2 days ago
𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗦 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱:
𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 #TeamOABPO, 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘀

We recently wrapped up another awesome #CSWeek filled with fun activities, laughter, and appreciation for our amazing #CustomerService teams!

From games and challenges to team bonding and well-deserved treats, the week was all about celebrating the people who make Open Access BPO shine every single day.

At the heart of everything we do is our people. Our success comes from their dedication, passion, and commitment to providing world-class service. That's why we're proud to be an employee-first company, where hard work is recognized, and everyone's contribution truly matters.

We had a blast celebrating our #CustomerServiceWeek champions, and we're already looking forward to making CS Week 2026 even bigger and better!

#OABPOCSWeek2025
#CSWeek2025 #MissionPossible
#WeAreOABPO
Open Access BPO 10 days ago
𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

Open Access BPO launched its #CustomerServiceWeek 2025 celebration with an event honoring its #CustomerSupport teams.

This year's theme, Mission: Possible, celebrates how #TeamOABPO turns every #CustomerExperience challenge into success through skill, dedication, and teamwork.

A special highlight was a client video thanking employees for their commitment and excellence. Throughout the week, team members across all sites will enjoy themed games and activities leading up to a grand finale recognizing top performers.

#CSWeek remains one of Open Access BPO's most anticipated traditions, celebrating teamwork, recognition, and fun at work.

#CSWeek2025
#OABPOCSWeek2025
#WeAreOABPO #MissionPossible
Open Access BPO 14 days ago
We're stepping into the future.

The next chapter of Open Access BPO is almost here.

Be part of it.