How SMS is emerging as a customer service channel

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
Open Access BPO14 hours ago
Among other benefits, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 monitors and reviews user-generated content to:
• ensure the safety of customers;
• combat spam and potential scams;
• prevent misinformation and fake news;
• boost user experience; and
• cultivate an inclusive community.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?
Explore the fascinating types of #ContentModeration shaping the digital landscape: https://buff.ly/3WR5rn5

----------
Work with our content experts to build a community where everyone feels heard and protected: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
Open Access BPO
Open Access BPO1 day ago
Preventing your customers from leaving your brand may not be as easy as it sounds, but here are 5 tips your outsourced #CallCenter's customer retention team must consider: https://buff.ly/3Nem7Sb

----------
Ensure brand loyalty with Open Access BPO's high-quality #CustomerSupport. Contact us today: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerRetention
Open Access BPO
Open Access BPO2 days ago
#CallCenter Team Leaders drive progress and ensure top-notch service for your brand's customers.

Want to unlock the secrets to becoming an extraordinary leader for your team?
Here are the 5 biggest enemies of great leadership, along with a few tips on how to be a good leader: https://buff.ly/45LagCr

----------
Partner with Open Access BPO. We have great call center agents and team leaders to guarantee your brand's growth: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
Open Access BPO
Open Access BPO5 days ago
To build a truly customer-centric organization, your #CustomerExperience team must be highly emotionally intelligent.

Here are the 5 advantages of cultivating #EmotionalIntelligence among your #CallCenter staff: https://buff.ly/43uHbcu

----------
Connect with an #outsourcing firm that can deeply connect with your customers: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CX #CustomerSupport
Open Access BPO
Open Access BPO5 days ago
Love knows no boundaries, and this month, we celebrate the beautiful #diversity that makes us who we are. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 honors and uplifts the LGBTQIA+ community, their achievements, and their ongoing fight for equality.

Open Access BPO joins the LGBTQIA+ community in celebrating authenticity, acceptance, and love this #PrideMonth.

Let's all spread love in all of its forms! Happy Pride!

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #Pride2023
#OASpeaksWithPride
#OneWithDiversity
Open Access BPO
Open Access BPO6 days ago
#FlashbackFriday: Revisit an enlightening blog post that delves into the historic Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in #LGBTQIA+ history.

Let's honor those who paved the way for progress, sparking a movement that continues to inspire change today: https://buff.ly/3C9zdd8

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#PrideMonth #InclusivityMatters
#PrideMonth #Pride2023 #PrideHistory
#OASpeaksWithPride #OneWithDiversity
Open Access BPO