Businesses today require flexibility in how they communicate. While phone calls remain the preferred contact method for most customers, businesses are increasingly utilizing alternative communication methods like SMS to reach their customers. Over 97% of Americans own a cell phone, and on average, they’re more than twice as likely to text someone than they are to call them. Corporations have taken advantage of the increasing desire to use texting as a primary communication method by implementing business text messaging services, but smaller businesses have struggled to fill that gap.
That’s why AccessDirect offers an SMS texting option specifically designed for small businesses which can easily be added to any of our monthly plans. Our SMS enabled numbers and easy to use browser and smartphone apps can give your small business an easy, intuitive, and affordable way to take advantage of this increasingly important small business tool. Read on to find out more about this add-on option, or contact us today to get this feature on a new or existing subscription!
BUSINESS TEXT MESSAGING – BIG BENEFITS AT A LOW MONTHLY RATE
Consumers are much less likely to answer their phones today, even when calls are coming from a number they know and trust. Texting has become an incredibly important way to interact with your customers, but texting from a private cell phone or a single device has significant disadvantages. Business SMS text services like AccessDirect’s gives you a quick and convenient way to stay in touch with your customers, with an easy to use interface and access to a complete history of text conversations between you and your clients. Here are some other benefits you can expect from adding text messaging to your business communications:
- Keep Your Personal Cell Number PrivateGiving out your personal cell phone number to clients can be problematic, inviting calls and texts at all hours and harming your work/life balance. A business text messaging service like AccessDirect’s gives you a way to turn your main business number into a business sms number, allowing you to keep your personal number private.
- Instantly Text Customers From Your Smartphone or BrowserText your customers whether you’re in the office or on the go! Our business texting service can be used through our mobile app (available for both iPhone and Android) or through our online dashboard from your laptop or desktop.
- Free Up Your Phone LinesThink of all the phone calls you currently make to follow up with customers, or times where a short answer is needed for a question but you end up playing tag with a customer instead. By using a text for those types in interactions instead, you can cut down on your phone time while still getting or giving important information.
- More Convenient For You and Your ClientelePhone calls during business hours can often be disruptive to a customer’s day, or come at inconvenient times where they can’t take the call. By using a text instead, you’re giving your customers an opportunity to respond when it’s convenient for them, while still allowing you to communicate efficiently.
BUSINESS TEXT MESSAGING CASE STUDIES
Business SMS messaging is an incredibly flexible tool that can be tailored to your specific needs. Our customers have found many ways to take advantage of our text messaging service for business, and we’ve been able to help them maximize its day-to-day use. Here are a few examples of how some of our small business clients are using our business texting service that show just how many different ways it can be utilized!
Case Study: Construction Firm Provides Timely Updates Via SMS
A full service construction firm in South Carolina needed a platform that could host their existing business number as well as allow them to also send and receive SMS messages from it. To accomplish this, AccessDirect ported his existing local number from his carrier to ours, and made it a business SMS number. This gave the construction firm the option to use it for sending and receiving business text messages.
Now that they could send and receive text messages from their business line, they were able to incorporate SMS messaging into their communication strategy. While primarily using it to quickly confirm appointments and price quotes without worrying about missed calls or voicemails, they also use it to answer miscellaneous questions from customers about things like what style of home they might prefer or from vendors about materials drop-offs and pickups. Using text messaging for these quick, simple questions saved a lot of time that was otherwise spent on the phone and let them work on the other day-to-day aspects of the business.
Case Study: Property Management Firm Informs New and Potential Residents Through SMS
A north Texas property management company with over 200 properties was getting inundated with phone calls during business hours and voicemails after hours regarding their properties. The calls that needed priority were getting delayed because of volume, and staff were finding themselves answering the same inquiries all day every day. They were needing to simplify their phone process to ensure more timely and responsive communications between their front office and their current or potential tenants.
After making their business line SMS enabled, they worked with AccessDirect to set up an automated method for delivering documents with available rentals and leasing information directly to potential renters via text. Callers needing to discuss late payments or needed repairs are immediately texted information about the company’s policies prior to being transferred to a live person, and renters looking to make payments are texted a link to make payments online. Now the staff can better triage issues and focus on the day-to-day running of the properties, but still ensure that their clients are getting the information they need quickly.
Case Study: Restaurant Frees Up Phone Lines Thanks To Business SMS Texting
An Italian restaurant in Sarasota, Florida had made the transition to an online system for reservations and to-go orders, but was still fielding a great deal of these requests via phone call. They needed an easy way to retrain their customers to use the new system for these types of inquiries that was user friendly and did not make callers feel like they were being ignored or slighted. A business texting platform bridging the call-in method their diners were used to and the new online system turned out to be the perfect answer.
Utilizing their SMS enabled number and AccessDirect virtual IVR system, they were able to set up a phone system that allowed callers to choose from 3 options – reservations, online ordering, and hours and location. When callers selected reservations or online ordering, they would immediately be texted a link to book a table or place a to-go order. Now all phone inquiries were being routed to their new reservation and online ordering systems, and diners were able to get the assistance they needed even more quickly than before.
Case Study: Doctor’s Office Makes Scheduling a Snap with SMS Alerts
A podiatrist’s office in western Connecticut found themselves needing a easy way to provide quick updates to or confirm appointment details with their clients. The scheduling staff had been attempting to contact patients by phone to confirm details or request information prior to their appointments, but were getting stymied by missed calls, voicemail issues, and other hindrances. They needed a way to quickly get patients information that didn’t require multiple attempts to follow up.
Utilizing the SMS enabled numbers already on their account, they started using the texting capability on their online dashboard to send reminders instead of constantly playing “phone tag” with their patients. Now they were able to text patients their registration portal link, login information, or other important information quickly and easily. By switching to text for these matters, they not only ensured that patients got vital information in a timely manner, but freed up valuable time they would otherwise be spending on the phone.
BUSINESS SMS SERVICE CAN BE ADDED TO ANY PLAN
NEED A BUSINESS TEXTING SERVICE? CONTACT ACCESSDIRECT TODAY!
Since 1997, AccessDirect has continually looked for ways to improve our services, and our SMS business texting service is just the latest way we’re making small businesses sound bigger. We’ve worked to make our business texting platform as easy to use and intuitive as possible, allowing you the ability to communicate with customers however you like from wherever you are – whether that’s a phone call from the office or a text message from the field. We’re happy to offer this latest feature as a part of our commitment to give small businesses the same communication tools that Fortune 500 companies employ, but at an affordable monthly price.
You can have our business text messaging platform added to your current AccessDirect plan or as part of a new subscription in just a business day. Contact us to discuss how our business SMS service can meet your specific needs, or to get ideas on how to make it part of your overall communication strategy. A dedicated, US-based service representative is ready and eager to help you today!