why do businesses use SMS

The issue: unread emails, unanswered calls

An email inbox is full of competition for the consumer’s attention,
making it that much harder for businesses to get noticed by their customers and prospects.

Getting someone to read an important email (or even getting them on a phone call)
is becoming more and more difficult.

48% of consumers have more than 50 unread messages in their inbox.
Most consumers refrain from weeding out unread messages, so emails keep piling up.
- - source: ZipWhip Why Your Customers Don’t Read Your Emails Anymore (pdf 15 MB)

Some updates are urgent and may be critical. Delivering them by email entails a risk
of the message not being read or landing in the spam folder.

When asked “how many email accounts do you have?” 77% answered “two or more”.
Usually only one is configured on the smartphone.

Calling customers and NOT getting an answer
or having the call go to voicemail,
is becoming increasingly common.

97% of consumers admit to ignoring calls from businesses and unknown numbers.
- - source: ZipWhip Why Your Customers Don’t Answer the Phone Anymore (pdf 15 MB)

The solution: text me

covid-19 increased the use of electronic devices,
64% of interviewed people declared: “I spend more time on my phone”.

58% of consumers say that texting is the most effective way for businesses to reach them quickly.
- - source: ZipWhip State of texting 2021 (pdf 21 MB)

Even in e-commerce, where email is usually required for registration,
some large companies, including Amazon, offer the possibility to register via the mobile number.

The explanation: five good reasons for texting

1. It is immediate
   Text messages are almost always read, usually seconds after they’re received.
   Open rates exceed the 95% threshold (of this 95%, 90% occur within three minutes of delivery).
   SMS messages are short and concise, communications are essential and immediate.

2. It is simple
   They don’t need an internet connection to get to their recipient.
   It allows your brand to reach demographics that are not well-versed in technology.
   The use is similar to video content (fast, instantaneous, that can be said in 160 characters).

3. It is ubiquitous
   SMS is compatible with every mobile phone on the planet, without installing new apps.
   The smartphone (or old generation mobile phone) is always at the owner’s side like the wallet and the house keys.
   Gives the possibility to interact with a customer wherever he is, through a reliable channel.

4. It is cheap
   SMS messages have a low cost of sending.
   The average length of messages sent does not exceed 155 characters (the limit is 160 characters for a single message).
   Using texts in combination with phone calls or emails can save time when communicating with customers.

5. It is interactive
   Communication takes place through an “unloaded” channel, it is not “pushed”, it is not “stressed”.
   SMS is associated with higher importance, it is more likely to be opened and read. They are also more likely to be answered.
   The language of text messaging is simple and encourages interaction. Response rates are up to 45%.