The Ultimate Guide to SMS Communication
SMS communication offers a cost-effective solution for a variety of business needs, including boosting collections, providing real-time updates to your customers and reaching your audience instantly. However, navigating compliance, integrations and analytics can make SMS complex. That’s why TCN compiled this guide, complete with do’s and don’ts when using SMS communication — so you have everything you need to integrate seamlessly, automate efficiently, track your results and reap all of the benefits of SMS without stressing about the fine print.
Request a Demo Learn MoreThe benefit of SMS for contact centers
SMS text messaging offers your contact center a convenient, personalized and fast way to communicate with customers. It has a variety of uses for your contact center, including quick order confirmations, appointment reminders and real-time updates. In addition, automated responses can efficiently address common questions. Ultimately, by leveraging this tool, you can improve customer satisfaction by enhancing customer interactions – all while boosting overall efficiency.
Traditional channels vs. SMS communication
TCN’s 2024 Consumer Survey revealed SMS as the fastest-growing and most preferred communication channel for 28% of respondents. By offering one-touch responses and secure, personalized messages, your customers will love the ability to respond on a familiar channel, which then leads to increased loyalty and engagement.
SMS offers speed, convenience and cost-effectiveness while traditional methods like phone calls, emails and chat can be more time-consuming and require more agent attention. While these established practices still have their place, SMS can complement these channels to provide a more comprehensive and efficient customer experience.
The do’s and don’ts of SMS
SMS is a powerful tool for engaging customers, but it requires a strategic approach. From ensuring compliance and crafting effective messages to handling customer data and continuing to offer communication options on other channels, TCN understands the challenge of deciphering how to use SMS effectively. That’s why we’ve broken it down into this simple list so you can get the most out of SMS without risking a compliance breach:
Do:
- Obtain explicit, verifiable consent to contact your customers before initiating SMS communication.
- Provide an easy opt-out mechanism in each correspondence.
- Keep your messages brief and to the point to maximize impact.
- Utilize customer data, like open, click-through and conversion rates, to see what’s working with your audience and adjust accordingly.
- Personalize messages – address your customers by name and cater to their individual needs and preferences.
Don’t:
- Send messages outside of typical business or waking hours.
- Offer SMS as your only communication channel. Integrate it seamlessly into your overall omnichannel strategy to give customers the flexibility to engage across multiple channels and boost customer satisfaction.
- Send messages too often. Limit your SMS communication to about 2-6 messages per month to avoid overwhelming your customers and hurting your engagement.
- Use a one-size-fits-all approach by sending the same message to all of your consumers. Segment your customer base based on demographics, behavior and preferences to deliver targeted, relevant messages.
Adhering to these guidelines will allow you to use SMS to enhance customer engagement, improve communication and drive meaningful results within your contact center without putting you at risk for breaking compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is consent?
Consent is permission to opt-in to receive communications from a business and is required by law under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Additional resources can be found on TCN’s Complete Guide to TCPA Compliance.
Do I need a customer’s consent before I send a text message?
Yes. Consent is required before sending text messages to an individual. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforces rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to protect consumers from unwanted calls or text messages.
How do I get a customer’s consent before sending text messages?
Express consent comes in the form of an individual agreeing to receive future text communication and can be obtained by asking the customer via text (after they have texted you), a website, verbally or in written form.
Can I send text messages to customers who have replied STOP?
No, you cannot send text messages to customers who have replied STOP or have opted out entirely. Using TCN’s Natural Language Compliance to manage consent profiles is easy and will alleviate the nuance of tracking consent profiles and communication preferences, keeping your call center compliant.
If a customer opts out of text messages, can they come back at a later date and opt back in?
Yes. Customers can opt back in at any time or future date following similar opt-in processes.
Why should I consider using text messaging as a communication channel?
Today, consumers want more ways to pay bills and receive notifications from businesses they interact with. Increasingly more devices are text-ready. Text messaging is effective at improving engagement, reducing costs and increasing collection rates.
Does TCN charge to register my SMS numbers?
No. There is no additional cost to have your SMS numbers verified or registered as a trusted sender with TCN. For more information, please contact us at 866-745-1900.
Why am I getting message blocked while testing?
It’s advisable to avoid using the term “test” when sending test messages, as these could trigger blocks.
Sending similar messages at intervals of half an hour or more to the same destination number from one source number may result in blocking. These repeated messages might be flagged as potential spam. It’s recommended to wait for a period before sending another test message and to utilize a varied message content format that does not include the term “test.”