The BulkSMS team look at the many different business and marketing applications for SMS. 

We’re living in a mobile-first world, which is why it’s no surprise that SMS remains one of the preferred communication tools in a business owner’s toolkit. Because of the nature of SMS, business owners have taken to including it in many different processes. From authentication and alerts to marketing and promotional messages, SMS is being used at every step of their communication strategy. Below we outline a few ways SMS is being used by businesses to save time, money and resources.

Marketing and promotions
Whether you’re offering a new service, or you’re running a week of crazy deals, SMS is the perfect tool to keep your customers and clients up to date at all times. By engaging with your customers regularly, you’ll keep them in the loop, while making sure they remain loyal, paying customers. Not sure where to start? Take a look at our article on the Dos and Don’ts of SMS marketing.

Automated onboarding processes
Looking to grow your business? Well, you’ll need to nurture your leads and move them from interested prospects to paying customers. One of the simplest ways to do this is by automating your SMS communications through the onboarding process. Whether you choose to SMS-enable your CRM system using our API, or you use one of our already-built integrations, SMS automation will ensure that your customers are kept in the loop throughout their entire journey with you.

Real-time updates
If you’re in the eCommerce industry, then you’ll know just how important it is to keep your customers up to date on their purchases. Using SMS, you can send order confirmations as soon as an order has been placed, and then keep your customers in the loop by sending real-time notifications about expected delivery times. You can also send updates about the shipping status and let customers know of any delays or issues along the way.

Customer feedback
Allowing your customers to send their queries, concerns or feedback directly to you via SMS – and receive an instant response directly to their phone – is great for customer retention. You can ask your customers to respond to an SMS once the goods have been delivered, or at any point during a transaction, allowing for instant feedback.

Appointment reminders
If you’re in the business of consulting or meeting with customers, no-shows are costing your business money. Sending appointment reminders 24 hours before an appointment is an easy and effective way to reduce no-shows or last-minute cancellations, and it offers the customer a chance to cancel or reschedule their appointment well in advance.

Internal communications
SMS is increasingly being used by companies to communicate with their employees. In many cases, it is being used alongside email and / or staff intranet portals to ensure that the message is seen. From meeting reminders, shift scheduling, last-minute alerts, to newsletters, event invites and emergency alerts – SMS is being used to do it all.

Automated business processes
Not only does automation create seamless processes, it also frees up resources and manpower, reducing costs and giving you more time to focus on growing your business. Using our SMS API, you can easily SMS-enable your website, application or customer relationship management platform.

SMS is a powerful tool that can easily be used to improve and streamline your business growth and processes. Ready to get started? Sign up today!