Last week, the UK High Street took its first steps toward getting back to business. All businesses from retailers, restaurants, salons and more are getting used to the new way of engaging with their customers.
Contact-free customer service is becoming a staple of any business interaction. We’ve been exploring how SMS supports this new way of working, enabling customers to make appointments, book time slots and reserve tables.
Using insights gained from our customers, we’ve put together a simple 6 step SMS journey to help highlight just one-way text messaging can help businesses get back to what they do best.
Utilising SMS to manage appointments or bookings also helps to reduce inbound call and enquiries, providing customers with the information and tools they need, freeing up phone lines for more urgent issues.
Beyond taking bookings, SMS is also able to help with the next steps of service and safety.
Ensure customers are well enough to attend their appointment or booking
Send out a booking reminder before their arrival to check they can still make their time slot as well as ensuring they are symptom-free.
Rescheduling options
If a customer is unable to make their booking, businesses can use the SMS simply reply service. If a customer responds to the reminder message with Reschedule, they can be directed to your calendar or schedule to arrange a new time. Similarly, your business is then able to fill the newly available appointment or table.
Recording customer information
In accordance with new safety regulations, SMS can also make it simpler to record each customer’s information when they arrive. Using an SMS keyword, for example, text ARRIVED, businesses can record, retain and access lists of who has been on the premises as needed.
Surveys and offers
A follow-up survey is a great way to gain insight into the new customer experience. SMS offers a quick and convenient way for customers to share their feedback. Businesses can also send thank you discounts or promotions with their opted-in list as a thank you for supporting your new way of working.
If you’re ready to start making more of your customer communications, SMS is a cost-effective solution that removes the need to set up or invest in external applications.
To support your business in delivering contact-free customer service, we’ve put together an SMS toolkit to help you adapt to this new way of working. The package includes free test credits which can be sent to your verified phone number, so you can trial Textlocal’s Messenger platform without commitment.
For a one-off cost, the toolkit also includes an SMS Keyword, 200 text credits and a dedicated on-boarder to get your sends up and running. We’ll also support your business with advice and best practices on what works best in your industry.
