If your business isn’t already on the text train, it’s time to hop aboard.
A more personal form of communication than email or even phone, texting allows brands to communicate with customers in real-time without worry about spam, voicemail, or busy signals.
Plus, because 95% of text messages are read within 3 minutes, you can rest assured that your message has been received by your customer.
For some brands, however, the logistics behind implementing a text-first communication strategy can introduce some questions. Namely, how to actually set up a repeatable process using cell phones.
We’re here to tell you that you don’t need to involve your employee’s personal cell phones to implement a winning text message strategy.
That’s right – it’s possible to convert your existing business phone line into a text-enabled line.
While phone calls can come into your business phone, text messages can also come to the same phone number.
This means that even though your physical business phone doesn't receive and send text messages to customers, the phone number itself has that capability.
By using a business text messaging software, you are able to text enable your business landline and communicate with customers through text.
While customers can't text your landline itself, they CAN text the phone number associated with your landline.
Setting up your company phone number to receive texts through business text messaging software is a step that will allow you to convert more leads and increase revenue.
Texting has many capabilities which are non-existent or limited with phone calls, emails, and voicemails.
Enabling texting to your business phone number will result in more inbound leads for your business. (And much higher quality leads!)
The cost to text enable your business landline will largely depend on the platform you decide to use.
We recommend getting a free quote to gauge the price of landline texting at your business.
With so many options available, be sure to choose the platform with the features that work best for your business. Do you want automated texts? Review request templates? Payment by text? Texting widget for your website?
Whatever your priorities, it's important to set up a text messaging strategy.
The Kenect business texting and review generation platform allows brands to set up their business phone line as a text-enabled line, minimizing the need for multiple numbers.
Sets up a team inbox
Think of your business line as a team-wide email address. If a specific employee texts a customer “Your order is ready for pickup” that conversation is separated and attributed to that unique employee.
This allows your team to manage multiple conversations with different customers using a single number. If customers text about multiple issues over time, team members can personalize responses based on previous conversations.
Plus, since these conversations are housed in an easy-to-use communication platform, your team members are able to check back on what was discussed so nothing slips through the cracks.
Tracks incoming (and outgoing) texts
As a business owner or manager, you need to have some sort of visibility into the content coming in and out of your messaging systems.
Tracking text messages from a single line makes it easy to see what’s going on from both sides of the conversation.
On the employee side, you can make sure your employees are treating customers with respect, answering questions to the best of their ability, and using corporate-approved messaging to avoid any confusion. These conversations also create an audit log in case there are any complaints or issues.
On the customer side, you can see exactly what customers are asking to help inform marketing and branding strategy. If customers are asking a lot of questions about your hours and location, for example, you can add a new section to your website and business listings pages with updated contact information.
It’s easier to understand what customers are looking for through text message than through, say, phone calls, which don’t have any written component.
Makes it easier for customers to get in touch with you
The most important reason to use your business line for text messages is that it allows customers to easily get ahold of you.
On your website contact page, you’ll only need to include a single number. This makes it easy for customers to reach you because:
Get started with Kenect
Texting customers is all about providing an innovative, streamlined way to deliver better customer service faster. With your business line connected to your business texting platform, you’ll make it easier for customers to receive the care and service they deserve. You can learn more by requesting a personal consultation of the Kenect platform today!