“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it, so it’s part of everyday life,” Bill Gates.
Digital transformation has pushed life to hyperspeed. The more we rely on digital technologies, the quicker the pace and the more we need to stay in touch. We need fast, reliable, and simple ways to connect. Thank heavens for SMS.
SMS is not unlike electricity. We assume it’s there when we need it. And it usually is. Better still, it’s simple to use, amazingly effective, and it keeps our daily lives humming along. It’s a basic, widely accessible, and straightforward means of communication. Its universal reach and simplicity have made it an indispensable tool. And it’s an indispensable platform for B2C.
It’s the lingua franca of the digital age, allowing users with different platforms to connect, share, and transact business across different mobile devices, operating systems, and networks. It doesn’t require a smartphone or a high-speed internet connection, making it accessible to a wide range of users worldwide.
SMS: The Unseen CX Workhorse
Since its first message in December 1992, the short-burst SMS has evolved to be one of the most effective customer experience (CX) tools.
The online digital lifestyle publication Earthweb reports that more than 2 trillion SMS messages were sent in the US in 2023. Globally, it was reported that 8.4 trillion SMS messages were sent in 2021, according to a Forbes magazine article.
With over 86 percent of the global population possessing a smartphone, and SMS clocking in with hundreds of billions of messages daily, the SMS ecosystem will remain a rich field for companies across all industries.
A 2021 report from Mitto, an omnichannel solutions provider, offers important insights on using SMS as a tool to build brand loyalty:
- SMS has a click-through rate of 19 percent compared to landing on the first page of Google search engine results page (SERPs), which is at 34.36 percent, email marketing (four percent), and Facebook (one percent). (SMS Comparison, 2022)
- 41 percent of consumers prefer receiving brand updates via SMS versus email (22 percent). Meanwhile, 66 percent of consumers prefer receiving text service notifications. (Yotpo, 2020)
- About 80 percent of people worldwide will be using smartphones by 2023. It’s also estimated that there will be 7.52 billion mobile users by 2026. (Ericsson & The Radicati Group, 2022)
- Ninety-five percent of text messages tend to be read and responded to within the first three minutes when they’re received. (SMS Comparison, 2021)
The SMS ROI: It’s Hard to Ignore
Further to the Mitto report, brands implementing omnichannel strategies, including SMS solutions, had the following results:
- Four times more likely to report loyal customers.
- Three times more likely to have significant increases in revenue growth.
- Three times more likely that customer experience was rated an ‘A.’
- Three times more likely they will increase their investment in CX.
- Two times more likely to respond to customers in real-time or less than an hour.
Follow the Numbers To Follow The Money
SMS is a real workhorse for customer engagement. Its usefulness can hardly be in doubt.
Its compatibility across devices and networks makes it a linchpin in the omnichannel toolkit, driving CX and brand loyalty. Its reliability and simplicity make it a fundamental, universally accessible communication tool critical for B2C interactions.
Its impressive usage statistics underscore its effectiveness, and with reports highlighting its superior click-through rates and consumer preferences, SMS’s role in fostering real-time connections and loyalty is undeniable. And its proven impact on revenue growth, customer loyalty, and investment in CX further makes its indispensable technology in enhancing customer-brand relationships.
