The year is 2019 and people are using WhatsApp to send messages and to connect with people. Yet the SMS has not lost its shine and is still being used. It is used as a tool to inform users and customers about different transactions. The transactions ranging from a purchase on an e-commerce website to withdrawal of cash from ATM by banks. Can SMS be overlooked as a technology? Is SMS outdated in 2019?
Chat applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, et cetera are widely used today. You will even find two of these mentioned applications being used by a single person. People like them and do not think twice to connect with their family and friends through these apps. These chat applications are very secure too but they still have to connect through the internet which means in case of no internet connectivity these won't work.
Businesses on the other hand rely on an SMS gateway to send SMS to their customers. Why do they use SMS? Below are one of the few reasons:
Connectivity
An SMS does not require internet connectivity at all. A cell phone which has a SIM card in it can receive SMS from any part of the world. An SMS can reach to people using a smartphone as well as a very basic cell phone.
Also looking at the number of cell phones active today in any country, connecting to a customer base through SMS is the easiest option. Sending an SMS that can be delivered to customer's cell phone let's a business to get it's message across.
Reliable
Since an SMS can be sent to any cell phone in the world it is reliable. SMS can be sent from an SMS gateway and delivered within seconds to minutes. Mobile networks are now much more stable and used by the people. With the advent of 4G and even the rolling out of 5G, people are always connected to their mobile network.
People check their cell phones several times a day. This increases the chance of exposing the business to the customer.
Sender ID
When an SMS is sent through an SMS gateway, the user sending the SMS has to define a Sender ID. The Sender ID is a six character alphanumeric text which denotes the business. The Sender ID is helpful in promoting the business and also to help recall the brand value.
Many of us must have received an SMS from our Bank when we transacted. The SMS has Sender ID similar to "VM-ABCBnk" where ABCBnk denotes the bank name. This helps the customer identify the transaction notification and lends credibility also.
APIs
APIs are a set of codes which connect business systems to the SMS gateway. When an API is used to connect the system of the business such as the accounting software or a CRM, the system automatically sends an SMS with the details to the customer when a transaction takes place. This helps the business to automate the task of informing the customer about sale and keeps the customer updated during the shipping of products.
APIs can be used to transmit information to the intended person from the systems. This information is sent without allowing the person any access to the business systems.
Versatility
An SMS gateway can be integrated even in IoT devices that do not have connectivity to the Internet. A simple dongle attached to the system in case of IoT or infrastructure systems can send the SMS to users on certain triggers. For example if there is a system that monitors the temperature of a particular room or machinery, the temperature if it goes beyond the defined levels, the system will send an SMS to the desired users configured in the system about the change in temperature.
Cost
The cost of sending an SMS to the customer is very low as compared to other marketing tools. A marketing campaign on Facebook or Twitter is not that effective as an SMS sent to the customer. Also if we see the visibility and readability quotient, an SMS is far more reachable and creates greater impact than social media.
97% of SMS are opened within 3 minutes of delivery
Though email is still a leading source to drive conversions and create impact, SMS is easier and still a very affordable option. If we compare the cost of running an SMS campaign against running a social media campaign on say Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, the cost is much lower than other social media and the returns are many folds.
Conclusion
SMS is still a driving force. It is still a part of the marketing strategy and marketing budgets across companies and businesses. SMS is also a great place to start connecting with your customers and drive sales.
In case you haven’t integrated or connected an SMS gateway to your accounting system website, application or CRM, then log on to Start Messaging and register today to take the full benefits of an SMS gateway. An SMS gateway will improve your sales and give you a competing edge. Also do follow us on Facebook on our page Start Messaging and ping us to know more about how SMS gateway can aid your business.