There are a few ways to becoming a truly respected and admired brand. One is providing great products and services that people appreciate. Another is showing up when your customers need you.
Consider the common scenario of a stranded traveler. Their flight home has been cancelled due to an extreme weather event. Tired, frustrated and without a plan B, they’re now facing the prospect of being homeless in a foreign country for the rest of the week. Thoughts go to finding a bed for the night and getting a flight re-booked. An expiring travel insurance policy is not going to cross their mind.
Imagine their response then when their travel insurance provider has completely anticipated their needs. They’ve identified the problem before they did. Then provided a timely solution at the same time.
With the policy end date approaching, they’ve sent an SMS (the perfect channel if you’re trying to reach overseas travellers) and simply asked if they’d like to extend their insurance for a few dollars a day via reply SMS.
The customer won’t think twice about how they’ll respond, or who their travel insurance provider is next time.
By showing up when needed most, brands become trusted and their products become all the more valued.
Previously, being there for your customers was easier said than done. But with simple API integrations with your customer database, you can ensure your customer conversations are triggered via real time communication and delivered in a way that customers appreciate. And the best part, it takes just minutes to set up.
Top tips for time-critical conversations:
1. Consider which channel is most appropriate – SMS, Email or Phone call
Consider the urgency of your message to help make your choice, and don’t rule out combining two of these simultaneously if it’s essential you land your message NOW.
2. Make it easy for your audience to get in touch.
A reply path is a must. 2-way SMS is great, but voice calls can work too – make it easy for customers by calling them if they reply with an SMS keyword such as CALL.
Just remember, directing customers to a 1800 number with 20-minute wait times is NOT going to deliver a great customer experience.
3. Make sure your source database is reliable.
Simple API integrations make your data more powerful and actionable than ever before. So it should go without saying that getting your source data accurate is essential (this one is particularly relevant for very large data sets on legacy systems!).
With those 3 tips in mind, revisit your customers’ ‘moments of truth’ and the role real time SMS communications can play in customer satisfaction. Then start the conversation!
