Businesses are already using mobile devices within their offices at increasing rates to manage workflow, enhance internal communications and provide a high-quality tool for remote employees. However, mobility trends can also be applied in customer-facing areas of operations, from customer service to marketing, to drive value and maximize a brand's reach across market segments.
For companies, this doesn't mean using mobile in a new way, but simply expanding current uses of the technology. From an internal text alert system to text message marketing, optimizing a mobile strategy across all lines of business is essential for keeping up with modern technology and the expectations of the next generation of employees and customers.
As businesses consider their use of mobile trends, there are a few factors to keep in mind:
The majority of businesses already use mobile – Most likely your company is already using text messages internally. Turning this trend around and setting up an opt-in plan and mobile text marketing strategy isn't that different. You simply need to ensure your SMS gateway can handle the traffic.
The competition is using mobile – Since your business is probably already using mobile devices in some way, it is safe to assume that your competition is as well, so it's important to keep up or start falling behind. If your employees are already using text as part of business communications, you're already one step of the way there.
Text is more convenient than email – For the most part, users prefer text because its faster and more convenient than email. Many smartphone owners don't even tie their device to their email account, so while they can instantly receive and read a text no matter where they are, they have to wait till they get home to read an email. Jacqueline Whitmore, a contributor to Entrepreneur noted: "Text messaging is the fastest way to communicate in business. Quicker than email and more convenient than a phone call, it's become commonplace."
Voice is a secondary channel – When it comes to mobile devices the majority of users rarely use voice. Phone calls fall lower on the list of top uses for a smartphone every year, and a mere 25 percent of business users check their voicemail — while text messages have a nearly 100 percent open rate.
Whether your company is activating a mobile strategy for the first time or expanding internal mobile plans to include text message marketing, it is critical that the right platform be used to support the campaign. Invest in the right SMS service for the best support and delivery.
