Contact centers are the next logical step from call centers. SMS, online chat and email have steadily grown in popularity and show no signs of slowing down. In the past, a call center was the easiest way for customers to interact with a business, but calling is no longer the most convenient way to reach the customer service department.
Customers leading busy lives like to have options. Therefore, contact centers need redundant communication channels to optimize the customer experience.
SMS can improve customer satisfaction metrics
Today's customers just don't like to talk on the phone as much as previous generations. There's a reason why modern call centers are becoming more generalized contact centers, and it's the rapid pace of technology evolution. Millennials, the generation that grew up alongside the internet, simply prefer other forms of communication to telephone calls. In fact, research from O2 revealed that making calls is only the fifth most common use of smartphones, falling behind activities like using social media or listening to music.
Corroborating this data, a Gallup poll found that 68 percent of millennials say they text 'a lot' on a daily basis. Furthermore, research conducted by OpenMarket found that Millennials prefer texting for two-way communications with businesses. OpenMarket general manager Jay Emmet noted that the preference for texting is a major opportunity for businesses that want to better communicate with millennial clients.
"These results show that the capabilities of SMS are very prevalent with Millennials, who desire more opportunities to communicate through texting, including more personal two-way interactions. Businesses need to further harness the ubiquity of SMS to realize better overall engagement and customer loyalty with the Millennial generation," said Emmet.
Having more than one communication channel to your contact center can improve customer satisfaction by giving individuals options to choose their preferred method of communication.
SMS API routines integrate seamlessly with existing solutions
Typical communication channels within a contact center include SMS, interactive voice response systems, email, messaging pop-up screens and voice mail. As SMS becomes more popular and preferences for voice decline, call centers will need redundant channels of communication to capture as many interactions as possible.
Simple configuration routines using SMS API routines facilitate easy SMS integration into a multichannel call center software suite. Plus, user-defined rules allow customized message flow. In short, bringing SMS functionality to a contact center is as easy as choosing a coding language and selecting an intuitive API.
SMS is constantly evolving and gaining new applications in the business world. Contact centers need redundant communication channels to deliver the best possible service to their customer base. SMS is an important channel that can't be ignored.
Swift SMS Gateway's experience serving thousands of developers ensures that your objectives are met in connecting SMS alongside email, voice and web services. Plus, reporting capabilities through SMS continue to improve with message delivery status analytics. To learn more, schedule a free demo today.
