Enhancing customer support: Leveraging SMS for real-time communication

Customer support can make or break a business. With the rise of digital communication, customers expect quick and convenient ways to get help. SMS messaging has emerged as a powerful tool for providing real-time assistance, offering benefits for both businesses and their clients. In fact, 85% of people want to be able to send and receive messages from a business. 

Immediate responses are one of the key advantages of using SMS for customer support. Unlike email or social media, text messages have an astounding 98% open rate, compared to just 20% for emails. This means your customers are far more likely to see and engage with support messages sent via text.

Streamlining support with RingCentral’s Advanced SMS Inbox

Did you know that 93% of customers expect a brand to reply within 24 hours? Meet and exceed these expectations with RingCentral’s Advanced SMS Inbox, which speeds up communications operations through automated replies and shared inboxes. Teams can collaborate on customer inquiries seamlessly, ensuring faster response times and more consistent service. 

Research also shows customers are willing to pay an average of 19% more for “always immediate service.” And with RingCentral’s advanced SMS capabilities, team members can easily manage multiple conversations simultaneously while staying perfectly aligned, ensuring every interaction feels personal and informed.

The platform’s tagging system allows your teams to share private notes, claim and transfer customer text messages ensuring that urgent issues are addressed promptly.

Shared inboxes prove particularly useful for businesses managing high-volume SMS support. Team members can seamlessly hand off conversations or collaborate on complex issues to provide a smooth, unified customer experience

Automating workflows for efficiency

Automating certain aspects of SMS support can significantly improve efficiency. RingCentral’s system allows businesses to create workflows that automatically send or route messages based on keywords or customer information. This ensures that inquiries are directed to the most appropriate team or individual for faster resolution. You can also create automated SMS replies for out-of-office hours, support or order requests, instant replies, and more. 

Measuring the success of SMS support efforts is essential for continuous improvement. Businesses can track metrics such as response times, customer satisfaction ratings, and issue resolution rates. These insights help identify areas for improvement and refine support strategies over time.

While SMS support offers many advantages, it’s important to use it appropriately. Short, straightforward inquiries work best for text-based communication. For more complex issues, businesses should be prepared to escalate conversations to phone calls or video chats when necessary.

Setting up SMS support with ease

Implementing SMS support doesn’t have to be complicated. With RingCentral’s user-friendly interface, even small businesses with limited technical expertise can quickly set up and manage their SMS support systems. 

This accessibility allows companies of all sizes to provide top-notch customer service through text messaging.

By leveraging SMS for real-time communication, businesses can significantly improve their customer support operations. The combination of high engagement rates, quick response times, and efficient team collaboration makes text messaging an invaluable tool for modern customer service strategies.

Learn more about RingCentral’s Advanced SMS Inbox, and discover how you can improve customer engagement, speed up customer support, and decrease marketing costs.

Originally published Dec 11, 2024