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How Call Centers are Becoming “Text Centers:” Text Messaging for Customer Service

Vector graphic of 24/7 customer service representative answering messages from his laptop

Internet and mobile technology have fundamentally changed how business is done. With more people working from home and consumers spending increasing amounts of time on their mobile devices, businesses are having to adjust to meet technological advancements and new consumer preferences.  There was a time when call centers only handled phone calls from customers. As customers have become increasingly digital, companies must find more efficient and effective ways to communicate with their customers.

Today, more than ever before, customer service has become one of the most important functions of the overall customer experience, and businesses are focusing on implementing personalized solutions rather than simply selling products. As a result, call centers have undergone a digital transformation — one that embraces the power of text messaging.

The Industry Follows Customer Preferences

Statistics show that in the United States alone, the average person sends and receives about 32 texts per day. What does this mean? In short, it means people like to text because it is easy and convenient. This provides the ideal opportunity to implement a digital customer service solution that supports messaging.

Today’s customer service is all about making the consumer experience as pleasant, personalized, and hassle-free as possible. Text messaging allows consumers to send questions and receive answers almost instantly. Better still is consumers get to drive the pace of the conversation, whether they are on-the-go or sitting on the couch, they can respond when it’s convenient for them, making text messaging the preferred method of communication over the phone for a vast majority of consumers.

Improved Satisfaction With Personalized Service and Dynamic Solutions

The issue with phone calls is they are a hassle for customers. that they tend to create an extra hassle for customers. Phone calls are a hassle because too often, they require the customer to sit on hold, repeat themselves, and interrupt their busy, on-the-go lives to have a voice conversation that can sometimes be hard to hear or understand. On the other hand, texting is fast and easy, with conversations capable of being on-the-go, and are aptly suited for our busy, digital lifestyles. 

That’s why many companies are now converting their call centers into innovative digital centers. With messaging, businesses are providing customers solutions for resolving issues more quickly and in more engaging ways, like with the use of photos and videos, or even by expressing emotion with emojis ? . Messaging is suited for every kind of inquiry, and can even respond to seemingly complicated questions that include:

  • Replacement product options
  • Troubleshooting guide links
  • Important documents or disclosures

Chatbots Help Improve Messaging Efficiency

While human-to-human correspondence is necessary at times, many of the most frequently asked issues can be easily managed by chatbots. Chatbots can help save time and resources, freeing agents up for more complex or higher priority concerns.

Digital transformation and customer experience are culminating with the advancement of chatbot technology being sophisticated enough that AI bots are having high-quality, human-like conversations with customers. With chatbots, consumers can get the information they are looking for much more quickly, reducing the need for phone calls and face-to-face interactions.

Call Centers Digital Transformation

While phone calls can be helpful in certain situations, they limit you and your customer to a single platform of communication. Messaging can be used across apps, social media, mobile devices, and more. This allows businesses to stay in contact with customers 24/7.

When customers have a quick question, they want fast answers, without any hassle. Texting with customer service is so easy, even grandpa knows how to do it. Text messaging for customer service is solving problems faster and with greater convenience for customers and agents.

Contact Us Today About Our Solutions

The importance of technology in customer service has become more important than ever as call centers steer away from single-channel communication. To learn more about how text messaging will enhance your customer service, request a demo today.

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