5 SMS Marketing Tips for Removals Companies

Although it is dependent on the very volatile housing market, the UK removals industry is currently enjoying a good state of health. According to research from IBIS, it has weathered the storm over the last five years and come out with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, generating an annual revenue of £1 billion. With relatively low barriers to entry and little in the way of regulation, it is an industry that almost anybody can enter. This means that to stay ahead of competitors, there are two key factors to consider – price and customer service, the latter of which is all important. SMS Marketing is a great way for removals companies to go above and beyond to deliver exceptional customer service – and it is incredibly cheap and easy to use. Read on to learn more.

1. SMS Marketing for enquiries, quotes & estimates

One of the first stages of contact with prospective customers will be when they submit an enquiry or request a quote or estimate – and SMS Marketing is a great way to manage these communications. Whether your customers contact you via telephone, email or an online form, provide them with the opportunity to provide their mobile phone number so that you can follow up with an SMS message (be sure that you are GDPR compliant – check our article here [add link]). Whether you are simply thanking the customer for their enquiry, requesting further information or arranging a call back, a simple SMS is convenient, direct and will likely be seen by the customer straight away – helping to maximise the chance of conversion.

If a customer has requested an estimate using a web form, then why not respond by SMS so that the customer has the information they need in the palm of their hand – wherever they happen to be. If it is necessary for a member of your team to do a site visit in order to price up a job, then SMS Marketing is a great way to manage the arrangements. Information you might consider including in the SMS message might be the day and time of the appointment, along with the name of the employee and their direct contact number.

“Dear Mr Jones, thank you for your enquiry. Our agent Andrew will be with you on 14/05/2018 at 10:00 to view your property and prepare an estimate. Can’t make it? Call now on 0800 544 335 to rearrange…”

2. Confirming arrangements by SMS

SMS is a very convenient way to stay in touch with those preparing for a house move – especially as it gets nearer to the big day and things like computers may well be packed. As soon as the removal date and time has been established, be sure to send an SMS message confirming the details. It is also a good idea to confirm the addresses.

As well as this, nearer the time it is a great idea to let the customer know the names of the operatives that they will be working with to give a personal and professional touch.

“Dear Mr Jones, we are pleased to confirm your removal is now scheduled for 31/05/2018. Any questions, please call us on 0800 544 335…”

You may wish to follow up with a subsequent reminder nearer to the date.

3. Upsells and cross-sells

Upsells and cross-sells are a great way for removals companies to increase the value of a customer. These might include supplying packaging materials, offering storage or even insurance cover for goods in transit. SMS Marketing is a great way to offer your customers these value-adding services.

“Dear Mr Jones, need help with packing for your move? We’ve got a full range of boxes, tape, padding materials and more at highly competitive prices. Click here to view our full range online or call us on 0800 544 335…”

Most modern mobile phones support internet browsing, so you can also add a link to your online shop if you have one.

4. Progress updates by SMS

Once the load has been completed, customers will be keen to know what is happening with their possessions – especially if it is a longer distance move. A great way to improve the customer experience is to send periodic SMS updates letting your customers know where there load is and the estimated time of arrival.

You may even wish to consider including a link to a live tracking app or website if you offer such a facility.

“Dear Mr Jones, your lorry is currently at (current location) and we expect to be with you in 2 hours time. Any questions? Call your driver direct on 07367 683593”

5. SMS Marketing for customer feedback and reviews

Once the move has taken place smoothly, it is important to collect customer feedback to ensure that they are satisfied and to help make improvements in future operations. An SMS survey is a simple and effective way to do this that tends to see higher response rates than surveys conducted via other channels..

Choose four or five key questions about the move, considering, for example, the behaviour of the team, handling of belongings and furniture, etc. Make closed questions that can be ranked on a numerical scale. For example:

“On a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the highest, how friendly and professional was the team today?”

Be sure to ask the customer if they are willing to participate first, and of course thank them on completion if they do. By inviting customers to participate in such a survey, you are demonstrating a commitment to providing excellent customer service, making happy customers far more likely to refer other customers to your company.

To learn more about SMS Marketing for your business and get your account set up now, call the team on 0800 954 5305.