SMS Applications are About More Than Just Marketing
I talk a lot on our blog about using SMS for marketing. That’s because SMS messaging is an amazing channel for marketers. But it can be used for so much more than that. In this blog I wanted to highlight a couple of example SMS applications that just might get your “little grey cells” thinking about how to use SMS messaging for your organisation.
Logistics
Managing staff, deliveries, or inventory is a necessarily complex job. Communication is the key to keeping everyone informed and things moving smoothly. And the faster the people in your organisation can communicate, the better able they are to stay on track, make adjustments, or avert disaster before it happens.
For example, a warehouse manager can get text alerts when inventory of a critical supply drops below a certain level. The manager can take immediate action and prevent any shortages or delays. Even if you already use email or computer notifications, these take time to arrive and may never be seen by a busy manager. But SMS offers almost instantaneous delivery directly to the manager’s mobile, which could make the difference between a successful shipment or an expensive delay.
Unique SMS Applications
The great thing about technology is how people are always finding new ways to use it. This next use case comes from the US and a group called VetAdvisor. They help returning American soldiers transition back into civilian life by offering coaching, career advice, and financial education.
Every veteran is assigned a wellness coach who keeps in touch with them and helps them with their specific challenges. The coaches send them real-time encouragement and advice via SMS. The service even integrates with some devices, such as the Fitbit. The coaches can see their progress and issues through the Fitbit data, then send them SMS messages to offer support, ask questions, or set up a meeting.
VetAdvisor is one example of a service thinking out of the box and trying new technology together with SMS in a way that provides a valuable service to its members.
Can you think of any new ways SMS applications could support your organisation? Share your ideas in the comments.
Related Articles
How to Have Your SMS Messaging Pay for Itself
SMS messaging supports all sorts of use cases. Most of the time, businesses consider it an expense. But for some businesses, there's a method that could turn that expense into income. See some examples of how it works, and if it might be for you in this blog.
SMS Marketing – Steering Clear of Spamming and Harassment
Executed properly, SMS direct marketing is a hugely effective and successful means of building customer loyalty and improving sales. But even genuine and honest marketing companies can suffer huge damage to reputation or even break the law through simply lacking knowledge or not double-checking before releasing campaigns. Read this article to learn more about the definitions of spamming and harassment, current UK law and how to avoid simple but costly mistakes.
Creating the Perfect SMS Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses
When it comes to SMS marketing, a large number of small to medium sized businesses often consider it to be a tactic that is only used by large corporations. It can however, when used correctly, transform your marketing efforts.
6 mobile marketing campaigns your business should be using
SMS and the Future of Sales and Marketing
Four years ago, reputable commentators in The Guardian were wondering if SMS - short message service or text messaging - had peaked in performance after a two-decade exponential rise. Here we look at the evidence which shows that SMS is not only going strong, but continuing to stand out as an essential marketing channel for many businesses.
A Brief History of the SMS Text Message
Despite the surge in popularity of smartphones over recent years and the rapid growth of alternative messaging apps, SMS messaging remains one of the most commonly used and popular methods of communication today. Read this article to learn more about the history of SMS messaging and discover why it is still a highly profitable channel that should be seriously considered in your marketing strategy.
