Energise your CRM program with two-way messaging - Clickatell

Energise your CRM program
with two-way messaging
How to maintain a direct line of communication with your customers in an effective and economical way.
Copyright ©2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.

Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
RE-VITALISE YOUR CRM
PROGRAM WITH TWO-WAY
MOBILE MESSAGING
Is your CRM program feeling a little flat Are
your ROI results lack-lustre Would you like
to see a lot more energy in your customer engagement
If so, then it’s time to refresh things with a
new approach. Times are changing and so are
customers. Gone are the days when a simple
advertising campaign would work wonders.
Instead, today’s businesses are fighting to be
heard through a cacophony of different media
channels.
Customers are tired of the media bombardment
and want to engage in meaningful communication.
Businesses and brands that treat
the customer as an individual and not the ‘target
market’ are achieving cut-through, the rest
are just being tuned out.
REACHING CUSTOMERS WITH
THE “RIGHT SORT” OF TALK
What is “meaningful” Perhaps the clue lies in
the first two letters of the word meaningful.
Customers and future prospects want to receive
information that is relevant to them and
their current situation.
This is where the mobile phone enters and
dominates the market. Statistics from Nielsen
in 2010 show that a staggering 71% of the
global population or 5.3 billion people own a
mobile handset, in contrast, according to Internet
World Stats, only two billion people are
connected to the Internet,
Businesses have been quick to take notice.
Unlike an intrusive phone call or an “often ignored”
e-mail, a text message is almost always
read. It’s simple, quick to understand and delivered
right into the customer’s hand on a highly
personal device. It can also reach customers
wherever they are, anywhere in the world.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING.
REFRESHING CRM GLOBALLY
Once customers receive an SMS,
two-way messaging using short
codes or long numbers allows them to
respond directly to the message they
have received.
In this way a powerful dialogue is created between
organisations and their customers. The
potential of this two-way communication is
enormous and is capable of easily providing a
high return on investment (ROI) to businesses
of all sizes.
Your organisation can rent a number from
your SMS provider which allows you to receive
messages from your customers directly into
your account. This can be either a short code
or a long number.
Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
1

Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
SHORT CODE SMS MESSAGING
LONG NUMBER SMS MESSAGING
A short code is a special telephone number
of either 5 or 6 digits, that is used to send or
receive SMS messages over some mobile networks.
Clickatell offers short code messaging
in South Africa, Namibia, USA, Canada, the
United Kingdom and Australia. Click here to
see the coverage and the rates.
Short code messaging is where a mobile recipient
is charged at a standard or premium rate
(depending on the country) for either receiving
or sending a message - usually in return for
content or a service e.g. competitions, news
and weather content or for marketing purposes.
Short codes can be used in either premium
rate mobile campaigns or standard rate mobile
campaigns.
Premium rate short codes
Premium rate short codes can increase your
bottom line by earning you revenue from your
messaging campaign. The revenue share
you receive depends on a number of criteria.
These include:
• The revenue share model of the networks
you are using.
• The country in which you’re operating.
• The volume of messages you receive.
A minimum of 500 inbound messages per
short code or keyword per month will be required
before the premium SMS revenue will
be passed onto you. This will be effective 90
days after your short code goes live.
Long numbers can be up to 16 digits and can
be used internationally for application-to-person
(A2P) communication. These are global
virtual numbers and are currently available to
the following countries:
United Kingdom Option 1 (+44)
Australia (+61)
Denmark (+45)
Sweden (+46)
Germany (+49)
Switzerland (+41)
NOTE: It’s important to remember
that if your customers reply to
your message while in a country with
a different international code to the
number that you sent the message
from, these messages may be subject
to higher rates for the recipient.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING
IN CUSTOMER SUPPORT
SERVICES
NOTE: Two-way messaging is
ideal for any organization offering
some sort of support service. The
uniquely personal and instantaneous
nature of the SMS message enables
the customer to receive exactly the
help or support they are looking for –
no matter where they are.
Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING.
BOOSTING CRM IN ALL
ORGANIZATIONS
Two-way mobile messaging will enhance any
CRM program, helping to build closer and
more immediate customer connections and
improve response rates. See how organizations
all over the world are putting it to good
use.
Password confirmations using a
short code
Sending web access passwords via SMS can
provide your customers with peace-of-mind
if they have forgotten this sensitive information.
The support division of a UK Internet
provider offers a two-way messaging service
to customers who are in this position. All they
need to do is SMS their name, account number,
date of birth and address to a designated
short code and they will receive their log-on
password as a reply.
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Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
Telephonic support using a premium
rate short code
Product verification support using a
short code
A leading television network provider in the UK
offers its customers free telephonic support,
which is initiated via a two-way messaging
service. All a customer needs to do to if they
are experiencing problems with their signal or
setup is SMS the number they want to be contacted
on to a premium rate short code. They
will then receive a support phone call in under
5 minutes.
Software updates using a short code
An international software company offers its
customers the latest updates and software information
using a two-way messaging service.
When a new update is available, they send an
SMS alert to their customers. If the customer
would like to receive the update, they SMS
their email address to the short code and an
email is sent immediately to them with the update
link.
Intelligent system alerts using a
short code
A leading technology company is responsible
for monitoring remote assets including heating,
ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration,
fire and security systems as well as consumables
such as water, air, gas and electricity.
If they detect any faulty system or machinery,
they use a two-way messaging service to alert
their customer. The customer can then use a
short code to SMS a request for further information
– ensuring that they can send out the
right technicians to quickly address the problem.
On-demand system maintenance
using a long number
A UK IT maintenance company offers on-demand
maintenance using a two-way messaging
service. All a customer has to do, if they
require maintenance, is send an SMS to a dedicated
short code number. A reply will be then
sent out from the company to confirm date
and time, and a technician will arrive accordingly.
A leading technology company that is often
targeted by people attempting to copy
their products and sell them as ‘originals’ has
launched a two-way messaging service for customers
to ensure the product they are buying
is legitimate. All the customer has to do is SMS
the serial number to a dedicated short code
and they will receive an immediate response
by SMS verifying if that product is an ‘original’.
Real Estate support using a
short code
A leading Real Estate agency in Australia offers
customers a unique two-way messaging
service to find out what their house is worth.
All a customer needs to do is SMS their address
to a dedicated short code and they will
receive a reply detailing the average price for
houses in their area.
Extended information support using a
short code
In the UK a national chain of Real Estate agents
offer their customers a two-way messaging service
aimed directly at prospective home buyers.
A customer, anywhere in the UK, can get
additional information on a Real Estate listing
by sending the ‘information code’ displayed
on the For Sale sign to a dedicated short code
number. In seconds they will have the additional
information they need.
Account status support using a
short code
In South Africa, motorists can enquire about
their outstanding traffic fines via a two-way
messaging service. All they have to do is SMS
their registration number to a dedicated short
code and in seconds they will receive information
about all their outstanding fines.
Emergency support using a long
number
An emergency health service in the UK has
launched a two-way messaging service that allows
anyone who is hearing impaired or deaf
to summon an ambulance or other medical
help by sending an SMS to a dedicated long
number.
Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
3

Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
Applications and placements
using a short code
A dynamic company in the UK uses two-way
messaging to receive information about interested
applicants and inform them of available
positions. The company was being inundated
with a multitude of CVs and managed the process
by encouraging interested applicants to
send their name and number and the job title
they’re interested in e.g. ‘Senior Analyst’ to a
short code. If a position is available, the interested
applicant will be immediately contacted
via SMS and invited to submit their CV. If no
position is available, they will be informed via
SMS, and if a position becomes available at a
later date, they will receive another SMS inviting
them to apply.
Refund requests using a long number
An internal transport company in Australia uses
two-way messaging to offer their customers refunds
if they are delayed by more than 15 minutes.
If a customer is delayed for 15 minutes or
more, they can send an SMS to a long number
stating their journey details. Once their refund
is processed, they receive a return SMS informing
them of the deposit into their account.
Reminders using a short code
A progressive library service in Australia cuts
down on all the administration associated with
overdue books using a two-way messaging
service. If customers want a return reminder,
they SMS their books ‘return’ date to a short
code . Four days before the due date they receive
a SMS from the library reminding them
Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
to return their books. They then have the opportunity
to send another SMS requesting to
have their books renewed. Once this is done,
they are sent an SMS with a new return date.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING IN
MARKETING AND PR
CAMPAIGNS
NOTE: Two-way messaging plays
a powerful role in marketing
and PR, allowing businesses to
communicate directly with customers
using dynamic, interactive campaigns.
Text and win competitions using
a short code
A European car manufacturer recently
launched a new ad campaign, combining interactive
billboards with two-way messaging.
Passers-by can try to win a car by sending an
SMS with their first name and the billboard
number to a short code. Another SMS is then
sent to the customer with a question. If the
customer answers the question correctly, the
billboard reacts like a winning pinball machine
and the customer is entered into the draw for
the car.
Surprise discount coupons using a
short code
A major clothing store in Australia offers surprise
discount coupons to their customers using
two-way messaging. Instead of having a
universal ‘20% off’ sale across the store, customers
can SMS the barcode of the clothing
item they like to a dedicated premium-rate
short code with their name. They will then receive
a return SMS containing a mystery discount
– ranging from 10% to 95%! Customers
can redeem their discount by showing it to the
salesperson at the till.
Loyalty programs using a short code
A soft drink manufacturer in Australia ran a loyalty
campaign which involved printing a unique
PIN under their bottle cap. Once the customer
opened the soft drink, they could use two-way
messaging to SMS the PIN to a dedicated
short code. They would then be sent a return
SMS with a discount voucher number which
could be redeemed in-store or online.
NOTE: As you can see from
the above examples, two-way
messaging can be used to tremendous
effect across all markets. Now we are
going to explore how it can achieve
results in three vertical-specific
markets – Financial Services, Travel and
Healthcare.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING IN
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Two-way messaging offered by forward-thinking
Financial Services organisations, not only
empowers their customers by allowing them
to actively participate in their financial affairs.
It also gives them direct control over certain
financial transactions, cutting down on the
time required for one-to-one personal financial
consultations.
Credit checks using a short code
A leading credit company in the UK offers instant
and live mobile access to credit and director
information on all UK limited companies
using a two-way messaging service. To retrieve
the information, all their customers need to do
is send a text message containing the company
name or the company number to a short
code. In seconds they will have the credit information
they require.
4

Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
Stock price updates using a
premium rate short code
Short-term insurance using
a short code
Arrivals and check-ins using a short
code
An international online financial information
provider offers their private investor customers
a two-way messaging service which allows
them to receive updates on their stocks. All
they need to do is send a SMS including the
stock symbol to a premium rate short code.
They will then receive an SMS reply within ten
seconds, detailing the stock’s current price, the
bid and offer price as well as the day’s highs,
lows and opening price.
Short term loans using a premium
rate short code
A loan company in Finland offers a short-loan
service in the Netherlands using a two-way
messaging service. Customers can borrow Euro
100 or 300 for a term of 20 days by sending an
SMS to a premium rate short code with their
name, date of birth, bank account details
and address. If they have pre-registered, the
money is in their bank account within 24 hours.
In South Africa a well-regarded insurance company
has introduced a two-way messaging service
that offers insurance cover to people on
lower incomes in South Africa. To receive the
cover, the customer texts in his request to the
short code. The service costs around R10 (approx.
$1), which is deducted from the phone’s
airtime. The customer will then immediately
receive instant life insurance for a designated
period.
Financial product advice using
a short code
A financial institution in South Africa offers a
number of competitive products aimed at different
age and salary groups. To find out which
product is right for them, all the customer
needs to do is SMS their name, age and salary
range to a short code. In seconds they will receive
a comprehensive overview detailing the
products they should be investigating.
An international airline offers their customers
a check-in and seat confirmation service using
two-way messaging. The customer initiates
their check-in by sending an SMS containing
their name and flight details to a dedicated
short code. An SMS is then returned confirming
both check-in and seat details.
Travel guides using a short code
A proactive travel agency in the UK offers its
customers a travellers’ “must visit” service using
two-way messaging. All a customer needs
to do when they are in a new city in Europe is
SMS their destination and a request like ‘restaurants’
or ‘museums’ to a dedicated short
code, and they will immediately receive a SMS
containing list of restaurants or museums in the
city they are visiting.
Case tracking using a premium rate
short code
A financial services company offering loans in
the USA offers a two-way messaging service
which allows their prospective customers to
track their loan requests/submissions. The
progress of all submissions are entered into a
computer network within the association. Prospective
customers can then SMS their case
number in to a premium rate short code to receive
an update on its progress.
Banking alerts using a long number
A leading bank in Australia offers a selection of
SMS alerts to their customers so that they can
stay informed about important activity in their
checking, savings and credit card accounts. If
a customer receives an SMS and feels the activity
reported is unusual, they can use a twoway
messaging service to SMS the reference
number to a long number to receive more information
about the transaction.
NOTE: Two-way messaging is
revolutionizing the travel industry,
enabling travel agents and airlines alike
to keep their customers up-to-date
with the latest changes to itineraries
and flight times.
TWO-WAY MESSAGING
IN TRAVEL
Promotional travel offers using a
short code
An international travel company which offers
great deals uses two-way messaging to SMS
their customers with their holiday packages.
Interested customers then SMS a reply to a
short code, indicating their interest. The booking
confirmations are then all made using the
two-way messaging service.
Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
5

Energise your CRM program with
two-way messaging
TWO-WAY MESSAGING IN
HEALTHCARE
NOTE: Doctors, healthcare workers
and administrators have realised
the huge benefit of employing two-way
messaging to improve the healthcare
services for their patients and reduce their
own workload.
Appointment confirmations using a
long number
A hospital in West London uses two-way messaging
to confirm routine outpatients and MRI
scan appointments. According to the hospital,
feedback has been very positive. Patients can
confirm their appointments by SMSing their
patient number to a long number. They can
also request a change of appointment and
confirm the new time using the same two-way
messaging service.
Health advice using a short code
In the USA a health clinic launched an SMS
campaign aimed at arresting the rising Chlamydia/gonorrhoea
rates amongst low income
African-American youth in the South East of
San Francisco. The campaign encouraged
the youth to text the word Sex INFO to a short
code. They would then receive a list of commonly
asked questions along with two referrals
to local doctors.
Patient monitoring using a short code
A healthcare company in the UK is using twoway
messaging to encourage high-risk patients
to consult their doctors daily about their blood
sugar levels. The patients send an SMS to the
short code with their blood sugar levels. They
then receive a message back advising them
when to take their medication. The daily interaction
allows the doctors to closely monitor
their patients, giving them an early indication if
their condition is deteriorating.
QUESTIONS
Get expert advice straight away.
Email us at
expertadvice@clickatell.com
CONTACT US
UK +44 207 060 0045
SA +27 21 910 7700
Aus +61 290 371 951
REMEMBER
An SMS a day, makes the
customer stay!
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Copyright © 2011 Clickatell. All rights reserved.
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