OpenMarket – April 9, 2020
Not so long ago, businesses had one number customers could call, and one address they could write to.
Delivering anything resembling decent customer service was difficult and expensive.
But these times had one good thing going for them – relative simplicity.
Customers categorically knew how to go about getting in touch.
So how can we take the good bits from this one-number era – and bring them into the multimedia age?
One way would be to use your known landline or toll-free number to send and receive MMS and SMS messaging.
MMS-enabled numbers
Many brands already use SMS-enabled landlines and toll-free numbers for a) sending out one-way messages to customers, and b) engaging in conversations with them.
But by enabling MMS on your numbers, you open up engagement potential. You become able to send and receive images, video, animations, Gifs and audio via the landline number customers know and trust.
MMS-enabled phone lines let brands communicate with customers in many situations:
- Coffee or restaurant chains can share coupons or vouchers
- Delivery drivers can share a picture or a video of where they’ve left a parcel
- Hotels can send an animated birthday card to loyal customers – with an offer attached
- Repair firms or local authorities can send images of employees ahead of a home visit
- Retailers can send images or videos of their latest product lines
And MMS messaging can be just as powerful for customers who want to get a message to you. Images and video can help them deliver details that text alone can’t.
Here are just a few ways this can work:
- IT and product support teams can receive screenshots and videos of user journeys, error messages and damaged hardware from clients
- Insurers can receive images of damaged assets from claimants
- Retailers can receive images of a product a customer wants but can’t describe
- Agencies can receive portrait photos for registrations and form completions
- Delivery companies can receive pictures of damaged parcels
Meeting needs
That’s the beauty of messaging – finding situations where your customers’ needs and yours can be met in a single moment.
Remember, your messaging engine can be attached to your CRM and customer ops stack – so messages from customers can trigger a range of responses and processes. For example, if a customer sends an image of a damaged phone to a retailer, this can automatically make it into a customer service assistant’s notes before he gets in touch to remedy the situation.
A new message
Many customers already try to send messages to business landlines which haven’t been enabled. They just imagine it will work. This is a good enough reason in itself to start enabling your numbers – customers naturally expect it of you.
But making it easy for customers to communicate with you – in the manner they want, on the channel they’re comfortable with – makes even more sense.
Your next steps
Enabling a landline for multimedia messaging is really simple. In fact, within a couple of weeks you can be up and running.
So give us a call. We’d be happy to help you get started or just share what we know. Or check out our mini MMS-enabled landlines guide for more details on MMS-enabled landlines and toll-free numbers.