“Can’t talk. Text me.” Even in 2019, Customers still prefer Text Messaging
July 22, 2019
It’s an exciting time for technology in the Automotive business. Whether it’s AI as a tireless partner, intercepting and winning back a potential defection via Geo-Framing, or using reputation management tools to turn what could have been a bad review into an opportunity to make things right, AutoAlert’s CXM platform stacks the deck with what your dealership needs for the future.
While all of this shiny, cool new tech is great for connecting with your customer at just the right time, texting is still a massively popular way people choose to communicate. In fact, texting is actually increasing in popularity: the number of monthly texts sent has increased by over 7700% in the last decade.
While social media, instant messaging, and email are useful, texting remains remarkably effective:
- 78% of US customers say that a text is the fastest way to reach them for purchases.
- 82% of text messages are read within five minutes, but consumers only open one in four emails…not just within five minutes, but ever.
- 82% of consumers keep SMS notifications active
- 86% of US consumers opt in to receive SMS notifications
Modern consumers prefer to communicate via the most convenient channel, and in a staggeringly large number of cases, that channel remains text messaging. According to a SalesForce report, 77% of consumers said they opted in to a brand’s text messages to receive coupons or deals. Customers want to communicate through texting.
AutoAlert makes this easy with the new SMS Text Messaging feature within AlertMiner.
This optional feature gives you two dedicated phone lines (one for service, one for sales) with your dealership’s local area code. Send an Upgrade Proposal with the right deal at the right time to your customer via text message. Anyone with access to the Deal Sheet can view conversation history, regardless of who the original sender was, and SMS activity can also be tracked through the Customer Engagement Panel and Manager’s Dashboard, keeping follow-up simple. All texting activity happens through the deal sheet, no mobile phone required. If that wasn’t easy enough, it’s already included as part of AlertMiner at no additional cost to US users and will be available in Canada soon. Remember- 77% of consumers opt in to SMS notifications specifically to receive deals via text. Because it’s directly integrated into Automotive’s first-and-only CXM platform, AutoAlert now gives you the ability to reach the right customer at the right time with the right deal, the right way… SMS Text Messaging in AlertMiner.
(Tip of the hat to Text Magic for statistics!)
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