The Second Texting Wave Is Coming To Business

Business has been catching on to the power and efficiency of texting.

Commercials on TV asking are us to text a ‘keyword’ to a number. If we do so, we are expressing interest in their offer and this will initiate the process of us learning more, subscribing to something, or even buying what the business is offering us.

You may have also received a message from your dentist similar to this:

Smith Dentistry: John has an appointment on Sept 30 at 2:30 p.m.. Confirm by pressing ‘C’ or call our office. If you need to change call us at (555) 555-5555.

Your dentist wants to remind you about an upcoming appointment because when appointments are missed, this is costly for the dentist.

Appointment Reminder Texts Tell Us A Lot

When you analyze and consider appointment reminder texts, this tells us about the first wave of texting that business is in, and it also tells us about the second wave of texting that is needed.

Appointment reminder texts don’t truly let the customer reply by text. Some appointment reminder texts will allow you to press ‘C’ to confirm or some other letter to cancel, but if you want to change your appointment or have questions, you have to call or email the office.

Is it not strange that the business is sending a text to the customer, but the customer can’t text back and communicate with the business via a text message about the very thing they texted about? We thought texting was so efficient and that’s why the business was sending us a text in the first place.

The First Wave of Texting in Business

The first wave of texting in business is about business using texting for their needs. They might need you to sign up or subscribe to something, or to make sure you don’t miss an appointment.

This first wave is not fully formed because a real person from the business can’t text you. The current state of texting in business means that, at best, you are in an automated process the business wants you to go down to serve their end need.

The Second Wave of Texting in Business

52% of internet traffic is mobile. This is not that surprising when you consider that people are on their phones everywhere.

Texting is the one of the most common uses of a cell phone.

And here is something that does not make any sense: you can’t name even one business that can receive a text message.

Let’s think about that again.

52% of internet traffic is mobile.
Texting is one of the most common uses of a cell phone.
But nearly 100% of businesses can’t receive a text message.

When a customer of nearly any business needs help, they can’t text the business. There is a huge disconnect here, business has not caught up to the way we are communicating.

The second wave of texting in business is about letting the customer text a business when the customer needs something.

What If You Could Text Businesses?

Wouldn’t you like to make or cancel a doctors appointment by text? Or make a dinner reservation or ask about the status of an order?

This can all be done by text.

Why should you have to talk to someone at a business to do the basic things you need to do? Why do you have to call, listen to recorded messages, go through menu systems, be on hold or leave voice messages?

Here is how texting can be used:

Make an appointment:

Cancel an appointment:

Make a dinner reservation:

Ask about the availability of a product:

Find out where your order is:

Sending a text to a business is quick and efficient. We don’t need to use the old technology of a voice call to do most of the things we do with businesses.

The Second Wave of Texting in Business is Coming

We are still primarily in the first wave of texting in business where business is using texting for their own needs and then can’t communicate back by text. It does not make sense that a business can’t receive a text message.

The second wave of texting is coming where the customer can text a business and the customer is truly served by texting. Letting your customers text your business is the next level of Customer Service. In this Forbes article on text messaging in business, only one of the nine ways to integrate texting into your business is about Customer Service, and we think it’s the most important one.

It does have to take even 10 years, or even 5 years, some businesses are receiving text messages now. Read about the benefits of letting your business receive text message and how Biz Text works.