Sales Organisations

Sales Staff Communication - You may have a small number or large number of sales staff in the field. Communicating with them is currently achieved by phone, and/or email. Telephone contact is time consuming and costly because it is often difficult to contact people by phone, especially if they are busy. Email is not very reliable and has to compete for attention against all the other email.

Save time on the telephone with routine communications, allows better focus on more important issues, improving the service to your sales staff and customers.

• Sales force are kept bang up-to-date with new product / service changes.
• Better informed and motivated sales force.
• Sales force can communicate back to head office, place orders, request status by SMS.
• Increased sales revenue

Customer Communication - You probably use a combination of email, telephone and post to communicate mailshots, sales flyers, offers etc. to your customers. Telephone customer contact is costly in time and money because it can be difficult to get through to people. Email is not reliable now due to spam filters and when the messages do get through, they have to compete for attention with all the other emails. Post is slow, and unreliable, it also has to compete for attention with all the junk mail.

Use SMS for timely customer communications, like special offers. This boosts sales, and can help clear old stock.

After sales, use SMS to inform about order status, product updates etc. Better informed customers improves customer service, and customer satisfaction, leading to repeat business and recommendations.

• Customers can use SMS to reserve products or book time via SMS.
• Increased sales, repeat and recommendation business.

A large door to door sales organisation used to have problems communicating with their salesforce. They used to stay in contact by post and telephone, this was very costly and time consuming. They purchased an OutboxSMS system November 2009 and it had an immediate impact. "The installation was straightforward and the tool has been working fine - it simply does what it says it does. Our direct cost savings are easily £5000 per month, and we now have a better informed and motivated sales force.

Chemical sales company at the end of every month would have a clear out offer for stock that was going out-of-date. They used advertisements and fax to publicise the offers, but they would still be left with out-of-date stock. They trialled an SMS system to text the discount offer to customers and now they completely sell out of stock within a few hours of the text going out.

Financial

Fraud Prevention - Credit card providers must act quickly when a potential fraudulent transaction is detected in order to prevent the fraudster striking again. Thousands of pounds per card can be lost - or millions of pounds per year can be lost to the card issuer if this is not caught promptly enough.

An SMS message directly to the customers mobile asking them to confirm the transaction is the most expedient means of confirming the transaction.

• Reduce fraudulent transactions.
• Huge savings

Loan Repayments - Keeping track of repayments is vital, missed or late payments can indicate a problem. You probably already use telephone, email and post to keep in-touch with customers. Telephone customer contact is costly in time and money because it can be difficult to get through to people. Email is not reliable now due to spam filters and when the messages do get through, they have to compete for attention with all the other emails. Post is slow, and unreliable.

Send a reminder SMS to customers when payments are due.

On accounts that have missed payments or that have lost contact, send an SMS asking them to call back.

• Reduced chance of customers defaulting.
• Recover revenue from customers that have defaulted and are un-contactable.

A personal loan company discovered that their competition had started to send text reminder messages to their customers. They decided that they needed to do something to keep ahead of the competition. They researched the text market and decided to purchase an OutboxSMS system late in 2009. The system is now sending over 1000 messages per day (mainly reminders), and this is cheaper and more effective than the system their competition use.

The building society have had an OutboxSMS system for a number of years. They used the system for updating branch managers with product updates, announcements etc. But recently they have started using it to send 'get back in contact' messages to customers that have been un-reachable by the normal channels. This has been tremendously successful, and has resulted in them recovering money from customers that otherwise would have been written off.

Housing Associations

Rent Payments - Keeping track of rent payments is vital, missed or late payments can indicate a problem. You probably already use telephone, email and post to keep in-touch with customers. Telephone customer contact is costly in time and money because it can be difficult to get through to people. Email is not reliable now due to spam filters and when the messages do get through, they have to compete for attention with all the other emails. Post is slow, and unreliable.

Send a reminder SMS to customers when payments are due.

• Reduced chance of customers defaulting.
• Recover revenue from customers that have defaulted and are un-contactable.

Healthcare

Appointment Reminders - Patients failing to attend appointments has a significant impact on the organisation's ability to provide efficient and effective services. A major reason for failure to attend is patients forgetting they have an appointment.

Send reminders to your patients when appointments are due. No matter where they are, or what they are doing the message will get through to their phone. It has been proven in studies that sending SMS appointment reminders is an effective and efficient means of improving attendance

• Reduce failure to attend
• Reduce wasted consultant time
• Save money

Staff Paging - In hospitals most staff communications is achieved using pagers. However, the problem is that the pager only works when it is within range of the base station. So, doctors, consultants etc. cannot be reached as easily when they are away from hospital grounds.

The OutboxSMS system integrates with existing pager systems, so a message can be sent via SMS and via the pager at the same time. This seamlessly ensures that the recipient receives the message whether or not they are on hospital premises. Also, the recipient can reply via SMS, so for instance they could confirm that they could respond to an action.

• Seamless Pager and SMS communications
• 2-way communications
• Improved communications

Motor

Servicing, Repairs - Keeping customers informed about service dates, when vehicles are due for servicing and when vehicles need to be collected can be quite a headache. You probably already use telephone, email and post to keep in-touch with customers. Telephone customer contact is costly in time and money because it can be difficult to get through to people. Email is not reliable now due to spam filters and when the messages do get through, they have to compete for attention with all the other emails. Post is slow, and unreliable.

SMS text is the ideal channel for communicating service dates, to your customers. Use it for notifying customers of routine information like when services are due, when they can collect their vehicles etc. This frees up your sales staff to concentrate on better customer service.

• Improved customer communications
• Increased revenues through better customer service
• Less forgotten appointments

Insurance Companies

Policy Renewals - When policies are due for renewal you probably already notify your customer by telephone, email, and post. Telephone customer contact is costly in time and money because it can be difficult to get through to people. Email is not reliable now due to spam filters and when the messages do get through, they have to compete for attention with all the other emails. Post is slow, and unreliable.

SMS text is the ideal channel for communicating when policy renewals are due. Use it for notifying customers of routine information like when a policy is due to expire, appointment dates for repairs etc. Allow your customers to respond by text, whether to accept a new policy there and then.

• Improved customer satisfaction through better communications
• Increased revenues through more renewals
• Reduced telephone workload, freeing staff to improve customer service

Hospitality

Reservation Reminders - Most customers are travelling when they make a reservation. It is difficult for them to accurately capture information, like booking references, directions etc. while they are on the move.

A simple text to the person's mobile with all the booking and directions is the simplest most effective way of conveying the information to the customer.

• Improved customer satisfaction through least hassle communication
• Increased sales through repeat business and recommendations

Sales - Every restaurant has quiet days, but on these days you still need to pay staff, heating lighting etc. this all costs money.

When it is quiet, text a special offer to previous customers in the local area. This turns a quiet no revenue day into a reduced revenue day. Customers can also reply by text to accept an offer, or place a reservation.

• Increased revenues

Event Organisers

Activity Notices - Even though talks, presentations are well advertised in the event brochure, people get distracted at events and forget to attend. Because they are mobile within the event, they are difficult to contact, often it is noisy and PA announcements are missed.

A simple text to the person's mobile that a talk or presentation is about to begin can prompt them to attend.

• Increased attendance
• Improved exhibitor satisfaction
• Increased exhibitor re-booking

Reservation Reminders - Most customers are travelling when they make a reservation. It is difficult for them to accurately capture information, like booking references, directions etc. while they are on the move.

A simple text to the person's mobile with all the booking and directions is the simplest most effective way of conveying the information to the customer.

• Improved customer satisfaction through least hassle communication
• Increased sales through repeat business and recommendations

Emergency Notices - Sometimes it is necessary to move a large group of people quickly, this is probably done using PA announcements and use of stewards. In these sorts of situations not everyone hears announcements.

Sending a text message to everyone attending the event with simple instructions alongside existing communications channels can help facilitate the emergency plan. If the crowd are informed, it is easier to get them to comply with instructions.

• Improved crowd management

Tourist Attractions

Ride Reservations - Popular rides in the summer get very busy, causing long queues and a great deal of visitor frustration.

Sending a text message to visitor's mobile informing them that their turn on the ride is imminent can greatly reduce queue lengths. Some parks operate systems that use pagers, OutboxSMS links into pager systems so that the messages can be sent to the visitors mobile, as well as the pager.

• Improved visitor satisfaction
• Increased revenue, visitors in queues don't spend money

Booking & Directions - Most customers are travelling when they make a reservation. It is difficult for them to accurately capture information, like booking references, directions etc. while they are on the move.

A simple text to the person's mobile with all the booking and directions is the simplest most effective way of conveying the information to the customer.

• Improved customer satisfaction through least hassle communication
• Increased sales through repeat business and recommendations

Emergency Notices - Sometimes it is necessary to move a large group of visitors quickly, this is probably done using PA announcements and use of stewards. In these sorts of situations not everyone hears announcements.

Sending a text message to everyone attending the event with simple instructions alongside existing communications channels can help facilitate the emergency plan. If the crowd are informed, it is easier to get them to comply with instructions.

• Improved crowd management
• Improved visitor safety

Industrial

Staff Paging - On industrial complexes most staff communications is achieved using pagers or 2-way radios. However, the problem is that the pager only works when it is within range of the base station. So, staff cannot be reached as easily when they are away from the grounds.

The OutboxSMS system integrates with existing pager systems, so a message can be sent via SMS and via the pager at the same time. This seamlessly ensures that the recipient receives the message whether or not they are on plant premises. Also, the recipient can reply via SMS, so for instance they could confirm that they could respond to an action.

• Seamless Pager and SMS communications
• 2-way communications
• Improved staff communications

Transport

Staff Paging - At passenger terminals most staff communications is achieved using pagers or 2-way radios. However, the problem is that the pager only works when it is within range of the base station. So, staff cannot be reached as easily when they are away from the terminal.

The OutboxSMS system integrates with existing pager systems, so a message can be sent via SMS and via the pager at the same time. This seamlessly ensures that the recipient receives the message whether or not they are on plant premises. Also, the recipient can reply via SMS, so for instance they could confirm that they could respond to an action.

• Seamless Pager and SMS communications
• 2-way communications
• Improved staff communications

Booking & Directions - Most customers are travelling when they make a reservation. It is difficult for them to accurately capture information, like booking references, directions etc. while they are on the move.

A simple text to the person's mobile with all the booking and directions is the simplest most effective way of conveying the information to the customer.

• Improved customer satisfaction through least hassle communication
• Increased sales through repeat business and recommendations

Emergency Notices - Sometimes it is necessary to move a large group of passengers quickly, this is probably done using PA announcements and use of staff. In these sorts of situations not everyone hears announcements.

Sending a text message to all passengers with a single message containing simple instructions alongside existing communications channels can help facilitate the emergency plan. If the crowd are informed, it is easier to get them to comply with instructions.

• Improved passenger management
• Better informed passengers, improved passenger satisfaction
• Improved passenger safety

Courier And Logistics

Delivery Staff Communication - You may have a small number or large number of delivery staff on the road. Communicating with them is currently achieved by phone. Telephone contact is time consuming and costly because it is often difficult to contact people by phone, especially when they are driving.

Save time on the telephone, send text messages to your drivers instead of calling them, this will save money and is safer.

• Better informed and motivated delivery drivers
• Delivery drivers can communicate back to head office by SMS
• Improved efficiency, saves money

Customer Communication - You probably use mostly telephone to contact customers to inform them when a delivery is due. This is very time consuming and probably quite unreliable

Use SMS to inform customers when a delivery is due. This will help to ensure that the customer is there ready to accept the delivery when it arrives. Better informed customers improves customer service, and customer satisfaction, leading to repeat business and recommendations.

• Improved efficiency
• Increased sales, repeat and recommendation business.

Construction

Staff Paging - On building sites most staff communications is achieved using pagers or 2-way radios. However, the problem is that the pager only works when it is within range of the base station. So, staff cannot be reached as easily when they are off-site.

The OutboxSMS system integrates with existing pager systems, so a message can be sent via SMS and via the pager at the same time. This seamlessly ensures that the recipient receives the message whether or not they are on-site. Also, the recipient can reply via SMS, so for instance they could confirm that they could respond to an action.

• Seamless Pager and SMS communications
• 2-way communications
• Improved staff communications

Theatre and Cinema

Reservation Reminders - Most customers are travelling when they make a reservation. It is difficult for them to accurately capture information, like booking references, directions etc. while they are on the move.

A simple text to the person's mobile with all the booking and directions is the simplest most effective way of conveying the information to the customer.

Sales - Every cinema or theatre has quiet days, but on these days you still need to pay staff, heating lighting etc. this all costs money.

When it is quiet, text a special offer to previous customers in the local area. This turns a quiet no revenue day into a reduced revenue day. Customers can also reply by text to accept an offer, or place a reservation.

• Increased revenues

Local Government

Staff Paging - With staff out and mobile around the region it can be difficult to stay in contact with them. Telephone reception maybe intermittent, so contact by phone can be time consuming.

Sending an SMS for routine communications can save a huge amount of time. This could be emergency contact, or could be work orders for the day.

• 2-way communications
• Improved staff communications
• Improved efficiency

Vets

Appointment Reminders - Customers failing to attend appointments has a significant impact on the organisation's ability to provide efficient and effective services. A major reason for failure to attend is customers forgetting they have an appointment.

Send reminders to your customers when appointments are due. No matter where they are, or what they are doing the message will get through to their phone. It has been proven in studies that sending SMS appointment reminders is an effective and efficient means of improving attendance

• Reduce failure to attend
• Reduce wasted vet time
• Save money

Vet Paging - Most large animal vets are out on the road most of the time. Trying to communicate with them is usually troublesome, especially in country areas where mobile reception is poor.

Sending a text message instead of calling the vet is more likely to get through. If it doesn't get through, the message is retried until the vet's mobile gets reception. Often in poor reception areas a message will get through even though there is not enough signal for a voice call.

• Seamless Pager and SMS communications
• 2-way communications
• Improved communications