WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 19, 2018 – While email has been relied upon as the main form of workplace communication, text messaging is revolutionizing the way organizations share information. Amr Ibrahim, CEO of ULTATEL, explains how SMS (short message service) is transforming business communications and best practices for entrepreneurs.
With 81% of all Americans regularly sending and receiving text messages,(1)it’s no surprise that SMS has changed the way in which individuals communicate with one another. In fact, more than six billion texts are sent every day, and 97% of American adults use texting at least once a week.(1) SMS has not only transformed the way people communicate with family and friends, but it’s starting to play a vital role in the workplace—where 80% of individuals already use texting for business purposes.(2)
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen a significant change in the way individuals and businesses view text messaging,” explains Amr Ibrahim, CEO of ULTATEL and small business leader. “SMS is no longer just a way to exchange messages with friends; instead, texting is becoming the main focus of professionals who want to share work information in a short, easy-to-access manner.”
While email is far from becoming obsolete, research shows that SMS has its advantages. A growing number of employees feel overwhelmed by large amounts of spam in their inboxes, prompting them to avoid or even delete messages without ever opening them. Meanwhile, text messaging has a 98% open rate.(3)As 95% of texts are opened within three minutes of being received,(4) employees enjoy convenient and effective communication with SMS. Although text messaging cannot accommodate extensive details, it gives employees the opportunity to share short, simple and necessary information needed to complete timely tasks. Furthermore, studies show that companies with employees who properly share ideas have a 50% decrease in turnover rate.(5)
Today, many entrepreneurs are using SMS as a marketing tool and an avenue for improving public relations. Seventy-five percent of individuals appreciate offers sent to them by text,(6)and the majority of consumers would rather text customer service than contact them by way of traditional methods.(7)
“Text messaging is proving itself to be priceless in employee communication, product marketing and corporate relations,” says Ibrahim. “It’s important for businesses that want to see growth and success to start using SMS.”
While Ibrahim is a long-time supporter of cloud-based phone systems, he’s quick to point out that a VoIP setup for small business does not always include SMS. To take advantage of the communications potential of text messaging, Ibrahim calls for entrepreneurs and business owners to carefully choose a system which incorporates these services.
Through a cloud-based phone system for small businesses, employees can access both a voice phone line and an SMS messaging system via multiple devices, giving employees the chance to keep in touch on important projects.
The growing use of text messaging in the workplace may seem daunting to business owners, but entrepreneurs can promote better communication among employees and increase consumer satisfaction through SMS.
