Did you know that millennials check their phone up to 150 times a day, and some even check it in the middle of the night? In addition, statistics show 90% of SMS messages are read within three minutes of being sent. In a world where everyone is moving in a different direction, with a multitude of distractions, the importance of being top of mind and communicating on a platform that makes it easy for your customers is essential. In this article we’ll share three tips to get started with using automated text messaging services to reach your customers (hint, it’s as easy as using your customer relationship management tool or gathering prospect information):
1. Figure out what you want to communicate with your customers.
A few examples of the most common types of messages dealers send are included below:
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- Thank you notes
- Status updates/service updates
- Important reminders
- Appointment booking
- Recall notices
- Important dates – anniversaries, birthdays, etc.
- Online payment links
- Surveys/link to review after service
2. Research your plug-in options to fit your goals and budget.
Some suggested options include:
Each plug-in option is similar in regards to creating standardized message templates, sending scheduled texts and providing analytics of the sent text(s). However, each option provides additional services that may be beneficial to your dealership such as the ability to send images and PDFs to the customer, create groups based on demographics, or set-up the automatic text directly after scheduling an appointment.
Note: we do not endorse any of the company’s mentioned, please do your own research before working with a new company.
3. Standardize each communication and implement it into the plug-in tool of your choice!
When used appropriately, SMS messages have resulted in high ROI and conversion rates with reported retention rates of 99%. And we know every business owner would like to see results like that! Text messaging is a quick and easy way to reach your customers, build relationships, and stay well organized and we encourage you to decide if text messaging is right for your dealership and start implementing technology to better meet your customer’s needs.
