Across the world, people are experiencing a different way of living and working due to COVID-19. These times have been extremely difficult, but they also present a new opportunity for retail brands. Beyond just SMS, brands can reach their customers in the best way possible, using various channels depending on what the customers want.
Post-COVID: The New Normal
Retail has struggled during COVID-19 with prolonged closures of stores and a questionable economy. Stores have had to shut down for many months, making it difficult to entice customers and get them to spend again. While cities are starting to open up again, so are retail stores. Other places and stores must remain closed, or choose to for the safety of the business, customers, and society.
Regardless of your brand’s status, customers want to hear from you and be connected. There are a variety of ways to stay in touch with your customers:
1. Send urgent information
With a crisis, there will be times when you need to send urgent information. This could include changes to opening hours, new hygiene measures, or the number of people allowed in the store. With SMS you have a 98% chance that it will be opened and read within 3 minutes, which is why the communication channel is optimal for critical and urgent information.
2. Rewards
One of the best ways to get customers back into your stores is through marketing and promotions. You can use coupons or send out special deals through SMS. This could be to get new and existing customers to come into the store or to buy online. You could offer free or discounted shipping to entice customers to buy online. You can always combine a coupon with another method, such as a notification about your opening hours or collecting information.
3. Notifications
You can notify customers and even employees updates, such as adjusted opening hours, hygiene measures, or contactless payment in stores. If you aren’t able to open your store, you can still use notifications through SMS or other apps, like WhatsApp for things like click and collect and informing them about delivery times and health precautions when collecting packages.
4. Collect data and information
This is a great way to learn more about what your customers want. Do they feel comfortable coming into the store, or do they prefer online shopping now? Did they feel safe when coming into the store and have a good experience? You can collect information before opening or after to learn more about best practices going forward. With LINK Collect, which uses SMS, you can ask for responses and get information that will increase customer satisfaction and retention.
5. Create a conversation
Start a dialogue with customers to make them feel involved and like you care. You can give them options to get their opinion on what they miss, what services they want if they prefer online or in-store shopping, and more. You can also check in on them at a more personal level to see how they are affected by the crisis and if you can make their shopping easier in any way.
Instead of canceling campaigns, keep your business and customer interactions alive with SMS and other channels. Your customers will appreciate this, leading to a better experience and more loyalty.
New Opportunities with Multi-channel Options
SMS is a great way to reach your customers. But what if your customers want you to communicate with them on their preferred channels? Now with CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service), companies like LINK Mobility offer multiple channels, such as:
- SMS
- Google Verified SMS
- Facebook Messenger
- RCS
- Viber
Using customers’ preferred channels means they are getting a more tailored experience, increasing customer satisfaction, and user experience. Many channels offer brand verification, meaning customers feel safe knowing that the message is coming from a secure and trustworthy source. You have the opportunity to reach the right customers in the right way. Remember, a crisis is a time for people to come together with a more personal touch. Communicating with your customers and using the channels they want means your brand will emerge from these difficult times with more opportunities and success.
About LINK Mobility Group AS
LINK Mobility Group AS is Europe’s leading provider of mobile communications, specializing in messaging, digital services, and data intelligence. The Group offers a wide range of innovative and scalable CPaaS solutions across industries and sectors, creating valuable digital convergence between businesses and customers, platforms, and users. The Group is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with offices in 17 countries across Europe, and is owned by Abry Partners, located in Boston, USA. LINK Mobility continues to experience strong organic growth as clients move more business activities onto the mobile platforms.
