How can you personalize SMS customer service to meet customer needs?
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SMS customer service is a convenient and cost-effective way to communicate with your customers, but it can also be impersonal and generic if you don't customize it to their needs. In this article, you'll learn how to personalize SMS customer service to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
Personalizing SMS customer service means tailoring your messages to the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of your customers. This can help you build trust, rapport, and engagement with your customers, as well as increase your response rates, conversions, and referrals. Personalizing SMS customer service can also help you avoid spamming, annoying, or offending your customers with irrelevant or inappropriate messages.
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Bala Bhaskar Rao Nookula
VP - Business Development
SMS does not require Wi-Fi or network connection. The good part is this, if my customer is out of range also SMS gets delivered even though signal is week. Further in the era of WhatsApp, there are few clients or customers who still like to converse on SMS. Many of times I have experienced that some senior leadership from management do not like WhatsApp chatting, they are comfortable with SMS. Further addressing a person by his or her name with a prefix suitable is more responded. It does not matter how big is the message, but it should be meaningful whether it is meant for business or personal. So, I personally feel that we can still use personalized SMS customer service for business or in person.
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Aaron Hillyer
AI Powered Job Search Specialist | Technology Leader and Visionary
I think the most important thing here is that SMS GETS READ! And by having a captive audience that you hyper target, you can further engage the customer / prospect along the buying cycle and/or strengthen your existing relationship.
Segmenting your customers for SMS personalization means dividing them into groups based on criteria such as demographics, location, purchase history, feedback, interests, or behavior. This can help you send more relevant and targeted messages to each group, as well as customize your tone, language, and timing. You can use tools such as CRM software, analytics, surveys, or opt-in forms to collect and analyze customer data and create segments.
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Ken Parmelee
Enterprise Software Product and Strategy Leader | Senior Director Strategy @ Pegasystems | MIT Advisor, Forrester Council Member
The modern approach to personalization for customers is to use AI against your client data to determine both the bes message and the right targets. Generative AI furthers this when combined with client data analysis and SMS automation software
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Aaron Hillyer
AI Powered Job Search Specialist | Technology Leader and Visionary
To Ken's point, AI in this field is quite nascent and there are countless ways to leverage it to personalize. Segmentation has always been at the forefront of message marketing campaigns but with AI, maybe moving straight to personalization is a better approach in some cases. I'm not suggesting that segmentation goes away but I believe it needs to be rethought.
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Using dynamic fields and variables for SMS personalization means inserting specific information into your messages based on the customer data you have. This can help you address your customers by their name, mention their order details, offer personalized recommendations, or send personalized offers. You can use tools such as SMS marketing platforms, chatbots, or APIs to create and use dynamic fields and variables in your messages.
Using triggers and automation for SMS personalization means sending messages based on the actions or events that your customers perform or experience. This can help you send timely and relevant messages that match your customers' needs, expectations, and emotions. You can use tools such as SMS marketing platforms, chatbots, or APIs to set up triggers and automation for your messages.
Testing and optimizing your SMS personalization means measuring and improving the performance and effectiveness of your messages. This can help you identify what works and what doesn't, and make adjustments accordingly. You can use tools such as SMS marketing platforms, analytics, or A/B testing to test and optimize your messages.
Respecting your customers' privacy and preferences for SMS personalization means following the best practices and regulations for SMS marketing and communication. This can help you avoid legal issues, complaints, or opt-outs from your customers. You can respect your customers' privacy and preferences by obtaining their consent, providing an opt-out option, limiting the frequency and length of your messages, and ensuring the security and accuracy of your customer data.
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Aaron Hillyer
AI Powered Job Search Specialist | Technology Leader and Visionary
What about cost and implications of the cost as it relates to some of the topics within such as triggers, personalization, etc?