The Kaleyra team looks at the business benefits of conversational messaging.
Brands are waking up to the fact that uninspired business messaging strategies can result in dissatisfied customers and fragile brand loyalties. Sending sporadic messages and keeping fingers crossed will no longer be enough to earn customer trust. Conversational messaging ensures that customers have meaningful interactions that are relevant and personalised.
What is conversational messaging?
Conversational messaging refers to ongoing two-way dialogue with customers throughout their buying journey. It facilitates and prioritises exchanges that are purposeful and engaging.
Conversational channels allow real-time conversations and provide reliable and accurate information based on past exchanges. For example, customers who want to return an item at the store can benefit from relevant responses such as nearby stores based on their location and order history.
With multiple messaging channels being used nowadays, an omnichannel approach allows businesses to effectively engage customers in their preferred channels. Conversational texting gives businesses a holistic view of customer interactions across channels, leading to more accurate responses and improved engagement.
Some of the widely used conversational channels include:
Benefits of conversational text messaging
Deploying conversational text messaging offers several benefits to businesses, including the following…
Make interactions personal
Conversational platforms enable personalised conversations that customers can easily relate to. Addressing customers by name and mentioning information learned from previous exchanges leads to improved customer satisfaction. For example, a customer who recently purchased a phone would appreciate notifications about price drops of phone accessories such as headphones and cases. Making suggestions like these leads to interactions that are relevant to the customer, resulting in increased sales.
Conversation platforms also store valuable information on behaviour patterns, allowing businesses to send the right message at the right time. For instance, for customers who make repeat purchases, letting them know about a loyalty program can improve retention. For customers who are already members, however, an exclusive first peek at new arrivals may result in repeat purchases.
Streamline customer care
Customer service is essential to retention, and brands cannot drop the ball by failing to engage customers in peak seasons. Enterprise businesses currently in the middle of digital transformation can leverage conversational platforms without making steep investments in infrastructure. This means businesses can still provide excellent customer service with fewer support agents even in high-demand periods.
Messaging, unlike calls, can be done concurrently, allowing businesses to handle high volumes of customer inquiries with ease. Chatbot workflows can be created for repetitive questions, so customers get prompt responses without adding to the workload of support agents.
Gain a 360 degree customer view
Understanding customers is key to devising an optimal CX strategy. In addition to enabling business communication that revolves around customer needs, conversation platforms can also offer valuable insights into customer attitudes and pain points. With a holistic understanding of customers, your reach can be expanded across several platforms without compromising quality. In addition, a unified view of all communications paves the way for a deeper understanding of customer needs.
Customer feedback on products and communications can easily be collected with conversational channels, which can help identify potential communication gaps and help brainstorm possible solutions.
Why implement conversational messaging
Employing multiple channels such as WhatsApp, SMS, and RCS allows businesses to activate messaging channels based on current business priorities and customer preferences. In addition, conversational platforms enable businesses to ascertain the performance of new channels and analyse customer behaviours effortlessly.
Implementing conversational messaging platforms enables businesses to develop a CX strategy that involves human agents in addition to self-service and automation tools. These platforms empower businesses to improve their productivity and ROI through intuitive messaging solutions while bringing customers closer.
To learn more about how Kaleyra can help implement conversational messaging services, contact us today or you can visit our website.