Recent research shows that for many taxi companies over 50% of their customers make bookings via a mobile phone call. A text-connect number allows customers to order a taxi with a text message, ideal when in a noisy bar or club. The customer gets a sms reply back from the taxi company confirming the booking along with the estimated arrival time, place and vehicle details.

• Easy and stress free taxi booking for the client.
• No missed enquiries and a faster dispatch admin for the taxi company.
• Extra piece of mind and safety for the customer.

With a typical customer aged between 17 and 25 driving schools are set to benefit hugely from accepting text messages. It's fair to say this age group has truly embraced texting and turned it into an everyday form of communication.

Young drivers can enquire about driving lessons without having to talk to anybody in a stress free way and never get an answer phone. The driving school should benefit from more enquiries with fewer 'lost' enquiries due answer phone 'put downs' - Research by a new entrant in to the driving school market has shown that more than then 75% of callers hang up when they reach an answer phone.

Expensive 'No Shows' can be reduced by using reminder texts sent to pupils to remind them when and where their lesson is due.

• Enables easy 1st contact by young drivers
• Improves enquiry rate by reducing 'lost' answer phone enquiries
• Text Reminders improve efficiency by reducing no shows.

Many restaurants close during the day meaning that when customers call to book no one is available to make the booking. Using a text-connect number, customers can text their bookings day or night which can be confirmed back by text when the restaurant re-opens. text-connect will also save Restaurant management time by cutting down on telephone interruptions - leaving busy staff better able to service customers.

• Allows customers to make bookings 24-7
• Cuts down telephone interruptions during service
• Speeds up the bookings processing enhancing customer service During our research for this market around 50% of the restaurants we called during a weekday lunchtime were engaged !

Busy customers on the move or harried at work may struggle to find the time to make an appointment with you. A text-connect™ number gives your customers a quick way of booking with you which they can use 'in between' tasks. Your texted confirmation of their appointment details ties everything down nicely, meaning you get more bookings and your customer has a little more spare time.

• Fewer bookings are lost due to answer phone 'put downs' and you can accept bookings 24-7.
• Customers can text spontaneously overnight so that their appointment can be confirmed at the start of the next working day.
• Prompt clients to rebook via reminder text messages

Many people find it hard to 'get around' to making medical appointments. Others are shy or are embarrassed about the reason for their appointment. text-connect™ allows patients to make appointments in a discreet way avoiding an 'out loud' verbal conversation. This combined with the ability to make appointments while on the train or bus helps patients overcome some of the barriers to making an appointment.

An interesting future application will be 'Repeat Prescription' processing. Patients could text you their 'Repeat Prescription' - because you can reconcile the incoming mobile phone number to a specific patient you can be sure they are making the request and should they need a review appointment details can be texted back. If not a collection date can be confirmed. For busy working people this could be invaluable, particularly for medication where running out is especially troublesome.

• Patients get better healthcare.
• Doctors give hard to reach patient groups easy access to care.
• Appointments can be requested by patients 24-7 discretely.

With only limited period for lunch many workers would rather not queue at their favourite sandwich shop.

text-connect allows customers to text their sandwich orders in advance so that sandwiches can be freshly cut and ready for collection. It also opens the opportunity for a delivery service to local business on a 'pre order' basis.

Shop managers can text customers informing them about today's specials. In the future customers will be able to pay for their sandwiches by text, with the cost deducted from their mobile phone credits, further speeding the process.

• pre order sandwiches
• more efficient than phoning
• future 'pre pay' options in pipeline

Companies and organisations with unstructured or short notice casual staffing needs will benefit from using text-connect to contact staff with work offers. text-connect allows managers to text a work opportunity to pre defined list(s) of casual staff who then then text back their availability.

• Faster and more efficient than phoning lots of staff at short notice
• improved contact rates as most staff will carry their mobiles on them
• cost savings in time and call costs