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Small
business applications for Text-connect
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Many small
businesses can gain a real advantage over their competition
by offering SMS text messaging as a communication channel
to their customers. On this page we've noted some examples.
Affordable Text-connect packages aimed
at small businesses are available which let even the
smallest business benefit from using text messaging. |
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Taxi bookings |
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.
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| Driving
schools |
With a typical customer aged between 17 and 25 driving
schools can benefit hugely by adding text messaging
to their communications mix. It's fair to say this
age group has truly embraced texting and are loath
to leave home without their mobile.
Text messaging means that a driving school can make
it as easy as possible for young drivers to enquire
about driving lessons. It's stress free for the client,
and they never get an answer phone. The driving school
benefits from more enquiries and fewer 'lost' calls
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' are 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.
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| Restaurants:
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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. Text-connect is also
the perfect customer feedback tool for Restaurants.
- 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 !
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| Hair
& beauty salons: |
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 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.
- Communicate special offers and events.
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| Doctors
& Dentists Surgeries: |
Many people find it hard to 'get around' to making
medical appointments. Others are shy or are embarrassed
about the reason for their appointment. Adding
Text-connect to your practice means that
your patients can text for 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.
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| Sandwich
shops: |
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
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| Casual
staffing: |
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
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