Genuine human interaction will always be foundational to quality customer service, no matter how technology may evolve. However, with the right tools—like SMS and AI—brands can offer quick, effective support, leading to improved customer experiences and increased cost efficiency.
Setting up an SMS-based customer service program is not as simple as flipping a switch. Here, we lay out a roadmap to structure your SMS customer service for success, strategically balancing AI and human interaction for optimal results.
How SMS-Based Customer Service Gives You a Leg Up on the Competition
1. 24/7 Availability with Conversational Intelligence
SMS-based customer support allows for real-time, automated responses, giving recipients access to answers and actions outside typical business hours, which enhances convenience and availability; this flexibility can improve customer satisfaction and foster loyalty by delivering timely support whenever it’s needed, ultimately strengthening the customer relationship and increasing engagement.
2. Faster, Frictionless Service
SMS eliminates some of the most frustrating parts of traditional customer service, such as navigating pre-recorded phone menus, enduring long wait times, and dealing with poor call quality, all of which can significantly detract from the customer experience. While SMS may not be able to address every possible issue, it often provides a much quicker and more efficient resolution for many common customer queries.
3. Lightens the Load for Your Support Team
SMS automation reduces the volume of inquiries that human agents must handle directly, freeing them to focus on more complex or nuanced customer issues that require a personal touch. This approach not only helps your team work more efficiently by alleviating the burden of repetitive tasks but also improves overall productivity and enables agents to provide a higher quality of service, enhancing both team morale and customer satisfaction.
4. Meets Customer Preferences for Non-Voice Communication
Younger generations increasingly prefer text-based interactions for customer support due to their convenience and speed, while older generations still appreciate the option to call and speak with a representative directly; by offering SMS as part of your customer service mix, you can ensure that all customers, regardless of age or communication preference, can engage with your brand in the way they’re most comfortable, fostering a more inclusive and accommodating customer experience that caters to diverse needs and expectations.
5. The High Open Rate of SMS Benefits Both You and the Customers
Not everyone checks their emails in a timely manner; in fact, emails receive an open rate of only 45% compared to SMS’s open-rate of 98%. Therefore, SMS is the best medium for sending time-sensitive customer support messages, such as appointment reminders and delivery updates. Studies confirm this notion, with 75% of millennials considering text to be a “helpful” way to receive appointment reminders.
6. Easily Scalable Customer Support
SMS is a customer service channel that can grow alongside your business. Whether demand spikes temporarily or expands steadily, SMS can flexibly scale to meet customer needs. Comparatively, new customer service staff take time to be trained and cannot be easily “turned on” and “turned off.”
How to Effectively Leverage SMS and AI for Customer Support – Step-by-Step
-
Define Customer Support Goals and Use Cases
Clarify what you want to achieve by using SMS and AI, such as reducing response times, improving customer satisfaction, or lowering the number of support calls. Identify which customer interactions are best suited for SMS, such as order status updates, appointment reminders, FAQs, and simple troubleshooting.
-
Choose Advanced SMS Software
Look for SMS software with two-way messaging capabilities and conversational intelligence. Voxie, for example, offers robust platform features that allow for responsive, interactive communication at scale.
-
Integrate SMS Software with Your CRM
Connecting your SMS platform with your CRM allows for real-time, personalized interactions. Customer-specific details, such as purchase history and upcoming appointments, can enhance the relevance of each service message.
-
Design Customer Service Templates and Multi-Step Flows
Create templates for common customer interactions to streamline responses and automate routine tasks. Multi-option flows can be set up to direct customers to the right answers or escalate issues to human agents when needed.
-
Set Up Triggers for Human Assistance
Identify the specific types of queries or sentiments that warrant human assistance, such as high-priority customer complaints or complex requests that fall outside the scope of standard automated responses. Ensure a seamless transition from AI chatbot to live agents when needed. With platforms like Voxie, automated interactions can be quickly handed off to the Message Hub, where a team member—equipped with the full chat history—can continue the conversation from precisely where the automation concluded, providing a smooth and personalized customer experience.
-
Set Up AI Training and Automate Routine Inquiries
Work with your SMS provider, like Voxie, to train AI on your brand’s unique needs and tone. This approach automates responses for frequently asked questions, freeing up your team for more complex issues.
-
Monitor and Optimize Performance
Measure SMS open rates, response times, customer satisfaction, and issue resolution rates. Also, monitor AI accuracy and response quality. Regularly solicit customer feedback to understand their experience with SMS support and identify areas for improvement.
Examples of SMS Customer Support Use Cases
- Reminders and confirmations - Remind customers of upcoming appointments, such as consultations, repair services, or medical visits.
- Self-service scheduling - Allow customers to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments via text.
- Delivery updates - Inform customers of any delays, schedule changes, or delivery issues, helping to manage expectations.
- Product restock alerts: -Notify customers when high-demand items are back in stock.
- Loyalty program notifications - Send alerts about expiring loyalty points or special rewards.
- Payment reminders - Issue gentle reminders about upcoming payments and respond to billing inquiries.
- Medication refill requests - Allow customers to request prescription refills through text.
- Service updates - For pet care, share updates with pet owners on how their pets are doing, including pictures if appropriate.
- Complaint handling - Address customer complaints directly through SMS to resolve issues swiftly.
- Customer feedback - After a purchase or interaction, send short surveys to gather feedback on the customer experience.
- Account security and authentication - Use SMS for two-factor authentication (2FA) to verify users’ identities during logins or transactions.
These examples show how SMS can enhance customer service, specifically. Further explore the full depth of possibilities unlocked by this medium with 8 Creative Marketing Text Message (SMS) Ideas & Examples.
Minimizing the Potential Downsides of Automated SMS Customer Service
Address customers’ concerns about leveraging SMS AI to support their needs
Be transparent about using automation - Be upfront when customers are communicating with an AI or chatbot. Customers appreciate honesty, and they’re more likely to feel comfortable with the process when they know whether they’re interacting with a bot or a person.
Pull in as much personalized information as possible - Build confidence in the process (while also saving everyone time) by building SMS templates that automatically pull valuable information that could be relevant to the customer support need. This could include a previous purchase or any scheduled upcoming appointments.
Avoid erecting barriers between texters and real people - If a customer requests human involvement or the situation calls for it, reassure them that someone will follow up promptly—and make sure to follow through. After all, many customers are still hesitant about AI-driven customer service, with the biggest concern being the difficulty of reaching a real person when needed. On your website, provide a help-line through which people can connect with a real person, if preferred.
Involve (human) customer service representatives when texters are unhappy or your automated system is at an impasse - When in doubt, have a human representative get involved. Not only may they be able to address any gaps in the AI’s knowledge, but their direct attention can get customers the reassurance that your brand takes their satisfaction seriously. Voxie platform users can set up automated notifications about particularly unhappy users or complex scenarios that need additional human oversight.
Ensure that automated texts respond with the right message and sentiment
Make the most of machine-learning with sophisticated SMS software like Voxie- The Voxie SMS platform continuously adapts to your brand and business operations through advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to deliver increasingly accurate responses to customer support questions. By analyzing past interactions and incorporating feedback from both customers and agents, Voxie refines its understanding of your brand’s unique products, services, and processes. This adaptive learning approach helps Voxie identify patterns and anticipate customer needs, enabling it to respond with precision and relevance over time.
As a result, Voxie can effectively handle more inquiries independently, providing a seamless customer experience that aligns with your brand’s voice and values.
Select software with built-in emotional intelligence - Voxie utilizes natural language processing (NLP) and sentiment analysis to detect the tone and emotional context of customer messages, allowing it to understand whether a customer is frustrated, satisfied, or seeking information. By analyzing sentiment, Voxie can adjust its responses accordingly, offering empathy and reassurance when needed or delivering concise information for straightforward inquiries.
This advanced SMS software capability ensures that recipients feel heard and understood, as Voxie tailors each customer support interaction to match the emotional tone of the conversation.
Monitor SMS Customer Support Conversations and Test Different Responses
Collect and analyze feedback - Gathering feedback from customer interactions is crucial for refining your approach to SMS support. By monitoring conversations, you can identify recurring questions, track common issues, and assess how well your responses address customer needs.
With Voxie’s real-time analysis tools, you can go beyond surface-level insights to gauge customer sentiment throughout each service interaction. This information provides a deeper understanding of customer preferences and pain points, allowing you to tailor your SMS-based support strategy more effectively and make data-driven adjustments to enhance customer satisfaction.
Regularly Test and Optimize - Consistently testing various elements of your SMS support strategy is essential for continuous improvement. Experiment with different response tones, such as more formal or conversational language, to see what resonates best with your audience. Assess the accessibility of self-service resources by monitoring how often customers are directed to FAQs, guides, or help articles and whether they find them helpful. Track key performance indicators, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores, to gauge the effectiveness of each change. By regularly analyzing and optimizing these factors, you ensure your SMS support remains responsive, relevant, and aligned with customer expectations, ultimately fostering stronger relationships and building customer loyalty.
How Voxie Helps Elevate Your SMS-Based Customer Support With AI
Voxie’s AI-driven SMS platform provides franchises and businesses with scalable, effective tools to deliver exceptional customer service through text. From automating routine inquiries to detecting tone and sentiment, Voxie enables brands to maintain high-quality customer interactions at every touchpoint. With integration capabilities, training support, and AI that evolves alongside your brand, Voxie ensures your SMS strategy is both efficient and highly personalized, helping you build stronger customer relationships.
Ready to take your SMS customer service to the next level? Partner with Voxie to create a tailored SMS strategy that meets the needs of your customers and empowers your team to provide top-notch support.