Ricky’s Online Business Blog

From time to time customers asked me how I can make my web sites respond to enquiries, orders and requests by SMS instantly to their mobile phones.

For example if you fill up an enquiry form on my web site, you will not only receive a confirmation by email, but a thank you message by SMS instantly as well.

In another example, if you make payment for a product, you will receive a confirmation message by SMS immediately. You will also receive a follow-up SMS exactly one month later, reminding you of my brand

Some customers think I send out every SMS message manually from my handphone. But sooner or later they will find out it’s all automated. I can’t be sitting there to sticking to my phone to send out every SMS so quickly in response to every enquiry, 24 hours a day!

How to create such autoresponders by SMS? There is actually nothing complicated. You just need to subscribe to a bulk SMS messaging system, and then program your system to send out SMS messages using the system’s application programming interface (API). My system has been so programmed to make heavy use of SMS for customer service, branding and marketing as well.

There are many SMS bulk messaging service providers out there. Each SMS message sent costs money. Some charge very cheap rate per SMS, but your message might not reach your recipients at all. So don’t just look for cheap providers.

For me, I’m happily using Redisoft SMS System at the moment. Their system is good and stable. Macrokiosk is another good choice. Are you using any better provider? Please share with me.

Giving instant feedback to your customers can “wow” them and make them think your response is so prompt. So surprise your customers by innovating your online business by SMS today!

What is Web 2.0 like?

In tradition Web 1.0, it is like a class where the teacher teaches the subject matter and students receive.  Students may ask questions occasionally and the teacher will answer.  It is basically a one-way or two-way communication.  Relationships exist between the teacher and each individual student.  The teaching materials are produced by the teacher him/herself.

But in Web 2.0, the teacher plays more of a facilitator’s role.  The students discuss among themselves on the subject matter.  Communication flows to and fro in many channels.  Relationships exist not only between the teacher and students, but among the students as well.  The teaching materials are produced by the students themselves as they learn and are guided by the teacher.

This is just an analogy of Web 2.0.  What do you think Web 2.0 is like?

SMS is a relatively simple technology that has been around for many years, compared to other MMS and other more advanced mobile technologies. Yet as the lowest common denominator of all phones, SMS is still popular and its usage is still growing! We cannot ignore such fact that it is still useful for many people.

SMS is easy to implement in an online business. But it seems many people still do not know about this and so under-utilize it. Recently I helped develop an online registration system for a sports event and proposed using SMS in the system. The idea wowed many people thinking it’s one of the latest technologies!

Here are a few ways I’m using SMS to help automate my web sites and improve customer service. Let’s see whether any of these can be helpful for you too.

• Whenever you have got a new enquiry, a new order, request for support or any other matter that requires your immediate attention, use SMS to notify you. Time is money!
• Whenever your customer does something important on your web site, such as registering as member or placing an order, send an acknowledgment to them by SMS. They could be wowed by your immediate response!
• Whenever you need to send a reminder to customers, or want to do follow up, send them SMS!
• Build a permission-based SMS mailing list and broadcast to your prospects or customers for promotion and branding reasons. But don’t send too frequently.
• Use SMS so that your users can register with your service by SMS, instead of going to your web site!

SMS can be sent from mobile to mobile, mobile to web, and the other ways round. There are many potential ways of using SMS to innovate your business. Why not contact me if you are interested?