In an increasingly competitive market, utility companies need to focus on customer experience. Making a few simple adjustments to a customer communication strategy, can help to build customer loyalty and brand trust, while also receiving payments on-time.
“…getting and keeping customers is quickly becoming more expensive — utilities are facing a customer conundrum. Consumers have become accustomed to a certain level of service from other industries, but utilities haven’t kept up…..Utilities must ask themselves how they will define the right experience for their customers, balancing customer needs and financial limitations.”
In an increasingly competitive market, utility companies need to focus on customer experience. Making a few simple adjustments to a customer communication strategy, can help to build customer loyalty and brand trust, while also receiving payments on-time.
Introducing SMS Landing Pages
Over the last few years, SMS has really been the star of the show in-terms of efficient customer communication. Benefitting from an average open rate of 98%, it is one of the most effective forms of customer contact. However, as with all forms of technology, there is still room for improvement. SMS is limited to just 160 characters and is perhaps not the most visually appealing form of communication. This is where an SMS Landing Page message could really help to improve engagement.
The customer would receive an SMS message as normal. However, there would also be a link within the message which clicks through to a personalised Landing Page. The information housed within this Landing Page provides additional information to the customer in a more visually engaging format.
SMS Landing Page examples
Below are some examples of how SMS Landing Pages can help satisfy some of the key aims for customer communication, experienced within the utilities sector.
The aim: To reassure customers about who will be visiting their home and when they can expect them to arrive [for an engineer visit, for example]
Our solution: Create a Landing Page that includes all relevant details relating to the in-home visit, as well as a picture of the engineer. Include a button that leads through to the company website/click-to-call if the customers wants to reschedule.
The result: The customer has more brand trust and is happier to have an engineer in their home. It will also reduce missed appointments and consequently, reduce the costs involved with sending an engineer out to a house, when there is no one home.
According to Appointment Plus “No shows who miss their scheduled appointment or reservation times are more than just a minor inconvenience or annoyance. Their actions can result in lost revenue, changes in employees’ schedules and increased expenses.”
This new tailored form of communication will really help to satisfy your customers’ need for efficient and interactive channels. This activity will also reflect the customer experience that they are accustomed to, from other familiar sectors, such as retail.
But what does the future hold for rich messaging?
SMS Landing Page messaging is just the first step on a journey to far richer communication. There has been much discussion, in the telecommunications industry, about the future potential of RCS, but we believe that this technology can go much further. It can create rich, two-way interactive conversations with customers, communicate using channels such as Whatsapp or Facebook Business Chat and even select the channels based on individual customer preference. This is next-level tailored communication.
Below are some examples of how RCS messaging will be able to help satisfy some of the key aims for customer communication, experienced within the utilities sector.
The aim: To send customers their latest bill and estimated meter readings and ensure that they receive payments on-time.
Our solution: Send details of the customer’s latest bill, reference number, customer name, customer’s usage and amount due, all within their phone’s native messaging app. Include a button to make the payment. Customer simply clicks pay now and the bill is settled.
The result: More payments received on-time. Reduced costs related to the process of chasing missed payments. Better and more efficient customer experience, leading to an improved brand reputation.
Join our Rich Messaging Partner Programme
By implementing an SMS Landing Page message, you will not only immediately improve the effectiveness of your communications, but actually begin to bridge the gap between customer and brand, through an array of technologically advanced rich messaging.
We are presently accepting brands on to our partner programme which allows you early access to our new rich communication product; SMS Landing Pages. To find out how we can help improve communication with your customers, simply get in touch, we’ll be happy to help.
