Insights

Texting as the Next Killer App

Jun 22, 2016

Everyone is on the hunt for the next killer app — that up-and-coming startup company eager to please with crazy offers that almost sound too good to be true.

Finding and booking the best movers in a crowded city at a moment’s notice? Instant cookie delivery in the middle of the night for a $3 flat rate? If there’s an app for that, it’s bound to go viral, and may even redefine the industry.

But, to be honest, our phones are already bursting at the seams with apps that serve niche purposes. And whenever users have to handle something complicated, the app rarely meets those specific needs.

Today’s standards for a good customer experience are based on personalization and ease of resolution. And most app developers are still trying to crack the nut of a seamless user experience. There are just too many potential points of failure for them to be effective at troubleshooting 100% of the time. So it’s pretty clear that consumers need a real thinking human mind, who knows what they need and how to get it — fast.

Make it Human

This is what makes texting the next (and first) killer app: it’s the only native app devoted exclusively to connecting people with each other. It’s also the most frequently used communication channel on 98% of American’s phones. And companies who recognize that users read their text messages within three minutes are starting to capitalize on this prime mobile real esate. Combine that with the direct connection to a savvy Interactive Engagement Center (IEC) agent, and businesses have a recipe for an industry-redefining customer experience.

Make it Effortless

One North American bank noticed that customers were constantly on their website checking balances, making transfers from their checking to savings, or retrieving routing information. So they went the extra mile to start delivering frequently accessed information and tasks via a secure text message through their Toll-Free Number.

Instead of constantly having to open the app or webpage and log in to check a balance, customers get a text alert whenever a payment goes through, or when the balance drops below a certain amount. They can rest easy knowing exactly where they stand day to day financially. But customers still have the option to make transfers or go through their entire banking history online or on their mobile device. And the best part is, it’s all done over the bank’s secure Toll-Free Number, so it’s safe and accessible to customers no matter where they are.

Make it Luxurious

The folks in Silicon Valley are catching up to idea of white-glove customer service. Most user interfaces grow tired after a few uses, but fast and reliable issue resolution never gets old. A fashion startup recently began texting customers about finding the perfect cardigan or coat. Users can add the company’s Toll-Free Number to their contact list and text back and forth with their personal shopper.

This kind of attention to detail and customization makes shopping online so appealing. Through this butler-esque texting service, the agent gets to know the customer, their style preferences, payment info, address, size, even typical budget for certain items. It saves so much time and energy from having to repeat or reenter billing info multiple times. Consumers trust them with all their sartorial needs because they make it so easy and so personalized. And consumers know that they’ll get a response every time they text the startup’s Toll-Free Number, so that’s usually what they do when they’re in dire need for some new boots.

Make it Seamless

The truth is, apps aren’t always reliable, and users can’t always stay on top of the latest download. So whenever a business offers to just text the information that we need, we breathe a little sigh of relief. Texts are the most reliable way to stay in touch with friends and family, whereas messages that require a strong 4G or WiFi signal have a tendency to lag. Consumers can read texts in an instant when they pop up on screen, and our fingers know intimately how to tap out a response without much thought at all.

That little texting icon is the most used app on our phones, and for a good reason. It’s our lifeline to the rest of the world and everyone that we care about. Apps may be all the rage, but it’s the invisible app of using our favorite mode of communication that truly lets a business integrate into our lives.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Today’s standards for a good customer experience are based on personalization and ease of resolution. And most app developers are still trying to crack the nut of a seamless user experience.

• That little texting icon is the most used app on our phones, and for a good reason. It’s our lifeline to the rest of the world and everyone that we care about.