With the growing popularity of digital channels, such as chat apps, that allow people to send media-rich messages attached with photos, videos, and voice recordings, it might be tempting to see SMS as outdated. But in many parts of the world, including Indonesia, people still depend on SMS for important correspondence.

That’s because SMS does not rely on an internet connection, is relatively inexpensive, and can be received even by the most basic of mobile devices. This is essential in a country where more than one in four Indonesians still remain offline and less than 69% of the population use social media.

In an omnichannel world, do businesses still need SMS?

Because of its ubiquity and extraordinarily high open rates (as high as 99%), SMS currently remains the channel of choice for organizations to send one-time passwords (OTPs) and important customer alerts. However, businesses in Indonesia are also recognizing the need to adopt an omnichannel engagement strategy for better customer experience and service. The question is, if messages and notifications can be sent over other channels, such as chat apps and social media, then where does SMS fit in?

In actuality, the question of whether SMS or some other channel is best for your business is a false dichotomy. Often, the best results occur when multiple channels work in tandem with each other to deliver the best possible overall customer experience. The secret is to tailor your messages according to the channel being used.

For example, since 90% of SMS messages are opened and read within three minutes of being sent, most organizations ensure that only the most time-sensitive and highly personalized messages are communicated via SMS. That is the very reason Sejasa opted for SMS to boost the job completion rate on its home services platform. On the other hand, less urgent marketing or promotional messages are sent via chat apps or email, accompanied by media-rich assets such as images or video.

Fast, fuss-free surveys (such as those asking for a customer service rating) can be sent over SMS, where recipients need only reply to the message with a single response. Whereas, longer and detailed feedback can be gathered over chat apps and social media, so that customers can elaborate more or even send photos and videos.

Being strategic about the type of messages you send and how often you send them goes a long way to ensuring that your SMS engagement strategy doesn’t backfire. Flooding customers with too many messages can result in, at best, your messages being ignored or, at worst, your messages being marked as spam and your brand credibility being damaged.

Advance your SMS strategy with SMS Engage

If you’re wondering how businesses can take SMS to the next level, even as they broaden their omnichannel mix, the answer is to think holistically about how SMS is being used in a customer engagement strategy.

Modern organizations are making the most of SMS engagement to improve inclusion and deliver swift and proactive support to their customers, allowing them to elevate experiences and strengthen loyalty in the long-run. And when done properly, businesses have managed to make the most of SMS to successfully improve security, productivity, and customer engagement, all at the same time.

Beyond one-way notifications, such as alerts and OTPs, consider how SMS can be used to:

  • Conduct two-way customer conversations for improved support, collaboration, and overall experience
  • Send one-click messages linked to content-rich web forms and surveys for streamlined engagement and feedback collection
  • Automate rescheduling or confirmation of appointments, deliveries, and more for lower costs
  • Diversify your marketing campaign channels to send VIP-exclusive offers, and up-sell or cross-sell products and services
  • Make referrals easier for improved word-of-mouth marketing and increased customer lifetime value

8x8’s SMS API and SMS Engage allow businesses to quickly and easily set up messaging workflows, personalize communications, and analyze campaigns. The APIs seamlessly integrate into any existing tech stack (logistics, web marketing, or customer support), with customizable fields to help you start scheduling and sending bulk messages almost immediately. There is also an analytics dashboard, accessible via 8x8 Connect, our campaign management tool, to help you keep an eye on delivery success rates and other key metrics to help track and optimize campaigns.

8x8’s APIs are built with strict cybersecurity measures in mind, so you can rest assured that your customer data remains protected while you stay in compliance with local and international privacy laws. Our extensive global network of high-quality, direct operator connections also ensures the highest reliability for your 24/7 communication needs.

Scaling engagement in Indonesia starts with the right communication APIs

With global messaging trends continually changing and customer engagement landscapes constantly evolving, there are pockets in the world where old is still gold. Even with the emergence of new digital channels, SMS remains as relevant as ever, especially as an important and reliable fallback channel when all other internet-dependent communication channels fail.

As businesses strategize which mix of channels to use and how to build their overall customer engagement strategy, they often turn to APIs for their convenience, flexibility, and scalability. Schedule a demo today, or find out more about 8x8 Communication APIs, to learn how easy it is to start planning, executing, and managing your omnichannel campaigns.