Globally, cities are starting to rejoice at the relaxation of COVID-19 regulations. In order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the pandemic compelled several industries to modify their business practices or face a temporary shutdown. Now that the curve has slightly flattened, nations are progressively removing barriers in an effort to strengthen their economies.
Unquestionably, COVID-19 has had a negative influence on both individual livelihoods and the global economy. As of May 2020, the national unemployment rate in the United States is 13.3%, down from 3.6% in May 2019. Additionally, the epidemic has caused a drop in revenue for seven out of ten firms in Australia.
Bulk SMS and maintaining contact\
Lockdowns and restrictions have an impact on enterprises all across the world. SMS has developed into an essential tool that helps businesses stay in touch with their clients and notify them about contactless services and business continuity. With some restrictions loosening and companies gradually reopening, SMS is still a crucial and straightforward method of communication that consumers anticipate.
Accessible communication has never been more crucial, from welcome greetings to information on new business operations. Maintaining client touchpoints and promptly informing them of new operating procedures requires the implementation of automated SMS with a strong text messaging gateway.
Simplify your communication plan by utilizing automated SMS features.
Keywords and reactions that are triggered
Set up automated triggers with pre-written answers to particular keywords to quickly answer questions.
Send Merge
Custom fields that allow you to enter local retailers, customer names, and other information allow you to personalize messages in bulk.
Bulk SMS campaigns that are scheduled
Send out a mass SMS campaign with the dates and times of your business’s reopening to get your consumers ready.
Notifications and reminders that run automatically
Automatically remind customers of their forthcoming reservations and appointments by setting up a direct reminder to be delivered to their smartphone.
Make sure your employees and clients are aware of in-store policies including capacity, social distancing, and hygiene standards by using SMS solutions. Businesses may easily incorporate SMS functionality into their current systems, including CRM, CMS, and other administrative tools, by using an advanced bulk SMS API. Your clients will value automatic SMS’s simplicity and convenience of use. Additionally, your company will save time and money so that it may concentrate on key tasks.
Solutions for bulk SMS for all types of businesses
Both businesses and their clients anticipate things getting back to normal. Nonetheless, a lot of COVID-19-related health and safety laws are still in effect. For example, hotel organizations must record all customers’ contact information for potential contact tracing, social distancing must always be maintained, and room limits cannot exceed state or local restrictions. Make use of SMS’s capabilities to promptly notify employees and clients of operational changes.
How mobile messaging may help your business
Fitness and Health
Under stringent restrictions, gyms, yoga courses, and indoor personal training are gradually reopening. Controlled access to common areas in gyms is essential for the well-being of both employees and members, depending on the room capacity. Implementing a plan, stringent hygiene procedures, and rostering confirmations to avoid no-shows and confusion makes managing numbers and hygiene easy.
Utilize SMS to improve operations management and foster customer relationships:
Use two-way SMS to confirm reservations, allowing receivers to respond with “YES” or “NO” when asked to confirm session times.
Send out routine reminders about health precautions, such cleaning the gym equipment and staying at home if you have flu-like symptoms.
Create customized messages to “check-in” with members and let them know they are appreciated.
Notify members if you provide online courses or workout plans to complement in-person gym sessions during specific periods.
Greetings
When the novel coronavirus was designated a pandemic, bars and pubs were compelled to close, but numerous cafés and restaurants continued to accept orders for takeout and delivery.
Thankfully, sit-down services can now be offered by hospitality facilities in certain nations. For example, bars and pubs in Australia might open with the stipulation that customers stay seated and that meals are served with alcohol.
Notifying clients of how your company will be operating is crucial because laws vary by nation and state. Many hospitality organizations exclusively accept online reservations in order to conveniently manage numbers and seating times. Integrate SMS into your operations to tell customers about the health precautions for both employees and guests, as well as what to anticipate while dining in.
Use SMS to keep clients satisfied and informed by sending:
Notifying all of your clients in bulk that you would be providing sit-down services
Updates on modifications to the opening hours
confirmations of reservations that include the quantity of diners registered (need a “YES” or “NO” response, or risk cancellation)
Reminders of OH&S procedures for employees and dine-in customers
Information alerting clients to any delivery services that are available
Expressions of appreciation for your customers’ continued support
Learning
The majority of American colleges and universities continue to use remote learning. Nonetheless, a lot of schools in Australia and the UK are bringing back on-campus instruction, staggered lunch breaks, and set start and end times.
Schools in the United States are expected to stay closed until September. As a result, students and instructors are staying in constant online communication through video conferences, online courses, and SMS and OTT messaging check-ins. Throughout the pandemic and beyond, the importance of digital technologies and communication in the educational system has been more and more clear.
More than ever, parents and kids need to be informed in real time of any changes to school policies. Schools must notify students of any health alerts on campus, classroom capacity, and the days that students must attend.
Communicate openly and frequently to reassure parents and pupils. Make use of SMS’s versatility to:
Using segmentation techniques and an SMS platform, send out class scheduling notifications for the appropriate year levels. Use bulk text alerts to handle crises.
Use SMS reminders to reinforce required hygiene measures.
Request parents’ opinions via two-way SMS if they have any questions or concerns.
Provide any encouraging news or progress reports on students to assist raise spirits and encourage participation.
Beauty and retail
Retail establishments and beauty salons must modify their operations to comply with COVID-19 standards as limitations loosen. By their very nature, retail establishments and salons may require direct interaction between employees and clients as well as with merchandise.
During the pandemic, internet sales in the US increased by 49%, but many floor employees lost their jobs as businesses started to close. To engage employees and improve store management and operations, use SMS as an internal communication channel. Incorporate SMS into your communication strategy to give your company the greatest possible start.
Ensure that your SMS messages contain important details for both customers and employees, such as:
Peak hours in-store to entice customers to come in off-peak
Options for contactless payments
Conditions of entry, such as waiting outside the salon or store until a staff member alerts you
To further control store access and capacity, staff should have designated break periods.
Entry-level health and hygiene protocols, such as the requirement to use hand sanitizer
Rules about touching things if customers don’t plan to buy
Contactless service and automation
The current health issue has forced several companies to adapt. Businesses are starting to automate processes that were previously made possible by human interaction in an effort to reduce interpersonal contact and stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Retailers were utilizing the robots 13% more than they had before the outbreak, according to Brain Corp, a company that develops software for automatic floor cleaners.
Using apps like Me&u, hospitality firms have also started to automate and streamline procedures. Stevan Premutico, the app’s developer, reported that over the final three weeks of May, the number of app requests rose by 1200 percent. Additionally, Premutico polled 500 Australians and found that 64% of them don’t want to touch menus and 94% don’t want to handle currency. Customers can use the Me&u app to view the menu by just tapping their phone to a beacon at their table. The entire table can then be ordered and paid for using the app alone.
Businesses need to change the way they do business on a daily basis as consumers want more contactless options. One of the easiest methods for businesses to start automating processes, such as reservations, payments, and customer service, is through mobile devices, applications, and SMS.
The promise of a new normal is remains thrilling and positive for businesses of all sizes, even as we continue to be watchful and careful. Even though things might not be going as planned for the time being, this is a positive step. Additionally, digital technologies are available to provide a new mode of communication. assisting businesses and their clients in navigating these developments.