August 31, 2020 // Product
Programmable Messaging allows a user to control the functionality and deployment of SMS and MMS messages via software by using an API. A Programmable Messaging API connects a software application to existing communication infrastructure, enabling text messages to be sent and received through telecom carriers. Developers can then easily enhance customer experience by integrating with the API to send and receive messages on a large scale.
SMS, or short message service, refers to text messages that are exchanged between people or between a person and an application. Because SMS have high open rates, they make for a quick and cost effective way to communicate with customers. MMS, or multimedia messaging service, refers to text messages that also contain media like a photo, video, audio, or GIF. While MMS is typically more costly, they often see even higher engagement rates and have the advantage of being more dynamic than SMS.
Like Programmable Voice, Programmable Messaging provides a high level of customization and optimization. Because Programmable Messaging is hosted in the cloud and managed through an API, the level of effort to enable communications is significantly decreased, even for a large volume of customers. Additionally, it supports a wide variety of functionality, customized to fit many different use cases.
Without Programmable Messaging, deployment of the required communication infrastructure is costly and time consuming. Maintaining this infrastructure can be tedious, and it’s often hard to find or build the solutions required to address your use case. Consequently, the agility in which your business can pivot communications to respond to new situations suffers greatly when not utilizing a Programmable Messaging API.
In recent years certain types of communications have trended away from phone calls and toward text messaging. Texting is easy, asynchronous, accessible, and quicker than a phone call. For a variety of communications, a text message can provide all the information necessary and requires less effort on the part of the customer and the business. For this reason, it is common to see higher engagement rates with messaging than voice, particularly in certain situations. Text messaging is the channel of choice for many customers, and Programmable Messaging allows businesses to spend minimal time and effort to communicate with their customers in their preferred way.
Programmable Messaging enables businesses to easily collect and analyze the rich SMS and MMS data that is created between their business and their customers. Valuable insights can be discovered and algorithms can be created by analyzing message history. These algorithms can then be used to more effectively route and address incoming messages in realtime. There is a wide range of features that can be built and customized to fit a variety of unique needs.
Appointment Reminders are one of the more popular applications. The ability to send out automated reminders via text and ask patients or customers to confirm their appointments can be very advantageous since time slots that are not confirmed can be rebooked. This helps businesses mitigate revenue loss due to last minute cancellations and frees up customer service workers to focus on more complicated requests. This service is also helpful for the consumer as a reminder helps ensure that they don’t forget an important appointment.
Contact Center Messaging allows customer service agents to manage many conversations at one time. Because the communication is asynchronous, it allows for more natural hold times when issues need to get escalated, and the customer doesn’t have to listen to hold music! I If a customer wants to know when their shipment will arrive, they can simply send an SMS and get tracking information delivered to their phone in minutes, without ever having to talk on the phone. Not only is this quicker, but the tracking information gets logged in their messages, so they can check on it later as well. Contact Centers increase their efficiency, and customers enjoy a streamlined service experience. It’s a win-win.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) provides an added layer of security when logging into systems. Software companies frequently use Two-Factor Authentication to reduce fraud and protect sensitive information. When a user attempts to log into an application, they will be directed to enter a code that is received out of band (like in a text message) which allows them to confirm their identity. Not only does this help the company keep accounts more secure, but it gives the consumer greater peace of mind by protecting their personal information. With the frequency that online hacking occurs, Two-Factor Authentication is an absolute must-have for many applications.
Voxology’s Programmable Messaging service gives companies the power to elevate their communication strategy through one of the industry’s largest and most reliable cloud communication platforms. We have enabled businesses across an array of markets to implement features that effectively serve their customer base. Developers praise our Programmable Messaging API for its ease of use, scalability, and ability to integrate seamlessly with other existing tools.
Let us help you take your customer experience to the next level through a variety of great features, all supported by our knowledgeable and friendly team.