I picked up my iPhone and saw a text from a five-digit number. My heart gazelled – I just knew it was the airline telling me my flight was delayed, or worse, canceled.
But it wasn’t. A delay, that is. It was my airline saying, “We’ll see you soon! Your flight to Denver departs at 11:35 am from Gate B6.”
This message was like a ‘good morning text’ from a lover, and so unlike the texts I usually get from airlines (gate changes, delays).
And if that ‘see you soon’ hadn’t already been green tea for my morning, my phone rang right at boarding time, “Here we go! Your flight to Denver is now boarding from Gate B6 – we look forward to seeing you soon.”
What if your business reached out to customers with a good morning-like message?
What I mean is, instead of merely reaching out with privacy updates, promotions, or announcements, why not send messages designed to make the customer’s day easier?
Examples of the business equivalent of the “good morning” text
A dental office could send out a quick text on the morning of an appointment, “Hi, Myra! We’re looking forward to seeing you at 3:00pm today.” This would work for hairstylists, all manner of medical offices, heat, and air services – the possibilities go on and on.
About a month after customers sign up for eLearning, we check in over email with tips on quickly running reports. Three weeks later, we send out frequently asked questions and answers.
“Your driver is approaching.” A go-to lunch delivery for my team is Panera. We order online and get texts telling us when the driver has left the café, and also when the food has just passed through our security gate. These updates keep us in the loop and help us to promptly meet the driver.
Look for creative ways to talk to your customers over text or email – beyond support and promotions. Updates that make customers’ lives easier, save them time, or give a heads up are as surprising as a firefly at dusk. And they’re memorable.
De-escalation Training for Customer Service & Soft Skills Training 