The multi-channel consumer and SMS; all the communication processes in an e-commerce business

Nowadays, e-commerce utilizes various sales channels, through which customers will have different experiences. SMS is not just a communication method that will improve user experience, but also an excellent channel with open rates that are far higher than email marketing.

Mobile is already a distribution channel. Purchases made via mobile have increased significantly in recent years, and everyone carries a mobile phone around with them for most of the day.

The multi-channel consumer and SMS; all the communication processes in an e-commerce business

E-commerce is king, and its sales channels need to be nurtured. An e-commerce business has various sales channels, for example web, mobile apps, social media or external platforms, and it’s important to bear in mind how to market and communicate efficiently with customers in each one of these channels. Business strategy needs to be aligned with customer strategy. We need channels of communication that keep customers engaged with the brand.

How do we do it? Orienting around the customer experience.

SMS communication focused on customer experience

Customer experience is one of the most important requirements for electronic commerce. It is therefore important to create:

•    A user experience for shopping.
•    A customer experience for delivery.
•    A post-sale experience.
•    A long-term relationship with the brand.

SMS can help with every one of these sales channels, and provide better experiences for clients with better communication.

How to use SMS to improve every one of your channels and experiences?

1 Experience for sales channels

To improve user experience in sales channels, like a company’s website, social media or apps, you can use SMS to create offers inside each channel and communicate them efficiently and clearly.

Example: Friday promotion if you purchase something through our app. Link.

You can also automate SMS messages when a cart is abandoned online, which informs customers that they have items in their shopping cart, or can even include an offer exclusive for them.   

Example: Hi Jack, don’t forget about the items in your shopping cart. Link.

Once the purchase has been finalized by the customer, SMS can be used to send a receipt, a notification that the order has been completed, or confirmation of the date and time of the delivery.

2 User experience for delivery

It is important nowadays to communicate the supply chain and logistical timeline to a customer, so that they can locate their order whenever they want and get an estimate of when their order will arrive.

This is when you can send SMS to send notifications on the purchase, the availability of the product, transport status or updates, any changes in the delivery, or if the order has been delivered.

An efficient returns process or reverse logistics is also very important for customer. Online businesses should offer free or very low-cost delivery on returns, and will need good management of the whole process. This means good communication.

SMS messages allow you to notify customers when they initiate the returns process, when the returned item has been received, and when their money has been successfully returned.

3 Post-sale user experience

In post-sale communication, it is important to know the customer satisfaction with the product or brand, if there were problems with the delivery, or what they thought of any promotions or offered they received.  

It is very important for customer loyalty to understand where you have made mistakes, so that they can be resolved quickly and will not affect other users.

You can use SMS to send and track customer surveys.

4 Long-term relationship with the brand

To finish up, it is important to create a long-term communication strategy with the brand so not to lose returning customers.

SMS are the best product on the market to keep customers aware of offers, promotions other key dates such as Black Friday, CyberMonday or end-of-season sales. You can even create personalized messaging for each customer, for example send them an offer on their birthday, by segmenting data from your customer database.

In short, good communication in every one of the sales channels, and subsequently, every step in the user/customer experience, is fundamental for the operation of an e-commerce business. And SMS are the best, most economical tool for this activity. Who doesn’t read an SMS sent to their mobile?

LabsMobile offers the Prestashop SMS module for integration with your online shop and create all of the automation that are fast, economical and efficient. You can also track all the messages you send.

Try LabsMobile for Prestashop now and get an exciting welcome offer!