How To Incorporate Texting Into Your Field Service Customer Experience

Written By Service Fusion

Topic Mobile Features, Must-Haves,

Text messages are fast, to the point, and reliable. According to Nielsen Mobile Insights, nearly 8 out of 10 U.S. wireless subscribers texted in 2018. Today, people of all ages have access to some form of texting, whether that be on a laptop, iPad, or phone. Texting isn’t just a way for family and friends to make plans, update each other, or simply chat. Now, the mobile form of communication has developed into a tool that businesses can, and should, use to reach customers where they are consistently available in a non-intrusive, helpful way.

Many field service providers are adopting texting as their main form of communication with their customers. In fact, text messaging makes the most sense for companies that need to develop efficient, customer-friendly services. Texting can benefit service companies of any size, for a variety of reasons:

Millennials prefer texts over phone calls

Moving into the year 2020, millennials have increasing spending power in the US economy. Now that they’re homeowners and commercial managers, typically who field service technicians interact with every day, it is important to stay connected to their preferred form of communication.

Millennials are the first generation to grow up surrounded by advanced technology such as the internet and smart phones. As a result, millennials have become accustomed to mobile communication and prefer it over its predecessors. In fact, a 2016 OpenMarket survey found that 3 out of 4 millennials prefer texting over talking.

Each interaction with a customer is crucial, and by texting your customers you’re offering their primary mode of communication. Let’s dig deeper into why the ease of texting is so valuable for the company-consumer relationship.

Texting doesn’t interrupt the customer

Has your phone ever gone off at the wrong time? You just started to focus on something important or maybe you were just trying to relax, but all of a sudden your phone’s ringtone starts blaring, disrupting everything. Compared to phone calls, text messages are unobtrusive reminders or quick blips of information that are easy to access. With texts, businesses can quickly confirm upcoming service appointments, pass along estimates on future jobs, or notify when workers are in-route.   When customers need service technicians, something has already disrupted their day, whether it is a plumbing issue or their AC is out. Texting allows you to easily communicate with a customer about the issue and provide the simplicity of a modern, professional business.

Appointment reminders are confirmed easily

Miscommunication about appointments happens all the time in the field service business. You call a commercial customer the day before a big job to remind them you’ll arrive at 2 pm the next day. When you drop by, your point of contact is out to lunch. They got the times confused and thought you were coming an hour later.

Accidents like this can be easily prevented with an accessible text, confirming the appointment time. Texting to confirm with the customer before the job ensures everyone is on the same page, and it minimizes the cost that missed appointments and excessive trips might have on your business.

What’s even better than texting for field service companies? Automated texting. If you’re interested in field service management software that sends text updates to clients for you and your technicians, click here for a free demo of Service Fusion!