Text messaging is now a commonplace practice among most people, and more and more financial institutions are adapting text messaging solutions out of convenience.
But when it comes to best practices, texting your customers in the same way that you’d text an acquaintance isn’t the ideal. Bankers don’t want to give out their personal numbers to customers, nor do they want to interact with customers in a manner not consistent with in-store customer service practices.
So, what are the best ways to interact with customers, and how is it possible to incorporate those best practices in driving messaging at your credit union? Here are some things to consider:
Make Convenience Key
People are naturally drawn to convenience. Convenience is what has driven innovation since the dawn of humankind, and is what will continue to shape modern technology. For messaging at credit unions, this incorporates a few things. First, it asks that companies acknowledge that text messaging has increased at an unprecedented rate. Next, it proposes that financial institutions address this growth rate with two-way messaging. While text messaging as technology has existed for almost thirty years, it has not been utilized by companies until recently.
When it comes down to it, however, it should have been utilized well before now. Unlike call-in lines, it is convenient. Texting with your financial institution can be done anywhere and on any data plan.
Make it Two-Way
One mistake that many credit unions make when it comes to leveraging text messages is making it all about automation. We mentioned earlier that no bankers or banking employees want customers to have their personal number. But having dedicated personnel available to answer incoming customer texts is critical. Customers do not respond well to bots in situations where they are looking for one-on-one interaction, but texting with a human has shown itself to be one of the most effective ways of growing not only your texting strategy but your business, as well.
Elle, the text messaging platform for credit unions brought to you by Shastic, is a dynamic option for growing customer service at your financial institution. For more information, visit elle.shastic.com