You wouldn’t purchase the first book you see in the bookstore or the first car you find in the lot. So don’t settle for the first SMS provider you find on Google (unless you found us, in which case hi, so glad you’re here. We’ve got a great texting platform).
If you’re searching for the perfect SMS provider that understands your needs and delivers the right results, we’re here to help.
Below are some of the characteristics of a great SMS provider, which you can use to see if the provider you’re considering is the right fit for you.
1. Reliable Delivery Every Time
Let’s kick things off with reliability. Imagine crafting the perfect promotional campaign or urgent update text, only for it to vanish into thin air.
It\’s not cool—not cool at all. Now you have to waste time (and money, in some cases) redoing the entire thing.
But that’s what will happen if your SMS provider isn’t reliable. So be sure that the one you choose has a solid network, minimal downtime, and a track record of high delivery rates. That way, your messages will reach your customers when they’re supposed to every time.
2. Ironclad Security and Compliance
We know data security and compliance aren’t the sexiest topics. But they are vital to building your customers’ trust. And when your customers know their data is safe with you, they’re more likely to engage and stay engaged.
So, your SMS provider should follow industry regulations like GDPR or TCPA to the letter. And not only that, they should also have security measures that put Fort Knox to shame.
Encryption? Vital.
Secure data handling? An absolute must.
With that in mind, ask how they secure your texts during your next discovery call.
3. Messaging Types for Every Need
Text-only SMS is so last decade. Today, texts are far more versatile than the “Hey, we’re open” messages you used to send back in the 2010s. Now, you can send customers images, PDFs, and even GIFs if you’re feeling spicy. And most of them will appreciate it (let’s face it, not everyone’s a fan of GIFs).
Whatever SMS provider you choose should support SMS (plain text) and MMS (multimedia messages) for sending pictures, videos, and audio clips. Secure group messaging is also necessary when you need to reach multiple customers without compromising their privacy. The more versatile your SMS provider is, the more creative you can get with your texts!
Need to blast out a promo code to your VIPs? Done.
Want to send customers a picture of the latest addition to your brick-and-mortar store? Double dog done.
4. Point-and-Click Personalization
Let’s be honest – none of us appreciate generic texts. They feel about as useful as a Fabergé egg at a chili cookoff. Everyone, including your customers, wants texts that are relevant (i.e., personalized) to them and their needs.
The right SMS provider can help companies personalize each text message at scale. Look for providers with features that let you include customer data in your messages, such as first names, past purchase history, or location-specific offers.
When your customers feel seen, heard, and catered to, your engagement and conversions will soar, not to mention your bottom line.
5. In-Depth, Eagle-Eyed Reporting
Ever wondered if your recipients are receiving your texts well? Or how to give your messages a bit of the old razzle-dazzle? Then, you need analytics. After all, you can’t improve what you don’t measure.
And the best SMS providers are the ones with crazy awesome analytics. Your SMS provider should be able to generate reports that show you your:
- Delivery rates – to see which texts made it to customers
- Open rates – to see how many customers had eyes on your message
- Click-through rates – to see how many recipients clicked the links you included
With these insights in your back pocket, you can refine your texting strategy over time to make every text count.
6. Time-Saving Automation
You’re busy. Your team’s busy. Nobody has the time to manually send out hundreds of texts! But what if you had the power of automation (and possibly anime) on your side? Writing, scheduling, and sending texts would be as easy as falling off a log.
So, look for an SMS provider that lets you schedule messages in advance, set up automatic responses, or trigger messages based on customer actions (like a purchase or a website visit). Automation saves you time and ensures your texts arrive right when your recipients need to see them.
Looking for Your Perfect SMS Provider? It’s Vaspian. Surprise!
We don’t just have one of the best business texting platforms in the industry (it’s called TrueText and is super cool), but we’ve also got a team full of communication nerds ready and willing to help you make the most of it!
From text-enabling your current business numbers to establishing the right automations, the Vaspian team has the gumption and know-how you need to succeed.
Explore TrueText today by visiting our website, calling us, or checking out our pricing page. We’re here to answer any questions you have!