Elements of a Two-way Mobile CRM Solution

Alleviate the burden on employees with a two-way mobile CRM solution that’s easy to implement.

So your boss wants you to implement a mobile CRM solution, and it has to be two-way. You know your bulk SMS provider offers two-way SMS text messaging. So what now?

If you want to impress your boss with a solution that will take the pressure of already stressed-out call centre employees (trust me, it’s intense), you have to understand the technology behind the scenes. For the purposes of clarity, we’ll divide the process into three layers as illustrated below:

The Recipient Layer

So let’s say it’s the middle of summer and you own Jimmy’s Ice ‘n Stuff. Business is good. But like all savvy business owners, you know that winter is coming and that, once the heat has dissipated, your current regulars will only be returning to your store next summer. So you put up a sign that reads:

Jimmy’s Ice ‘n Stuff isn’t exactly a company that requires an entire mobile CRM solution, but the requirement for two-way SMS text messaging remains. And in this case the patrons of Jimmy’s fine establishment will text their name to the short code provided to ensure that they can keep summer going even when winter sets in.

The Provider Layer

The message they send will then be passed to the carrier and then to the mobile aggregator. What happens next depends on the API chosen:

• HTTP/S, SOAP, XML, SMPP: Callback is pushed to your website at http://www.jimmysicenstuff.com/callback_catcher.script
• FTP: Callback details are logged in a file on the aggregator’s server where it can be downloaded from.

The Client Layer

Little do people know that, in addition to running an ice cream store, you’re also a pretty l33t developer. You’ve integrated your preferred API and have written the scripts to handle the callback from your bulk SMS aggregator. To further your mobile CRM efforts, all numbers are recorded along with the names, and stored in a database as soon as the callback is processed. Your script then replies to the sender of the message by sending an MT (Mobile Terminated) message back to the individual, thanking them for their interest, perhaps even providing them with 10% discount on their next purchase.

The benefit here is that you’ll have their details on record to facilitate client communication during those cold winter months.

The Two-Way Benefit of Mobile CRM Strategies

From Ice ‘n Stuff to corporate entity – where does mobile CRM using two-way SMS text messaging fit in? Simple answer: just about everywhere:

• Marketing: Promotional messages to generate leads for sales.
• Sales: The mobile phone has a built-in payment mechanism, making it easier for companies to sell their products and services than ever before.
• Customer Service: The convenience of using two-way SMS text messaging is that the client can initiate and even conclude a query session whenever, wherever – no more waiting in line on expensive telephone calls with operators located in different countries.

But it’s much more than that, isn’t it? It’s about improving the customer experience by providing them with what they want, when they want it on a device that is always with them, always on. Companies who implement a mobile CRM solution with two-way SMS text messaging will be able to initiate dialogue with their current and prospective customers using a medium that simply requires mobile coverage, and one that is accessible from any type of phone on the market. It really is that simple.

Read more about the technologies you can use for an effective mobile CRM strategy on our two-way SMS page.

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