Texting remains a very popular means of communication, but 5G's rollout is stalled

Of the many ways COVID-19 has affected the workplace, new research revealed a significant change in the way businesses and consumers communicate: The business texting platform Zipwhip found that 70% of businesses are texting customers. The 2021 State of Texting report charted the traction of business texting, which gained popularity due to the crowding of channels such as email. The advent of the pandemic dramatically accelerated the adoption of business texting. Research revealed that 83% of texts are read within 30 minutes, but many are seen and read within three minutes.

But don't look to 5G to immediately boost texting further. Only 33% of consumers use 5G on their personal phones today. 5G rollout has been slow, and it's now estimated it will take years before there is widespread availability.  Also, not every mobile device can support 5G. 

Of all businesses that began using text to communicate with their customers in 2020, 34% said they did so as a result of the pandemic, and 77% of those businesses said they plan to continue to use texting for business after the pandemic is over. With safety protocols in place for nearly a year, consumer behavior and demand have shifted, and the increased use of business texting has matched that need. More than half (58%) of consumers said that text is the best way for businesses to reach them quickly, compared to phone calls, or emails.

Fifty percent of respondents said they're sending more text messages since the pandemic, 36% said the number of texts hasn't changed, and 14% said they were sending fewer. The boost in text messages was for "checking in with family and friends" (87%) and "communicating with colleagues or my employer" (49%). Other texts were about appointments (44%), home deliveries (43%), curbside pickup of orders (39%), school updates (28%), and COVID-19 testing updates (22%).

Businesses were texting consumers—the report said 83% responded "yes" when asked if they were sent a business text in 2020, and only 17% said they did not.

"Most businesses have realized over the past few years that texting was their missing communication channel, and for the remaining few who hadn't yet, COVID-19 was a wakeup call," said John Lauer, CEO of Zipwhip, in a press release. "The overnight shift to remote work, remote socializing, remote errands, cemented the need for a quick and easy way to communicate with customers. After forming this habit for the last year, we're not going back."

SEE: Return to work: What the new normal will look like post-pandemic (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Consumer reliance on phones

In-person interactions were severely curtailed and even now, the minimum requirement of masks and social distancing continue to be encouraged—and people are relying on their phones to communicate, with 64% of consumers spending more time on their personal cell phones daily, and of those, 26% spend more than four additional hours a day on their devices. 

The need for news and to check in with loved ones was strong during the pandemic. Consumers start their attachment to their devices early in the morning, with 67% of consumers checking their phones within five minutes of waking up in the morning, and 34% checking devices immediately—a 62% increase from last year. 

Payment over text: A huge opportunity

This year, Zipwhip projects a big opportunity for businesses to meet a major consumer want: To make payments over text. Nearly half (46%) of consumers say they would like the option to pay by text—if done securely, of course—but only 29% of businesses responded that they would consider accepting payments by text. 

Shops that are currently open, even with reduced or limited hours, adopted contactless payments like Apple Pay or Square (45%). But the report stated that "the real opportunity" is in payments by text since the buyer and seller can be in different locations. Last year, the report sponsor Zipwhip, along with Authvia launched TXT2PAY, which lets customers make secure payments by replying to a payment request text with the last four digits of their phone number. 

Pay attention to consumer needs

This year, businesses should take advantage by capitalizing on additional texting preferences from their customers; consumers said that the most valuable kinds of texts they received from businesses in 2020 were appointment reminders (64%), shipment and delivery updates (48%), and discounts on products or services (29%). 

The pandemic wrought a slew of challenges, but 2020 brought natural disasters or other property damage to businesses (25%), revenue decreases (36%), and a reduction in staff (21%).

But most of the 2,000 businesses and consumers surveyed in December 2020 through SurveyMonkey said they were optimistic for 2021. When offered a scale of one to five, in which one is not-at-all optimistic and five is very optimistic, businesses responded with an average of three and a half.

There was also good news for those hardest hit during the COVID-19 crisis, small businesses as 36% of consumers said that since the start of the pandemic, they are buying more from small and local businesses. 

The pandemic, the report stated, amplified consumers' addiction to their smartphone devices and texting is the most frequently used feature, even "outpacing phone calls." The majority of users (63%) use their phone's texting app, followed by Facebook Messenger (15%), WhatsApp (8%), Snapchat (5%), and other chat services trailing behind with 1% to 2%, Line (2%), Google Hangouts (Gchat) (1%), and WeChat (1%).

5G adoption was stalled because consumers said there was "no need" to upgrade (28%) or the price of 5G-enabled phones was too high (20%). 

What businesses can learn from the report

Businesses use texting primarily for scheduling and customer services, and businesses that offer texting should make it clear that is a way they can be reached—via their website, social media, and even employee email signature. They can also add a "Text or Call" or "Click to text" button on their website. Phone calls are becoming less effective, with respondents because many do not answer phone calls from unrecognizable numbers, and voicemails are often left not returned.

Key insights from the report: Texting is the fastest way for a business to communicate with customers; more businesses adopted texting in 2020 as COVID-19 created a need for better communication; the pandemic prompted consumers to send more texts than usual; texts about appointment reminders and shipment updates were most valuable to consumers in 2020; businesses lack awareness around TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) best practices; text payments may be a missed opportunity for businesses, and lastly, COVID-19 and natural disasters had major impacts on businesses in 2020, but their outlooks are optimistic.

Source:

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/texting-remains-a-very-popular-means-of-communication-but-5gs-rollout-is-stalled/

SlickText Named an ‘Organization of the Year’ by Business Intelligence Group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. —

Proven text marketing leader recognized for superior martech innovation in the 2021 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards   Nashville, Tenn. — July 26, 2021 — SlickText, a proven leader in text marketing, announces receiving recognition as an ‘Organization of the Year’ by Business Intelligence Group in the 2021 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards program, also known as The Sammys. The Sammys honor organizations and products working to solve challenges in connecting and collaborating with prospects and customers.

“At ​​SlickText, we provide solutions and services that help advance our customers' marketing initiatives, creating real results and genuine, one-to-one experiences for consumers everywhere,” said Brian Wilson, CRO of SlickText. “Our goal has been to build a versatile, scalable marketing platform that’s able to integrate into a variety of verticals and use cases — from data collection and loyal customer touch points to new lead engagement. Great company culture and leadership, technical innovation and our partners and customers have enabled us to accomplish our goal.”

SlickText’s flexible, easy-to-use text marketing platform provides its customers with an outstanding user experience, enterprise-level functionality and scalability. The feature-rich text marketing solution sets itself apart from other text marketing platforms by enabling users to design and execute versatile mobile campaigns. Best-in-class messaging quality, high-caliber usability and exceptional customer service have cemented SlickText's position as a leader in the text marketing space.

SlickText’s platform has helped businesses of all sizes and types achieve outstanding results. For example, marketing agency Pola Marketing obtained a 900% ROI when their team incorporated SlickText into multiple client campaigns, where it worked seamlessly with other communication methods already in place. Also, eight Midas locations adopted SlickText to increase customer loyalty. While these locations had previously relied on direct mailers and email to reach customers, they found emails only had a click-through rate of about 5% — on a good day. Using SlickText increased ROI by 200% and click-through rates to 15%.

“We named SlickText an ‘Organization of the Year’ because of their commitment to helping their customers achieve marketing and revenue growth and results,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. “Their technical innovation and creativity help cultivate and support positive one-to-one brand and business experiences between consumers and leads in a channel most of us use every day: texting. It was clear to our judges that their efforts have improved how we connect with brands we love today and those efforts will only continue to strengthen those connections in the future.”

Source: https://www.marketingdive.com/press-release/20210723-slicktext-named-an-organization-of-the-year-by-business-intelligence-grou/

How young workers are changing the rules of 'business speak'

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201204-how-young-workers-are-changing-the-rules-of-business-speak

Professional communication has traditionally been buttoned up. But a new generation entering the workforce may help us relax – at least a little.

If you’ve ever tried to explain a meme to your grandparent – or if you’re the puzzled grandparent – you know how big the cultural divide among generations can be. And while all-caps ‘yelling’, misunderstood emojis and other crossed wires are harmless in a family group text, business communication is much more fraught. Send your boss the goat emoji, and instead of realising it’s a compliment (she’s the greatest of all time!) she might think you’re calling her, well, a goat.

Workplace harmony, culture and productivity all depend on successful communication. And while language gaps between senior leadership and newer hires aren’t unusual, they’re usually bridged by a shared lexicon of 'business speak'. But now, the first generation of true digital natives is entering the workforce, and a pandemic has forced us into virtual offices. Workplace communication is undergoing a major shift, with some huge potential pitfalls.

“With the ways we communicate now, there are so many more chances for miscommunication,” says Giselle Kovary, generational researcher and president of Toronto-based consulting firm n-gen People Performance, Inc. “There’s lots of noise in a digital environment, and unless we’re chatting live, things can be misinterpreted. To younger workers, the formal business communication of older generations can come off as very cold and a little harsh, while the criticism is that younger people are too casual.”

With the transition to remote work that depends on digital fluency, younger workers now have a larger influence on workplace communication (Credit: Alamy)

Gen Z, born in the year 2000 and later, is the largest generation in human history. Over the next 10 years, 1.3 billion of its members will enter the global workforce. Traditionally, the onus has been on younger workers to assimilate into office culture. But with the culture itself changing as the office moves online, the eldest and youngest employees of organisations may find themselves having to meet in the middle.

Australia-based social researcher Mark McCrindle, co-author of Work Wellbeing: Leading Thriving Teams in Rapidly Changing Times, says every generation “has their own youth slang and pop-culture code” that they use in social situations. But although older generations, and even millennials, are likely to ‘code switch’, sticking to a more codified type of professional communication, Gen Z is keeping things much more casual. McCrindle says, “We’re starting to really pull down those barriers between our work and personal or social life. We’re working from home, or in a mobile work environment, and that’s naturally creating a more relaxed workplace.”

The digital workplace is where Gen Z is already comfortable, explains Jonah Stillman, the 21-year-old co-author of Gen Z @ Work: How the Next Generation is Transforming the Workplace. “Since we were born, nearly every physical element has a digital counterpart. So, whether I put something in my cart at the supermarket, or click ‘add to cart’ is one and the same. This is a generation that defines being together as either FaceTiming or being in the same room.”

This is a generation that defines being together as either FaceTiming or being in the same room – Jonah Stillman

Stillman’s consulting firm, GenGuru, found in a recent survey that 84% of Gen Z still prefers in-person communication over email or text. But, crucially, “Gen Z defines things like Zoom, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams as being face-to-face”.

The move to remote work in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic means younger generations, who are digitally fluent, suddenly have far more influence over communication and culture. It goes beyond slang and internet-speak abbreviations. Gen Z, used to informal, near-constant contact, spurns the prim email in favour of a quick Slack message. But that can be a tough pill to swallow for older generations, who are accustomed to dictating the professional rules of communication.

Kovary points to a former client: a company who came to her for advice after a run-in with a young intern. “On the first day, she emailed the CEO because she couldn’t find access to information she wanted. At the end of week one, she sent a company-wide email, to 8,000 people, with all her ideas. They called me and said, ‘obviously, we let her go’.”

New workplace platforms that encourage real-time communication and collaboration – and, yes, emojis – are helping break down some of the traditional formality (Credit: Alamy)

Kovary explains that while the company’s leadership felt the intern “totally violated the unspoken rules of the communication chain”, what really happened was a generation-gap issue. “Most companies don’t want a new hire to email the CEO directly, even if that CEO has said, ‘I’m always available!’ They don’t really mean it, but the new hires don’t understand. I tell executives all the time, don’t tell young people ‘message me with your ideas’, and then be surprised when you get them.”

Stillman says Gen Z values authenticity above all else. It's why younger employees are less willing to do the same 'code-switching' that past generations have. Forced assimilation to a shared lexicon isn’t sustainable anymore, says Nicky Thompson, a London-based business psychologist with a background in linguistics. Code-switching can be especially harmful for people of colour; research shows it can hinder performance and increase burnout. And Gen Z won’t put up with it.

Thompson says, “Younger generations are coming into a world where diversity and inclusion is at the forefront. It’s not an exercise of ticking a box anymore. It’s taken seriously. Creating a more diverse and inclusive workspace is about language, tone, who I am as a person, and being able to actually express that in the workplace.”

Creating a more diverse and inclusive workspace is about language, tone, who I am as a person, and being able to actually express that in the workplace – Nicky Thompson

Often, especially for younger people, authentic expression involves more than words. “Slang’s not a new thing, and that changes with the generations, of course,” says Stillman. “But part of the Gen Z ‘slang’ is a totally non-verbal kind of communication: emojis. They’re not a fun add-on to a sentence. It’s a new language."

But the nuance and subtlety of a cartoon-symbol language isn’t all that easy to translate to non-native speakers, and that can create friction between young emoji-users and their superiors. Whether that friction is resolved by keeping emojis out of corporate communication, or by making sure leadership understands remains to be seen, says Stillman. “Are we three years away from there being emoji policies in communication? Are we going to be having meetings explaining to our bosses what emojis mean?”

Although older leadership can encourage newer employees to maintain decorum (and maybe go easy on the emojis in client emails), mentorship is no longer a one-way street.

Workplace superiors may find Gen Z's casual approach to office communication frustrating – if not bewildering, too (Credit: Alamy)

“We have a generation entering the workforce that innately knows more about operating in the modern world than any other generation,” says Stillman. “That ability is something boomers are starting to tap into, with communication and beyond. Gen Z will give you a plug-in that will save you 12 hours, tell you what you need to know about navigating our culture, what things to say and not say. This idea of two-way mentorship is about aligning older and younger generations on the same goal in different ways.”

McCrindle adds another major way to bridge the generational gap at work is to establish common ground. “A workplace is a community. It’s important for its members to have a shared culture. That means communicating what the brand’s voice is, maybe distributing a written style guide. It’s important for businesses to double down on their brand story, invest in a workplace culture, and create shared experiences that give people commonality even among differences.”

After all, McCrindle says whether you’re 22 or 82, on Zoom or in a cubicle, everyone wants to relate. “We’re humans. It’s a human value to communicate across the generations. People want that connection.”

Gleaner's Food Bank Used Text to Serve of 1,000,000 Meals #TextInTheWild

Joe Melillo talks with Gleaners Food Bank to show you how they use text to feed the hungry.

Joe Melillo gleaners food bank Indianapolis Indiana, Text for Business, Text in the wild

Gleaners was founded in 1980 by a group of concerned citizens who felt strongly that no one should go hungry. Since that time, they have distributed nearly 600 million pounds of food and critical grocery items through a committed network of more than 300 food pantries, soup kitchens, schools, and community partners. Text Gleaners to 55433 and people can order the food they need. SMS can help diagnose what someone needs QUICKLY.

******************************************************

Hit me up online: Website: Text-Joe.com YouTube: Joe Melillo Youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joemelilloLive To contact me directly, TEXT "JOE" to 55433. Whenever you’re ready, here are the 2 best ways I can help you… 1) Click the Subscribe button 2) 1-on-1 SMS/MMS Consulting: https://meetings.hubspot.com/joseph-m... ****************************************************** I work with KLaunch to help businesses use Managed Text Messaging Services to better their business. Find out more about KLaunch: https://www.klaunch.io https://www.facebook.com/Kerauno https://www.linkedin.com/KLaunch ****************************************************** It’s no secret that pretty much everyone has a phone, and uses their phone. A lot. Like a lot a lot. Probably an unhealthy amount, but I’m not here to judge, just to present you with the facts. And the fact is text message marketing provides one of the fastest and clearest paths directly to your customers. This equates to business texting. Texting is the future for businesses and it can make you more revenue. -98% open rate means Text Message Marketing Strategies (SMS Marketing) will be vital to your business future -8% of people would welcome a text from a brand they work with. -98% of people see a text message. 92% of people open the text within 90 seconds of receiving it. -60% of millennials want to be able to text their preferred businesses, but most currently receive five or fewer messages a week from companies. -And a non-millennial related statistic, 77% of consumers have a positive perception of companies who use text messaging. ****************************************************** #TextInTheWild is a series by Joe Melillo to show how SMS/MMS text marketing is being used in the real world by businesses and individuals. I went to see one of my clients in action, Levi Riggs. He uses a text number and keyword to get his fans to request songs live. The goal is to grow his opt-in phone number list AKA his followers and fans so he can communicate with them directly at a moment's notice. In 3 Months, our business is driving more merchandise sales, more ticket sales and better overall fan excitement. It can be used for text for business as well. This is how SMS/MMS marketing can be used in the real life stuff that is happening right now. #marketing #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #textexpert #Textinthewild #sms #mobilemarketing #textmessaging #textmarketing #smsbulk

Text with the NFL for Fan Engagement and More!

Colts training camp is a great place for text to shine. Fan engagement is huge and the colts use SMS/MMS to manage alerts and involve fans with organizations they work with. Joe Melillo Text Expert explains the 2021 Indianapolis Colts Training camp.

*****98% open rate means Text Message Marketing Strategies (SMS Marketing) will be vital to your business future*** #Textinthewild series hosted by Joe Melillo. Text in the Wild is a series by Joe Melillo to show how SMS/MMS text marketing is being used in the real world by businesses and individuals.

***Also, quick note. Here is the link to check out KLaunch texting software. https://www.klaunch.io

It’s no secret that pretty much everyone has a phone, and uses their phone. A lot. Like a lot a lot. Probably an unhealthy amount, but I’m not here to judge, just to present you with the facts. And the fact is text message marketing provides one of the fastest and clearest paths directly to your customers.

This equates to business texting. Here are some statistics to really drive this point home. These stats come mainly from a study that looked at millennials but the data holds across most other age groups as well. So here they are:

78% of people would welcome a text from a brand they work with. 98% of people see a text message.

92% of people open the text within 90 seconds of receiving it.

60% of millennials want to be able to text their preferred businesses, but most currently receive five or fewer messages a week from companies.

And a non-millennial related statistic, 77% of consumers have a positive perception of companies who use text messaging. So SMS and text based marketing is the wave of the future and done right can make you more revenue. So let me show you how it's done.

#marketing #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #textexpert #Textinthewild

***PS - Whenever you’re ready, here are the 2 best ways I can help you…

1) Click the Subscribe button

2) 1-on-1 SMS/MMS Consulting: https://meetings.hubspot.com/joseph-m...

***Let’s Connect: Website: Text-Joe.com YouTube: Joe Melillo Youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joemelilloLive

$13K in 3 weeks with SMS/MMS Text for Business

Wednesday July 28, 2021 - Indianapolis Indiana,

Author Joe Melillo

Indy Massage Company is using texting in their business, but how? Joe Melillo shows another way you can use it for business. Text Message Marketing Strategies (SMS Marketing) will be vital to your business future. ****************************************************** Hit me up online: Website: Text-Joe.com YouTube: Joe Melillo YouTube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joemelilloLive LinkedIn: To contact me directly, TEXT "JOE" to 55433. Whenever you’re ready, here are the 2 best ways I can help you… 1) Click the Subscribe button 2) 1-on-1 SMS/MMS Consulting: https://meetings.hubspot.com/joseph-m... ****************************************************** I work with KLaunch to help businesses use Managed Text Messaging Services to better their business. Find out more about KLaunch: https://www.klaunch.io https://www.facebook.com/Kerauno https://www.linkedin.com/KLaunch ****************************************************** It’s no secret that pretty much everyone has a phone, and uses their phone. A lot. Like a lot a lot. Probably an unhealthy amount, but I’m not here to judge, just to present you with the facts. And the fact is text message marketing provides one of the fastest and clearest paths directly to your customers. This equates to business texting. Texting is the future for businesses and it can make you more revenue. -98% open rate means Text Message Marketing Strategies (SMS Marketing) will be vital to your business future -8% of people would welcome a text from a brand they work with. -98% of people see a text message. 92% of people open the text within 90 seconds of receiving it. -60% of millennials want to be able to text their preferred businesses, but most currently receive five or fewer messages a week from companies. -And a non-millennial related statistic, 77% of consumers have a positive perception of companies who use text messaging. ****************************************************** #TextInTheWild is a series by Joe Melillo to show how SMS/MMS text marketing is being used in the real world by businesses and individuals. I went to see one of my clients in action, Levi Riggs. He uses a text number and keyword to get his fans to request songs live. The goal is to grow his opt-in phone number list AKA his followers and fans so he can communicate with them directly at a moment's notice. In 3 Months, our business is driving more merchandise sales, more ticket sales and better overall fan excitement. It can be used for text for business as well. This is how SMS/MMS marketing can be used in the real life stuff that is happening right now. #marketing #digitalmarketing #marketingstrategy #textexpert #Textinthewild #sms #mobilemarketing #textmessaging #textmarketing #smsbulk