9 ways to use simPRO SMS to improve cash flow and communication

Did you know that only 20% of people are willing to answer calls? Or that most business emails have an open rate of lower than 20%?

SMS is, as recently as 2018, still the most preferred method of communication between a business and its customers - it's quick, easy and personable.

Having an SMS feature built into your operations management system is a great way to optimise how you connect with staff and customers via text.

Additionally, the level of efficiency it provides when it comes to contact can also have a positive impact on cash flow and customer retention rates!

simPRO offers its users a robust SMS feature that can be added to the operations management system. With simPRO SMS, people can

• Automate SMS job or quote notifications and business updates, and
• Send custom SMS messages to customers and staff directly from a desktop computer.

There are a range of ways simPRO SMS can be used to improve and grow a business. Check out the 10 we've listed below to learn more about this feature.

1. Warn staff about weather events that could impact service.

Internal communications are vital in any business. If you have an efficient means to do so with SMS, your team is better kept up to date and any important changes or alerts can easily be distributed.

simPRO's SMS feature offers a custom messaging option which allows you to nominate recipients from:

Employee, contractor and customer information stored in simPRO, A manually entered phone number, or The work schedule in simPRO.

Additionally users can enter a phone number that recipients can reply to if necessary.

This is a great way to warn staff about an incoming weather that may impact their work or their safety.

2. Keep everybody in the loop when it comes to attendance.

simPRO's SMS feature makes it easy to update customers, or staff, on any issues arising when it comes to attendance for a job, quote or project.

From the schedule in simPRO, users can send an SMS directly from a job, quote or activity listed using the contact information stored.

This is great for when a customer needs to be alerted that field staff are delayed, or an employee needs to be notified that a customer has cancelled a job or quote request.

3. Automate payment reminders and chase unpaid invoices.

In system setup, simPRO users can set up an automatic SMS notification to send customers listed in simPRO when their invoices are due to be paid.

Users can select an amount of days before or after the invoice due date to notify customers and can even customise the message that is sent.

Considering more than 95% of texts are read within the first three minutes of being sent, this is a great way to attempt to keep your cash flow positive and chase unpaid invoices.

4. Send friendly updates or celebratory messages on important days.

The custom messaging feature of simPRO SMS also makes it easy to send more personal messages to customers - a great move for customer loyalty and retention rates.

If your business will be only available for emergency callouts over a certain period, you can send out a mass text to your customer base letting them know. If your customers are celebrating a birthday or perhaps a milestone, you can send them a congratulatory message!

SMS messages don't just need to be for formal exchanges, they're a great way to maintain a positive relationship with your customers.

5. Update staff on any important changes to policies or processes.

Bulk messages can not only be used to remind staff about imminent weather!

If administrative processes or general workflows have recently been updated and you notice staff are not adhering to the new changes, you can send a mass text to the team to remind them about the new rules in place.

This is a great way to keep staff accountable and ensure business decisions and changes are adhered to.

6. Welcome new customers to your business.

You can start your relationship with new customers off on the right foot using a welcome SMS message.

simPRO SMS enables your admin team to send custom messages to first-time customers, welcoming them to the database and thanking them for choosing your business.

This is a great way to stand out amongst your local competitors - a business that is known to be engaged with their customers is a busy one!

7. Provide support to your staff and customers.

The ability to nominate a specific phone number for responses means that when customers or staff respond, their message will be received by the nominated team member in the business.

This is valuable if a customer responds to a text message voicing their dissatisfaction with work completed, or a staff member responds to a message requiring assistance on the site.

8. Offer special discounts or deals.

Similar to the above point on welcoming first-time customers, SMS messaging can also help you entice continued interest in your business by offering discounts or deals to returning or loyal customers!

This can be achieved easily through simPRO's customer messaging feature.

9. Follow-up with irregular customers and generate renewed interest.

simPRO's Reporting option offers a feature that allows business owners to review data that shows them when a customer last used their business.

Armed with this information, the simPRO SMS feature can be used to follow-up with customers who may have drifted from your business, and generate renewed interest with an SMS offer or discount for service.

Do you think you'd like to use simPRO SMS in your business?

We have a range of plans and licences available.

Contact our team today 1300 139 467 to learn more, or click here for a form to register your interest and we'll get in touch!