April 15, 2025 - 3 min read

SMS : improving customer relations

Christelle ARNAUD

Introduction

The proof is in the pudding: good customer relationship management customer relations is essential for any company seeking sustainable growth. Yet this is often a complex subject for marketing teams. Where to start? What tools should be used? And above all, how can we be effective?

Among the many channels available, professional SMS is a simple, direct and effective lever. smsmode© gives you a few tips on how to strengthen your customer relations using automatedSMS based on current practices and available automation tools.

Why choose an SMS solution for customer relations?

Loyalty, satisfaction, brand image... SMS ticks all the boxes. Thanks to its simplicity and effectiveness, you can :

And in all business sectors: retail, healthcare, events, real estate, personal services, etc.

Good to know:

A well thought-out SMS campaign can increase customer satisfaction by 20% and generate an average return on investment of €50 per euro invested.

A variety of uses throughout the customer journey

Relationship SMS isn't just for after-sales. With an SMS sending platformplatform, it can be integrated into every stage of the customer journey:

This mobile medium is therefore suitable for all areas of activity, whether it's associated with confirming appointments, confirming orders, thanking customers for purchases or communicating good deals... And above all, SMS remains a fairly easy-to-use medium that can be set up quickly.

These messages, though short, create proximity and reinforce trust.

Setting up an SMS campaign: quick and easy

The implementation of a campaign SMS requires neither advanced technical skills nor complex tools. With a solution like smsmode^©just follow a few simple steps:

1. Create an account

2. Import your database

3. Compose your message

4. Plan the delivery date

5. Send and choose a confirmation

6. Study the statistics

And that's all there is to it.

GOING FURTHER

Product overview smsmode^©

Automating SMS : a real time-saver

Send a personalized message at the right time, without any manual action? It's possible with smsmode^©. You can do this in 2 ways, either through theAPI SMSor by contacting one of our SMS plugins for CRM.

These interfaces automate the sending of SMS according to triggers defined in your CRM tool, website or application. Result:

For example, you can send an SMS appointment confirmation as soon as a customer books a time slot on your site, or thank a buyer immediately after an online payment.

Don't know what to write? Take a look at the available templates

Writing a good SMS can seem difficult, especially when you lack inspiration. To help you, smsmode^© proposes more than 50 professional SMS examples according to objectives (loyalty, practical information, promotions, customer satisfaction...).

Here are a few ideas:

Why choose smsmode^© for your customer relations SMS messages

SMS has become a cornerstone of customer relations: fast, direct, economical and easy to implement. By intelligently integrating it into your marketing and CRM strategy, you can build loyalty, reduce no-shows, get more reviews and increase your sales.

And thanks to tools like smsmode^©You can go even further with automation, personalization and statistical tracking.

Need a helping hand to get started??

Create your free account

Try out our SMS platform and benefit from 20 free test credits, with no obligation.

January 10, 2025 - 6 min read

Send surveys by SMS

Romain Didelot

Introduction

Surveys via SMS are a powerful tool for conducting surveys and collecting votes or feedback from your customers or employees with unrivalled efficiency and speed. With over 95% open rates and up to 40% response rates, these messages outperform traditional methods, enabling instant, confidential feedback for surveys or customer satisfaction assessment. Unlike e-mail, which is often ignored or turned into spam, SMS messages guarantee easy reading and instant interaction, whether it's a link sent via mobile message or the use of text messages to send questions to respondents.

Discover the benefits, options, parameters, creation and follow-up of surveys via SMS to optimize participation rates and the reliability of the data collected, while improving the customer experience.

The advantages of SMS

Fast, easy access

SMS messages are read within 4 minutes of being received on the customer's phone in 95% of cases. This instantaneous aspect enables real-time information gathering, which is essential for a company that needs to survey an up-to-date database quickly. The ease with which participants can access the vote and complete surveys via SMS, either by clicking on a link or by replying directly to the message, increases the participation rate and the quality of the customer experience.

High response rate

This is the major advantage of SMS surveys: the opening rate of SMS (98%), ensuring almost guaranteed visibility. This high open rate translates into a very significant customer response rate (often around 45%), far superior to that of e-mail or other more traditional survey methods. This efficiency favors the acquisition of a large number of quality responses. And the uniqueness of the telephone number improves the reliability of the data collected and the results obtained.

Accessibility on various mobile devices

The high accessibility of SMS surveys, available without an app and compatible with all cell phone models, eliminates technological barriers and makes it possible to reach a vast audience. Whether your target audience is a student, professional or senior citizen, SMS is an effective way of gathering opinions, information and feedback.

GOING FURTHER

SMS or email? The ultimate comparison

How to create your survey: SMS

1- Define the survey objective

The first essential step before launching your survey at SMS is to clearly define its purpose. Whether the aim is to assess customer satisfaction, collect opinions on a product or service, or conduct an analysis of your audience's expectations and preferences, a precise definition of this objective will enable you to formulate appropriate questions and interpret the responses effectively.

Identifying this objective also helps to select the target audience and adapt the message to optimize the participation rate, analysis and customer experience.

2- Designing effective questions

No survey is complete without questions. For questions to encourage people to vote, they need to be simple, brief and to the point, to avoid ambiguity and ensure that respondents understand them. Opt for closed questions (yes/no, multiple choice) for simplified data analysis, or open questions for more in-depth feedback.

Limit the number of questions as much as possible to keep participants' interest and prevent the lassitude that can result from an excessively long questionnaire.

3- Choosing the right SMS management platform

The success of your SMS survey also depends on the choice of method, tools and platform for sending SMS. It's essential to choose a tool that offers functionalities adapted to your company, such as contact import, personalization, mass mailing of SMS, the possibility for respondents to reply to messages, and response analysis.

smsmode^© allows you, for example, to design and distribute your surveys and benefit from automation features to facilitate sending and follow-up. Our platform integrates with your existing systems through API Yes plugins SMSto become one with your CRM or ERP tool, for simple, total data management.

smsmode^©

4- SMS campaign configuration

This is where the technical part begins.

Prepare your contact list
Make sure you have recipients' consent to send them SMS. Import your contact database in XLS or CSV format onto our SMS platform. Depending on your objectives, you can include all your contacts or target a specific segment.

Check contact list
Check that phone numbers are valid and eliminate duplicates in your database to prevent multiple mailings and maximize the effectiveness of your campaign. With smsmode^©this operation is performed automatically.

Scheduling your dispatch
Scheduling your SMS dispatch is also essential. You have the freedom to send messages immediately or to schedule a specific date and time for optimum impact, in line with your recipients' habits.

5- Sending the survey and managing responses

There are several techniques, with varying degrees of integration, for carrying out a survey via SMS. The choice depends on your preferences and technical environment.

External method

This is the technique that comes first. Once your campaign is ready, you distribute your SMS with the survey link inside. This is called a Rich SMS. Several platforms, free, freemium or paid, allow you to edit a survey. Make sure that the survey (web) page is responsive, so that respondents can fill in the survey without difficulty.

Some online survey tools :

SMS response method

Making it easier to answer increases the participation rate, so why not carry out the entire survey via SMS ? smsmode^© enables recipients to respond directly via SMS , making it easier to collect feedback and boosting participation.

By using keywords or short codes for your SMS responsesyou make the process intuitive and fast for users, reducing friction and increasing the likelihood of participation. Analyzing responses is easy from our platform, where you can export the messages received to give you a clear and intuitive overview of the results. You can also set up an API call to filter votes from your URL callback destination.

Time2chat method (virtual number)

The use of a virtual send and receive number (Time2chat) works in a similar way to SMS . The number allows you to receive responses in real time and to segment reactions systematically to centralize responses, making it easier to interact with your audience and organize data.

What's more, a virtual number can be used to personalize automatic responses, sending out personalized confirmations or thank-yous, which can boost engagement and satisfaction among participants.

To set this up, you need access to a virtual number management platform (such as smsmode^© 😉) and a stable API connection to integrate the service with your existing systems and aggregate the responses to your survey. You'll need to set up your API call with a differentiating ID to be able to aggregate the responses brought up by the URL callback.

TO FIND OUT MORE

Find out more about Time2Chat

Features, benefits, uses and pricing.

6- Analyze results

Once you've sent the message to your contact list via the chosen method, it's time to collect and analyze the responses. Responses should be automatically collected by the platform, so all you have to do is analyze them to finalize your survey and draw conclusions.

7- Follow and thank

Send a thank-you message to participants. Share any results or planned actions based on responses.

A few more tips

Write a clear invitation message

Include the purpose of the survey, instructions on how to complete it, and an estimate of the time required.

Example:

36037

Hello, take part in our quick survey by answering this question: Are you satisfied with our service? Answer YES or NO.

Optimize your timing

Send SMS at a time when recipients are likely to be reading it. Use your own experience or best practices in your sector as a guide.

Test before sending

Test the survey with a small group to detect any problems.

Don't share participants' personal information without their consent and ensure that the survey and each partner comply with the RGPD.

GOING FURTHER

Discover the 10 keys to effective, profitable SMS campaigns.

Conclusion

As we've seen, conducting an SMS survey is an effective way of gathering opinions quickly. With an impressive open rate and response rate, SMS is a great way to gather data. The ease and speed of access to SMS surveys, coupled with the compatibility of this channel, makes it perfectly suited to reaching a wide audience.

All that's left to do is choose a trusted SMS management platform and create your own surveys to benefit from a new, fast and efficient way of collecting opinions and gaining valuable insights. It's up to you!

Create your free account

Try out our SMS platform and benefit from 20 free test credits, with no obligation.

Need more info?

We look forward to hearing from you.

Simplify rental with a 100% guided tour SMS

With an innovative car opt-in process that no longer uses the physical key (and the rental counter), Virtuo offers a 100% mobile and contactless rental service.
The mobile phone becomes the digital key, and the associated “mobile only” strategy puts the emphasis on SMS notifications.

+150 000

USERS

6 000

OWNER-DRIVEN CARS

100%

MESSAGES ARE DELIVERED

ABOUT

Virtuo offers a redesigned premium car rental experience in 6 European countries (France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy and Portugal). A 100% digital and 100% mobile (via an application) customer experience that allows you to manage every stage of the rental process on a smartphone, from creating a customer account and opening/closing the opening/closing the vehicle remotely.

SECTOR OF ACTIVITY

Mobility

COMPANY SIZE

180 employees

CREATION DATE

2016

LOCATION

France Spain & Portugal United Kingdom Germany Italy

CHANNELS

- SMS

- OTP SMS

INTEGRATION

- API

USE CASES

- authentication
- notification

Download the Virtuo success story

You may also, for legitimate reasons, object to the processing of your personal data. If you wish to exercise these rights, please send an e-mail to dpo(at)smsmode.com.

create a new rental experience

A key channel in the customer journey

Virtuo’s transactional SMS have many uses: account creation message including an OTP code — One Time Password — to check the validity of the mobile number, information on the start of the reservation or related to the delivery of a car to the airport terminal, instructions on how to return a car, account security verification proces , etc. The entire user journey is punctuated by these valuable notifications.

SMS messages are generally quite long and are intended to detail all the useful informations for the smooth running of the rental. For example, some informations is indicated at the start of the reservation, such as the location of the car park, the exact location of the vehicle, the number plate of the car, possibly the unlocking code, etc.

One of the major internal challenges: arbitrating between the desire of Virtuo advisers to provide as much information as possible, (and to use bullet points and other formatting characters) and the impact, particularly in terms of pricing, that this entails...

Mensaje SMS en una estrategia sólo para móviles

meet the challenges of message deliverability and security

Mobile messaging means trust

Virtuo relies on a multi-channel strategy that allows the company to and stay in touch continously with its users. Emails, in-app chat, voice calls, push notifications and SMS. This panel of channels is integrated intrinsically into the architecture of the mobile application. They are activated together or individually during the user journey, depending on the strengths and specificities of each channel. In this multi-channel strategy, SMS plays an essential role and is favoured — particularly over push notifications — to limit friction time at critical points.

Push notifications and SMS: we do both. Messages that are considered to be less important are sent as push notifications. The most critical ones are sent as SMS.

Olivier Martin, CTO at Virtuo

In the “push notification vs. SMS” battle (if there is one!), push is distinguished by its low cost and its multimedia possibilities (images, links, sounds, etc.), while SMS is simply perfect to deliver critical messages. This is an undeniable advantage, especially in a context where mobile users, sometimes drowned by push notifications, prefer to disable this functionality.

Another point where the SMS cannot be replaced: OTP authentication when an account is created. The SMS OTP sent by, Virtuo ensures both the identity of the client... and that he or she has a mobile phone, which is a prerequisite to use their exclusively application-based service!

proven project approach

The technical issues behind this mobile messaging strategy

The first technical point is adaptability to the market. For Virtuo, the product (and SMS notifications) are 95% identical for all countries. Only certain messages and functionalities are customised to take into account the specificities — such as specific regulations — of each implementation: for example, the completion of the AVL in the United Kingdom, the remote transmission of invoices in certain countries, etc.

Similarly, the technology layer is essential for a business based on a reinvented, 100% application-based experience. The product tension is materialised, on the messaging side, by the automation of notification scenarios. For this, the Virtuo technological infrastructure interfaces SMS routing via the implementation of APIs, carried out quickly and easily by a team of internal developers.
The challenge for Virtuo was not so much the interconnection, but rather the initial design of a technical architecture that had to be designed to work with multiple providers. This is a successful example of agility, scalability, robustness... and the implementation of backup solutions!

A multi-provider approach ensures that a company is agile enough to respond and cope with digital challenges and developments.

Fabien Andraud, head of sales smsmode^©

A technological approach serves as an innovative user experience, in which the SMS channel plays a
central role for notification.

SMS : improving customer relations

Introduction

Why choose an SMS solution for customer relations?

A variety of uses throughout the customer journey

Setting up an SMS campaign: quick and easy

Automating SMS : a real time-saver

Don't know what to write? Take a look at the available templates

Why choose smsmode© for your customer relations SMS messages

Send surveys by SMS

Introduction

The advantages of SMS

Fast, easy access

High response rate

Accessibility on various mobile devices

How to create your survey: SMS

1- Define the survey objective

2- Designing effective questions

3- Choosing the right SMS management platform

4- SMS campaign configuration

5- Sending the survey and managing responses

External method

SMS response method

Time2chat method (virtual number)

6- Analyze results

7- Follow and thank

A few more tips

Write a clear invitation message

Optimize your timing

Test before sending

Conclusion

Simplify rental with a 100% guided tour SMS

create a new rental experience

A key channel in the customer journey

meet the challenges of message deliverability and security

Mobile messaging means trust

proven project approach

The technical issues behind this mobile messaging strategy

Why choose smsmode^© for your customer relations SMS messages