Utilizing SMS for Tech-Savvy Customers

80% of North Americans (that’s 292 million people) use text messaging for both business and personal conversations. For businesses particularly looking to capture the attention of millennials and Generation Z, that means one thing: they need to incorporate SMS capabilities into their communications strategies.

The Growing Role of Millennials in the Marketplace

Millennials and Gen Zs now comprise a large percentage of both the business and consumer marketplace. With Gen Zs entering their first post-college jobs and millennials beginning to make major life purchases, both demographics are quickly becoming an extremely lucrative customer base — for businesses that speak their language, that is.

Millennials and Gen Zs are expressly tech-savvy, having grown up with texting, video content, online gaming and social media platforms. In fact, Gen Z consumers hardly have any life experiences that pre-date digital communication. Most millennials and Gen Zs prefer using their smartphone to access online resources compared to laptops, desktops, or other stationery workstations.

Mobile Messaging Is on the Rise

Statistics show these “always plugged-in” consumers are embracing texting in a big way and in virtually every facet of their lives — making it an essential add-on for business communications. Take a look at some findings:

• According to Pew Internet, more than 50% of younger millennials use mobile devices as their primary internet access point. A study by Experian says mobile usage is 14% higher for millennials than older consumer groups. Companies should “engage millennials on mobile first, because the technology is an extension of their personalities and something they interact with on a daily basis.” (Marketing Dive)
• 95% of 18-to-29 year-olds send or receive an average of 87 text messages per day. 18-to-24 year-olds are even more prolific, sending or receiving an average of 109 text messages a day. (Shuli Lowy, marketing director, Ping Mobile)
• 98% of 18-to-29 year-olds own a mobile device capable of receiving an SMS message. Among the 18-to-34 year-old group, text is the preferred channel to receive notifications from businesses. (Pew Research via EZtexting)
• 79% of millennials sleep with their phones by their beds, and more than half wake to check messages at least once per night. (Qualtrics)
• 64% of Gen Z smartphone users claim to be constantly connected to the internet – with 57% admitting to feelings of insecurity when they’re without their mobile phones. 78% of these users prioritize their mobile phones when it comes to how they access the internet. (The Business of Apps)
• By 2025, more than 70% of all internet users will access the web via mobile phones only. (Qualtrics)

With such overwhelming statistics, organizations that hope to thrive in the future need to support SMS and mobile communications in both their unified communications and contact center solutions. As Rimma Kats of news site Marketing Drive notes, “In general, mobile is important because it gives millennials a voice in a two-way conversation with brands, whether it is to tweet a complaint… or participate in an SMS campaign.”

The SMS Opportunity for Businesses

Organizations that do not accommodate mobile channels such as text and multimedia do so at their own risk. In today's world businesses need to meet the demand of this up-and-coming market.

By connecting with customers through SMS (texting), businesses can connect to a highly-engaged, increasingly lucrative customer base — one that communicates first and foremost via texting. Through SMS communications, businesses can provide essential services and connect customers to the markets and demographics that will drive long-term growth.