What Is an SMS Inbox?

As the internet continues to evolve, marketers are always looking for the next marketing channel that can drive results. But as many look forward to the next big thing, others are returning to the basics.

SMS marketing has been around for a while but has seen some renewed interest in recent years. Why has SMS marketing, an old channel, become popular in recent years? The answer is simple - high open rates!

SMS marketing can reach a 98% open rate, which is high compared to email marketing where the rate is under 20%. SMS marketing is also less saturated than other touchpoints, which makes it more attractive to marketers.

Success in SMS marketing relies on organized and efficient ways of managing your messages. That's where a shared inbox comes in.

In this article, we discuss everything there is to know about an SMS inbox, teach you how it works, and explore how it can benefit your business.

What Is an SMS Inbox?

An SMS inbox is a central hub or repository for all your incoming and outgoing texts. Teams can use it to view who sent and received messages and the times they sent them. Team members can also view internal notes about a conversation and access all the linked conversations that were part of it.

In short, an SMS shared inbox makes it easy for team members to collaborate and respond efficiently to customer queries.

How Does It Work?

An SMS inbox allows different team members to log in, read, and reply to messages from a singular phone number.

One of the most essential features of an SMS inbox is conversation routing. This refers to accounting for and assigning inbound messages to the appropriate team member. For example, when a customer sends a message requesting a quote or asking about specific product features, you don't need to manually assign an employee to the customer.

Conversation routing assigns every conversation to the person capable of answering the question best. Team members can see every teammate's response, making it easy to know if every question has been resolved.

How Will It Benefit My Business?

Now that you understand what an SMS inbox is and how it works, let's take a look at some of its benefits:

Improved Customer Service

In today's fast-paced world, if you're too slow, clients will deem your customer service as poor and move on to one of your competitors. SMS allows you to reach your audience quicker, as about 70% of people open text messages within 5 minutes of receiving them. This makes it ideal for urgent messages like time-limited flash sales.

Besides, most people have a tight-knit relationship with their phones and don't share their phone numbers easily. When someone accepts your SMS invitation, it means that they've allowed you to enter their texting world. This gives you the perfect opportunity to build rapport as you can reach them on a more casual and personal level.

Unlike the formality of email, SMS lets you have one-on-one conversations with your customers. It allows you to answer questions briefly and quickly and ask for feedback in a casual setting.

Efficient Collaboration

A shared inbox improves collaboration as each team member with approved permissions can see incoming and unanswered messages. This makes it easy for teams to work together to ensure all queries are answered on time.

Shared inboxes also make it easy for teams to put their heads together to solve assigned or self-assigned questions. With notes and private comments, team members can easily collaborate on issues and arrive at the right solutions.

Centralized Communication

Most SMS platforms offer integrations with everyday apps such as Slack. These integrations give teams centralized platforms for group and individual conversations. This makes it easy for team members to communicate without switching between apps.

For teams and managers who are always on the go, staying connected and on top of issues is important. Centralized communication on SMS inboxes simplifies assigning and reassigning conversations easily based on subject matter expertise.

Visibility and Accountability

SMS inboxes enhance visibility in communication exchanges as everyone can see entire threads. Visibility allows team members to understand the context and history of interactions, as well as track the progress of conversations.

If a different team member has to take over a conversation, they can easily pick up where the last team member left off. This saves time and eliminates the need for long emails back and forth between teams.

A shared inbox also promotes transparency and accountability as members can see who is responsible for handling each question. These inboxes also simplify tracking conversations, which heightens accountability and helps ensure that no customer is neglected or left unanswered.

Streamlined Workflows

SMS platforms unify communication by combining all customer conversations into one interface. This allows teams to prioritize and solve issues quickly, ensuring that customers are getting the fastest response possible.

By integrating with other apps, teams can automate tasks such as routing messages and assigning tasks. With team notifications, members stay up-to-date on activities and can take action accordingly.

Conclusion

An SMS inbox is more than just a repository for incoming messages – it's an essential tool for improving customer experience and team communication. It allows for efficient customer engagement and creates a more personal connection between you and your clients.

If you're looking for a tool to help streamline your workflows and improve your customer service, try Helpmonks! Our platform offers a robust email management system for organizations that value efficiency, collaboration, and productivity.

Helpmonks' shared inbox tool will help your business cut through the clutter and stay organized and responsive. With its automation and analytics features, you can easily analyze customer engagement patterns while simplifying your operations.

Book a demo to get started today!