SMS Customer Service
SMS customer service is the use of text messaging to provide support, send notifications, and communicate with customers through their mobile phone's native messaging app.
In Depth
SMS remains one of the most universally accessible communication channels — it works on every mobile phone without requiring internet access or app downloads. For customer support, SMS excels at transactional notifications (order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders), two-way support conversations, authentication codes, and quick surveys. SMS has remarkably high engagement rates — 98% open rate compared to 20% for email — making it ideal for time-sensitive communications.
AI agents can manage SMS conversations at scale, understanding context across multiple messages, handling common requests autonomously, and escalating when needed. Modern SMS customer service integrates with broader omnichannel platforms, so a conversation started via SMS can seamlessly continue on other channels if more complex interaction is needed.
Related Terms
Omnichannel
Omnichannel is a customer engagement approach that provides a seamless, integrated experience across all communication channels, with full context preserved as customers switch between them.
Push Notification
A push notification is a message sent from an application to a user's device that appears even when the app is not actively in use, used for alerts, updates, and re-engagement.
WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API is a programmatic interface that enables medium and large businesses to send and receive messages on WhatsApp at scale, with automation, chatbot integration, and CRM connectivity.
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