Instant reach. Unmatched engagement possibilities. Easy integration. SMS continues to shine as the tool for implementing your marketing and communications strategy efficiently. To work at its best, though, your SMS service provider (or SMS gateway provider) must meet your compliance and security needs. The supplier you choose must be able to support your strategy and make sure you reach your…, Eight considerations for choosing the right SMS provider , , 1. Ease of integration , If you want your messaging to be a hit, it's crucial to have a bunch of APIs and SDKs at your disposal. They make life easier for developers and businesses by allowing quick and seamless integration. The perfect SMS provider should offer developer code that's a breeze to use in various programming languages. You should be able to effortlessly integrate it into your systems and apps. And hey,…, 2. Security and compliance , Security and compliance are absolutely essential for any enterprise. When selecting a supplier, make sure they have multiple data centers in different locations (just in case something goes wrong!) and that they’re PCI and ISO27001 certified. This means they follow the best security practices and have a solid plan to protect your business information. Oh, and don't forget about risk, governance…, 3. Delivery performance, When choosing an SMS provider, it's crucial to find one that delivers outstanding performance. Look for a provider with a proven engine, optimized for high delivery rates and low latency . Their expertise ensures exceptional performance for all your messaging campaigns. Experience is another key factor to consider. The right SMS supplier will have extensive carrier integrations, maximizing the…, 4. The power to scale, You know what's really important? Finding a top-notch communications platform that's designed to be lightning fast and can adapt to your needs, no matter how huge they might be. So, when choosing an SMS provider, make sure they can handle your current requirements and also offer room for your business to expand. A scalable SMS provider is also important for successful SMS marketing. Look for a…, 5. Two-way messaging , Another thing to think about is whether your supplier can handle incoming messages. Basically, do your customers need to reply to the text messages you send? If they do, then you'll need to use inbound numbers, preferably in each market where you plan to offer your service. It's really important to work with a supplier who can guarantee that messages will be delivered directly to the recipient's…, 6. Sender ID availability , A Sender ID basically shows the sender's information to the recipient of the message. To build a strong and recognizable brand, it's crucial to ensure that your marketing efforts align with your brand identity. This applies to SMS too and can even influence your choice of supplier. When it comes to SMS, one of the key considerations is the type of Sender ID that’s supported. There are different…, 7. Reporting and analytics , The level of reporting you get from different suppliers can vary a lot. It's important to have detailed reports to understand how your services are performing. For example, some suppliers can provide delivery receipts to show if a message was delivered to individual recipients. Having good statistics on messages sent and delivered is also useful for monitoring total traffic and comparing the…, 8. Their global expertise , When choosing the right SMS provider, make sure that they offer global connectivity with in-depth country knowledge to make sure it’s as easy as possible for you to communicate with the world, and maximize your effectiveness while doing so! Sending SMS messages may seem easy, but knowing when to send them, to whom, and at what time can be difficult. That's why a knowledgeable provider is…, How to evaluate your SMS provider’s performance, Now that you’ve chosen your SMS provider, how can you evaluate their performance? Here are three important things to consider. , Analyze the SMS provider’s delivery rates, Focus on delivery rate, speed, conversion rates, open rates, and other critical KPIs, especially if you’re using two-way messaging for customer engagement. Look for a provider with proven messaging services that are optimized for high delivery rates and low latency. , Is the API easy to use and integrate? , The SMS API needs to work seamlessly on all platforms and apps so that you can easily manage your messages from one central place. This will make communication much clearer, faster, and more consistent overall. , What is the time-to-market? , As the market and your business needs change, you may need to adapt your services. This makes it even more important to work with an SMS gateway provider that can set up numbers quickly in response to your needs. This is especially important for inbound numbers in heavily regulated markets. Talk to your supplier about the time they take up to set a new number and the support they can offer, and…, Finding the right SMS provider for your business, Finding the right SMS provider for your business boils down to you carefully evaluating the provider’s delivery rates, integration functionality, pricing, scalability, and reliability. The right provider with a proven track record of delivering messages globally, rapidly, and securely can become a valuable partner to enhance your brand’s reach and engagement. For a more in-depth look at…
Type: Blog Article
Millions of customers receive SMS messages from brands daily, but how exactly can businesses scale these communications to instantly reach large audiences at any given moment, anywhere in the world? For most businesses, the answer is: by using an SMS API ! Despite the abundance of messaging channels available today, SMS is still the most common messaging type worldwide and the technology helping…, With SMS APIs, businesses can send, receive, and track text messages at scale directly from their existing applications — quickly, easily, and automatically., No need to manage complex in-house infrastructure or involve an entire IT team! In this blog post, we’re answering all the questions you might have about SMS APIs: what they are, how they work, their benefits, how businesses use them, and how to pick the right SMS API service for your company. , What is an SMS API? , An Application Programmable Interface (API) is a software intermediary enabling communication between two or more applications or systems., Businesses can use APIs to easily expand the capabilities of their existing tools. An SMS API, as the name suggests, is a type of API that allows businesses to add SMS messaging capabilities to their applications and platforms. , How does SMS API integration work? , To start sending text messages, you’ll need to integrate the SMS API into your application or platform. Your provider will then route your messages to mobile networks using an SMS gateway. A good SMS API provider will make integration easier for your company’s developers by providing in-depth documentation for multiple programming languages like Java, PHP, Node, .NET Core, or Python. A great one…, Why you need an SMS API , More than thirty years after its invention, SMS is still one of the most popular communication channels, and it’s no coincidence. Here's how an SMS API can transform business communications: , Instant attention and unbeatable engagement at scale , An SMS API allows businesses to get instant customer attention and increase engagement through a medium that’s always at hand — and to do so at scale. With a whopping 98% open rate and 90% read rate within three minutes, SMS APIs ensure that offers, invites, reminders, and notifications are delivered reliably and securely — and acted on. , Easy SMS API integration , An SMS API takes the headache out of the picture and allows developers to build messaging capabilities into their existing software quickly and easily. With the right partner, you’ll start sending your first text messages within minutes. Industry-leading SMS API providers also offer connectors and out-of-the-box integrations to many of the most popular CRM and ERP systems. , Automated SMS sendouts , For businesses in need of more than just a manual SMS system, an SMS API is the perfect way to send thousands of SMS messages automatically. Not only does it help you work smarter, but it also ensures time-sensitive communications reach customers at the right time, every single time — no matter how big your customer database. , Deeper customer insights , Because they typically provide better tracking and analytics capabilities (like campaign management or delivery monitoring), SMS APIs can also help you make more informed decisions about your communication strategy and identify potential issues faster. , Two-way messaging capabilities , Another major advantage of an SMS API is that it usually supports both one-way and two-way messaging. Why does it matter? Because your customers really want to text you back! Recent Sinch research found that 90% (ninety!) of customers would love to be able to answer messages from brands to ask questions. While one-way SMS is still great for some use cases, two-way messaging takes it to the next…, Reliable message delivery , When chosen right, an SMS API ensures fast, secure, and reliable message delivery, wherever your recipients are. , No maintenance , With an SMS API, no need to worry about upgrades and maintenance. Your provider will take care of it for you, without any disruption to your workflows, saving you both time and money. , Global compliance and security , When it comes to business communications, compliance and security aren’t things you can compromise on. Your SMS API provider can (or rather, should) help you navigate complex regulatory requirements like data protection and privacy laws and ensure your business communications are secure. , Cost-effective pricing , Bulk SMS messaging is a cost-effective way to reach thousands of customers instantly — and think about the ROI you can get from such an incredibly engaging channel! Some SMS providers also offer smart routing, which means you can choose to prioritize cost or speed depending on your needs. Now let’s look at how businesses across different industries use SMS APIs to drive positive business…, SMS API use cases , From alerts to SMS one-time passcodes (OTPs) , appointment reminders, customer support, or promotions, an SMS API ensures you're relevant and timely. , Digital marketing and sales , Keep customers in the know about your upcoming sales and latest product releases, remind them of the items left in their cart, or send them personalized recommendations based on their purchase history. An SMS API will help you take your SMS marketing strategy to the next level and send conversion and engagement rates through the roof. , Notifications and reminders , Elevate every step of the customer journey with helpful information. Whether you’re sending an order confirmation, a delivery update, or an appointment reminder to reduce no-shows, an SMS API helps you get your message across at the right time, every single time. When Budbee, a home delivery company, set out to take customer experience to a whole new level, they made SMS central to their…, Customer care , Support customers on a channel they already use daily — they’ll thank you for it! Two-way SMS is a fast and convenient way to provide helpful answers to customer queries — and with conversational AI, you can do so 24/7 and free up time for your support teams. , SMS two-factor authentication , Secure your customer journey while increasing conversions and reducing churn. An SMS API enables fast, user-friendly messaging at scale. Take Triodos, for instance, a world leader in sustainable banking. To add an extra layer of account security while simplifying sign-ups and logins, the company rolled out SMS verification from Sinch. Triodos now sends approximately 250,000 text messages per…, Critical alerts , When the unexpected happens, fast and reliable communications can save the day. Whether it’s a fraud suspicion on a customer’s bank account, a natural disaster, or a service outage, an SMS API ensures critical messages get delivered quickly and reliably. And here again, two-way messaging can prove very useful to allow recipients to ask questions or provide any necessary information. Thanks to…, Understand the basics of SMS API technology , Because SMS is such an integral part of our everyday lives, it’s easy to forget how complex it actually is — but we’ve got you covered! Here’s a quick guide to fundamental SMS concepts you need to understand. , Sender ID , A Sender ID is a numeric or alphanumeric value that identifies the sender of an SMS message. In other words, the sender ID is what’s displayed in the SMS “From” field. Some sender IDs allow businesses to personalize their SMS branding, for instance by using a company or campaign name as the sender ID (but keep in mind that this is possible only for one-way messages). , Latency , SMS latency refers to the speed of delivery of a message; it’s the amount of time it takes for a message sent via an SMS API to be delivered to its recipient. Latency may vary from one provider to another, so if you’re sending time-sensitive messages like verification codes or other critical alerts, check this carefully when selecting your SMS API. A reliable provider will have a robust…, Messaging throughput , Throughput refers to how many messages can be sent per second and is usually expressed in TPS (Throughput Per Second). Throughput rates vary depending on the type of sender ID you use (e.g. short code, long code, toll-free number, etc.). Why does it matter? Because throughput is what ensures your messages are being delivered when they should be! , Delivery status , When sending SMS messages, most mobile operators will send delivery receipts to the SMS API provider to inform them about the delivery status of the message — and we pass this information on to you to help you keep track of your messages. With Sinch’s SMS delivery receipt feature (DLR) , you can easily monitor the delivery of your messages and troubleshoot potential issues. , Message encoding and character limits , An SMS can contain up to 160 characters — you might already know this. But that’s in theory. In reality, it’s a bit more complex than that. When creating an SMS message, the characters used and the length of the message determine the type of encoding and the number of messages being sent out. You can send up to 160 characters in a single SMS message if all characters are part of the GSM 7-bit…, Dos and don’ts of using an SMS API to message customers , There’s a right and wrong way to go about using a text message API. Here are some of the key best practices you should keep in mind. What is an SMS API - Do's and don'ts, Do: Take business messaging guidelines seriously , Let’s face it: Keeping up with local laws and regulations around SMS messaging is complicated, because different rules apply depending on the market you're sending SMS to and the type of phone number you’re using. But if there's only one thing you should remember about SMS guidelines, it's this: Never (ever) send messages to people who haven’t opted in! That’s the golden rule of business…, Do: Leverage your API’s personalization features , SMS is a highly personal channel; customers use it to interact with friends and family. So, act like a friend and show that you care with personalized content. This also applies to the timing of your messages. Who likes being woken up in the middle of the night by a random text message from a brand? That’s right: No one. So, keep this in mind when setting up your SMS communication flows. , Don’t: Underestimate the importance of two-way messaging capabilities , As previously mentioned, research clearly shows that it’s time for businesses to turn one-way, static SMS notifications into conversations — because your customers have questions! Need more proof? A global study by Meta found that almost two-thirds of consumers tried to respond to direct messages sent by brands during the holiday season, for instance to get product or pricing information, or…, Don’t: Spam your subscribers with promotional messages , While bulk messaging is great for reaching and engaging a large number of recipients at once, remember that your customers are already flooded with messages from brands across all the channels they use. So, if you want to keep your SMS subscribers opted-in, don’t overdo it and go easy on sales-focused content. Instead, prioritize value-adding, helpful messages. , So, what is an SMS API? The backbone of engaging, reliable communications , If you want to reach customers instantly and reliably on a channel they already use, an SMS API is the way to go — but not all SMS API services are created equal. We break down everything you need to consider when selecting an SMS API provider in our recent blog post. Check it out and choose with confidence! You can also download our handy cheat sheet below., SMS API: Frequently asked questions , , How much does an SMS API cost? , The cost of an SMS API will depend on the provider you choose, the volume of SMS messages you need to send, and the type of number you use. Pro tip: Be extra cautious about SMS API services offering below-market prices. When it seems too good to be true, it usually is... , What is an SMS API used for? , An SMS API is used by businesses across all industries to send large volumes of SMS messages to customers automatically, including notifications, reminders, verification codes, promotional messages, and more. , How can I get started with an SMS API? , Here at Sinch, we’re all about keeping it simple. Our technical support team will help you set it up and get up and running in no time! , How to choose the right SMS API service for your company? , Ask any potential provider about its connectivity infrastructure, customer support and SLAs, security and compliance certifications, and integration process. And make sure to check out what existing customers and industry experts say about the provider, too. , How do I scale and maintain my text message API? , The right SMS API provider will take care of upgrades and maintenance for you. The right partner should also be able to address your present and future messaging needs and scale with you as you expand to new markets and grow your customer database.
Type: Blog Article
Microsoft Teams recently hit 300 million monthly active users , with five million PSTN seats added over the past 12 months. It’s clear Teams has become the go-to communication and collaboration platform for businesses worldwide. A significant part of Teams’ rapid growth is its flexibility to integrate PSTN calling, which transforms it into a complete UCaaS platform. Microsoft Teams Phone System…, The benefits of choosing Operator Connect for Teams , The world is already using Teams, and this may include your organization. Operator Connect is an easy way to add PSTN calling to Teams without the complex setup or need to change your PSTN carrier. Every business has its own unique needs, and whether you choose Operator Connect or Direct Routing will depend on your specific needs. So, let’s dive into the core benefits of using Operator Connect…, Add PSTN calling to your Microsoft tech stack , You might already have a Teams license if you use Microsoft 365 for your business. Put it to use with Operator Connect by adding PSTN calling to make Teams your primary business phone system. Teams began as an internal collaboration tool but quickly expanded to allow businesses to communicate with outside partners and customers. Once you add Operator Connect, Teams has everything you need for…, Stay flexible with Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) , Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams allows you to choose any Microsoft-certified PSTN carrier. Your existing carrier may be an approved partner, but if not, you have countless options to choose from. The certification process is a crucial difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect. Any carrier can be used with Direct Routing, provided the carrier offers the service. You’ll also need…, Be ready to use new AI products , Microsoft refuses to be left behind as AI continues advancing how we work and create. As a result, the company recently introduced a new feature called AI Copilot , offering new utility throughout the M365 suite. Copilot is intended to improve collaboration and productivity by reducing the manual work involved in repetitive tasks. Initially, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ERP solutions users will…, Easily scale phone systems alongside your business , Your telecommunications need to scale as your business grows. Otherwise, you’ll face speed bumps and barriers, which may unnecessarily hinder your growth. Operator Connect excels when it comes to user management. You can request more numbers and provision or de-provision users through an easy-to-use interface. As a result, you’ll remove time-intensive user management processes and allow new…, Future-proof your phone system , Ultimately, switching to Microsoft with Operator Connect is a significant step towards future-proofing your phone system. Teams has already become the dominant communication and collaboration platform, and we’re seeing how Microsoft intends to continue integrating Teams into its entire suite. Additionally, Microsoft has heavily invested in AI and will continue integrating AI tools with its…, Add PSTN calling to Teams with Sinch , Operator Connect is a sensible choice for many organizations, striking a balance between cost-effectiveness, dependability, and full integration with Microsoft 365. Whether your organization has basic needs like managing a few numbers or more complex requirements with hundreds or thousands of users, Operator Connect is both accessible and easy to manage. Even though some businesses may only…
Type: Blog Article