International SMS is the Future – Bank On It

International SMS has changed the face of business communication forever, enabling local South African businesses to easily and affordably extend their market reach into global markets, regardless of their size or marketing budget.

The term international SMS refers to SMS messages that are sent between the wireless network operators in different countries; often facilitated by an SMS Gateway provider. It is a quick, easy and very affordable way to communicate with consumers, regardless of their location, and also suppliers and employees who might be working beyond the borders of South Africa. Mobile penetration globally far exceeds PC–based email access, making international SMS the communication medium of choice, enabling effective and affordable global communication and commerce in a more affordable way than long distance telephone calls,.

A pioneering South African company in this field, First National Bank was one of the first to use international SMS to their advantage. They launched a SMS alert service, InContact, that allowed their customers to receive SMS notifications of movement on their accounts, regardless of their location. Launched initially in neighbouring Namibia, InContact currently has over 2.3 million users with 100 000 new customers joining every month. Besides the obvious peace of mind granted to FNB customers who rest assured that their money is secure and that they can monitor, in real-time, any financial transactions on their accounts, the bank has seen numerous business benefits arrive from the adoption of this service.

FNB has seen an increase in customer retention and acquisition rates as their brand’s reach extends beyond the borders of South Africa. One of the biggest advantages of using international SMS to notify customers of movement on their accounts has been the dramatic reduction in fraud, by 43%! Identity theft is far less likely as customers can immediately intervene when an incorrect transaction is reported to them allowing FNB to take immediate action. This enhanced service efficiency has also seen FNB increase their customer retention rate by 15%.

In an increasingly mobile world, where consumers do not want to be tied to their desks in order to communicate, using international SMS makes sound financial sense. Discover the range of destinations and affordable price structures possible with international SMS before opening up your South African business to the world.

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Tags: Clickatell South Africa, FNB InContact, international SMS, mobile messaging, SMS, SMS gateway