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#TeamSMS: Make employee communication more effective

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SMS is the solution for employee communication within a company structure when it comes to enhancing the exchange of information across various levels and distances with greater dynamism. Be it for projects, departments or events – all colleagues are kept up-to-date via SMS and can exchange information flexibly at any time, worldwide, with optimum data protection and reliability.

While SMS as a mobile marketing tool has not only long been proven, but also very well known, company-internal strategies for communication between employees via SMS are almost still a secret. Although an open, because: Communication is the elementary basis for any decisions and actions. Without a targeted exchange of information, no company could succeed. In this sense, placing interfaces between employees also means giving them various communication channels so that they can implement processes quickly, safely and effectively.

Possible applications of internal SMS communication

Particularly in fast-moving industries such as logistics, transport and distribution, these interfaces between the individual processes are in constant demand. Often only a few minutes are available for a decision. In a very short time, data must be reconciled, information forwarded and feedback collected. The office of the corresponding colleague is seldom directly next door, sometimes he’s even in field service. The mobile phone, however, almost everyone has it with them. Thus, for example, the following situations can be conveniently solved by SMS:

  • Location queries

    In order to plan routes, drivers and schedules correctly, an always up-to-date central office is the key. Location queries via SMS can help, e.g. in the case of traffic obstructions, storms, personnel shortages, etc., to flexibly adapt or redeploy processes. In particular, suppliers and field staff are better classified.

  • Current news

    Information about inventory, incoming payments and product availability can usually be accessed through the company’s internal network. But once there is no access available, for example, at field services, such and other important details can be quickly requested by SMS.

  • Scheduling

    Meetings, conferences and trainings are usually attended by a certain number of people, e.g. from a department or a project team. Thanks to One2More messaging, a distributor via GruppenSMS reaches all relevant persons easily and directly. The ideal solution to inform about schedule shifts or similar.

Two Way Messaging

In many cases, companies use SMS to implement a secondary communication in parallel with merchandise management systems and enterprise-specific software. This communication tool can act faster and provide a direct return channel to the sender, so feedback can be sent without further delay or detours. This can be realized, for example, by Inbound SMS. On request, you can also include a physical or virtual phone numbers. This will cause the SMS to display a neutral number to which the recipient can return his answer. Doing so, team leaders have the opportunity to clearly organize various groups and are informed live about operational readiness and work status. A big advantage for companies in which the employees are traveling a lot and in the meantime have no access to the company software.

Identification and authentication

Another special use of Business SMS within a company are identification queries. Similar to a two-factor authentication, passwords and access data can be automatically sent to specific employees. For example for:

  • Virtual conference rooms

    Conference calls and virtual conference rooms are usually accessible only to selected participants. In order to communicate undisturbed and, above all, safe, only authorized persons are granted access. This can be reached e.g. via password, which is sent as an SMS to already validated numbers.

  • Internal WiFi Codes

    In order to provide employees in the company-owned branches and lobbies mobile Internet access, WiFi codes can be sent via SMS for authentication. This is also done fully automatically via an SMS gateway and at the same time offers high data protection and better quality of work.

  • Home office

    Colleagues working in the home office sometimes need passwords or PIN codes, for example, for data transmission to the company network. Here, too, SMS is the ideal business solution for perfectly combining security and effectiveness.

Advantages and disadvantages

Similar to emails, SMS can be sent and received at any time, without having to take into account the time or availability of the recipient. But compared to the email, the SMS is displayed directly on the screen and usually read within 1-3 minutes. This gives SMS communication a significant advantage for short-term processes. And that without disturbing the receiver e.g. during customer conversations or meetings, as it would possibly be the case with a call.

In addition, the recipient is not dependent on internet access or mobile data transmission. Even simple mobile phones can receive and answer SMS. Of course this applies worldwide. More and more people also in non-European regions rely on Short Message Services as communication tool – and be it the external employee who is currently traveling in the jungle.

Scalable applications

If necessary, the messages can be sent time-delayed, read out as Text2Speech (aka Voice) or used as SMS2Email or Email2SMS. The versatility of SMS is virtually unlimited. A professional SMS gateway facilitates the adaptation to the individual needs immensely. It scales with the requirements and integrates e.g. the company’s own software. Data can be imported and exported via CSV, cloud-based applications can be synchronized, and thanks to variable parameters, special configurations can be made, whether for mass SMS or SMS-triggered group messages, which are then automatically sent by the gateway. Thus, all data are perfectly matched, statistical evaluations can be transferred to the next team presentation and much, much more.

Interactive employee communication

Even links can be easily integrated into the text and opened by the receiving smartphone, appointments can be saved immediately, as well as addresses and contact information. With pictures it is sometimes a bit more difficult, these should be transmitted in the form of an MMS or by mail. Alternatively, images can also be integrated via link and are thus SMS-compatible.

Thus, only the limited number of 160 characters at first glance seems to be a shortcoming – but this can certainly have a positive effect. Because often it is better to be brief and instead to clarify the essentials quickly:

  • System monitoring

    Error codes generated by the server / system monitoring, the responsible employee gets thanks SMS Gateway immediately and without time delay. This allows him to respond as quickly as possible in case of an emergency and correct the error. These can be empty levels, overloads, data errors or entire system failures.

  • Alerting

    Rescue and emergency services rely on immediate and clear communication. Via SMS alerts can be optimal implement and sent, for example, as a group message to the respective rescue team.

Another important aspect is the cost. However, anyone who wants to spare here budget risks the reliable delivery of the messages in case of doubt. Therefore, you should choose a good SMS service that offers both full cost control and transparency. Then the expenses of the budget remain at least clear and you can be sure that the employees communicate productively with each other.

Best Regards
Your sms77 team

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