Transactional SMS is a non-promotional message used by companies to facilitate their audience. It is typically a response or action prompted by a consumer. Their use could also entail one-time pins, granting access to customers for their respective accounts online. Typical examples would be order confirmations, shipping updates, booking confirmations, account balance notifications, etc.
Transactional SMS proves their efficacy by their automated nature, and there is no scope for fallacies and are an instant release. They are triggered in the absence of manual input. These are predetermined messages that are autosaved by companies. Many companies offer expert services for expediting transactional messages.
The process of sending transactional messages commences with setting a trigger event. This trigger prompts the flow of news. Once the basic layout appears, people can make slight custom adjustments to it. A peculiar feature of these messages is that it traverses even to phones who have activated the do not disturb mode. The companies used to send transactional messages mandates a few requirements that the clients need to succumb to.
TYPES OF TRANSACTIONAL SMS
Brands use these messages for various purposes such as:
1) They allow consumers to check their debit and credit limit of bank accounts.
2) Customers have been granted access to online accounts by one-time passwords.
3) People can also reset passwords.
4) Order confirmations and shipping updates are promoted with these messages.
5) Customers are notified regarding their cancellation or bookings.
6) Updates about appointments are also validated.
BEST EXAMPLES OF TRANSACTIONAL SMS
1) Brands like Pizzahut, Dominos, McDonald’s, etc., use transactional messages to notify customers with more order updates.
2) Citibank reports the current account balance and the debited money updates. Banks also use their aid to send out welcome messages.
3) Facebook and Instagram use transactional SMS to allow people to access their accounts by sending one-time passwords.
4) Courier companies like Bluedart, Delhivery and many others employ transactional SMS to keep their customers in the loop.
5) Phone companies like Jio, Airtel and Vodafone combined with others send out pending payment messages or notifications about data exhaustion and so on.
ADVANTAGES OF USING TRANSACTIONAL SMS
There are many benefits of using transactional SMS. Describing a few of them below:
1) Instantaneous nature: Their quick-witted nature is one of their most potent benefits. They are conveyed instantly, which is helpful for customers to acknowledge whether a particular transaction is successful or not. The customer can also avail these messages for reference purposes in future.
2) Understanding guidelines and other protocols: The best way to understand this concept is considering the ever-changing travel norms during COVID-19. The airport or railway staff can’t acquaint myriad people with these norms. It would consume ample time and heighten the risk of infection. However, sending these regulations to people in advance projects a streamlined process.
3) Can be sent 24×7: These messages are not time-constrained. Companies can send transactional SMS anytime and anywhere.
4) DND has nothing on transactional SMS: The DND feature does not apply to transactional messages with their overreaching nature. They have a penchant for delivering to all systems.
5) Integrated approach: Transactional SMS also allows messages to have integrated links and subtexts that will be helpful for potential customers. It saves the customer time and effort.
6) Rapid reach: Transactional messages are known for their rapid reach. Most of them are viewed in under 3 minutes because whenever an individual witnesses a message bearing the name of a substantial company, they immediately verify it. Most of this information is critical, and clients are often awaiting these transactional messages.
7) Significant messaging capacity: These messages are not restricted to one customer. They are sent as bulk messages to multiple users at a time. Companies tend to save immense time owing to their rapid nature.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROMOTIONAL MESSAGE AND TRANSACTIONAL SMS
1) The biggest paradox between the two is that transactional messages communicate information, whereas promotional messages boost sales of a particular product.
2) Transactional messages are not curbed by DND services. They can override these limitations and reach consumers. Promotional messages cannot be delivered to recipients who have DND active on their phones.
3) The biggest difference is their agendas. In comparison, one is promoting sales, the other one targeted at launching significant details.
CONCLUSION
Imagining a scenario devoid of transactional messages is out of the question. They are a very crucial segment in our day-to-day lives. Even without acknowledging their rampant use, people are utilising them.
