Top 10 Business Uses of SMS -- How Dull

The Pondering Primate pointed out a press release from an SMS gateway provider that lists the top ten ways businesses in the UK are using text messages:

1. Recruitment agencies: people looking for temporary work can now register to receive SMS alerts about potential work from recruitment agencies. By sending a broadcast SMS to suitable candidates recruitment agencies can save considerable time and money.

2. Entertainment information services: SMS is being used to deliver an variety of entertainment information services such as ringtones, logos, jokes, competitions and horoscopes to customers. This generates significant revenue for many organisations.

3. Clubs and bars: many clubs and bars are using SMS to notify customers, who have opted in, about special drinks promotions and events for when they are in the area.

4. Internet service providers and hosting companies: SMS is being used to notify engineers when systems go down or if suspicious criminal activity is occurring across a network, meaning that problems can be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

5. Couriers: courier companies are using SMS to provide information to their couriers as to where to collect and deliver mail. Additionally it is being used to alert customers when items, such as concert tickets, are being delivered, so that they can ensure they are around for the delivery or can reschedule for a more convenient time.

6. Schools, colleges and universities: students and parents can now be alerted by SMS if buildings are closed due to bad weather, etc. This saves them having to wait for updates on local radio or having to call to find out if buildings are open, etc.

7. Hair salons, dentists and surgeries: individual patients can now receive automatic text reminders telling them the time and date of appointments. Patients can also postpone and reschedule appointments via SMS meaning that appointments are less likely to be missed.

8. Mechanics and body shops: mechanics are using SMS to notify customers when their cars are ready. This can save both the garages and customers time, because as soon as a job is logged as completed the customer can be automatically alerted, whether they are at home or at work, etc.

9. Charities: charities are using SMS in a variety of ways ranging from using it to alert people about fundraising activities or as a means to collect donations with enabling people being to make a pledge via a text shortcode with the donation being taken from their next bill.

10. Insurance companies: mobile users can now receive quotes and cover confirmation from insurance companies via SMS, which has helped to enhance customer service as users can have access to information 24 hours a day.

Okay, it's great that companies are adopting SMS, but is anybody doing anything interesting? The vast majority of these are simply voice call or e-mail substitutes. Feel free to share any good ones you're aware of in the comments.

Comments

[Njar]

I was amazed to see that Kapow still existed. say no more.

[alfredo]

The coming of millions of people using multimedia mobile phones will have a huge impact in some current local proccesses. Think for instance on citizens. In lots of local strategic planning one of the main points is to have the citizens partipate in the city decision making.

What about citizens reporting any broken light, graffiti, junk acumulation, dead animals, and so on around the city? A mobile patrol will receive these SMS, MMS, and video notifications being able to take care of (clean it or report it to the proper department, etc.)

In that way, cities would be much more efficient in cleaning itselves. Local mobile workers would receive prioritized tasks to take care of. City image would improve so much that all city stakeholders would take advantage of these citizens involvement. Think of any touristic city. A local campaign asking historical downtown citizens to help having the cleaner place to receive visitors, would greatly contribute the whole neighbourhood and consenquently, the city.

I strongly think mobile mobs will be a key element in managing cities and the connected mobs will be one of their main actors. Another issue is to convince local officers to risk their positions if no proper action is taken place in few days...

[Mike Grenville]

Actually I think the fact that the list is dull is a really good thing for the industry. It means that using SMS in a business context is finally becoming mainstream. It may be dull for bloggers to write about but most of the clever ideas don't get taken up by lots of people. The dull ones do!

[NJAR]

The issue for me is that this is a lame attempt at getting some PR. It also reads like a 'stories for 6 year olds' book.

[Simon]

I don't think that these are DULL solutions.
The fact that such a broad base of businesses have embraced SMS as a communications tool is a great indicator of things to come.
So what if these are 'replacements' for telephone and email... if SMS does it better, then that's got to be good news!