There’s an interesting paradox at the heart of modern communication. We’ve never had more ways to reach each other, and yet people have never been harder to reach. Messenger, Whatsapp, Viber, Email, Twitter, someone said a text message? Also known as SMS, it was originally defined as part of the GSM series of standards in 1985 as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile handsets.
Having in mind that text messages are 37 years old, it’s only fair to wonder whether this mode of communication is still relevant. I mean, it looks like a fossil compared with new means of reaching people. But part of why SMS hasn't died yet has to do with its everlasting appeal we may underestimate.
There are a few solid reasons: first, it’s the primary tool for people who don’t have smartphones. More and more people are ditching their smartphones and online presence since messaging apps are distracting from their studies, work or leisure time. Plus, there’s no need to download a proprietary software to communicate with others since it’s already always on your phone, whatever that is.
Short message texts are also known for being the most effective when there is a need to communicate urgent or critical business information or on the go. Meanwhile, limited characters in SMS texts allow for imparting business information concisely to the end user. And unlike email, you aren’t limited to a smartphone or a computer to receive a text message. This is all because people actually read text messages. In fact, more than 90 percent of people read a text message within the first three minutes of receiving it, according to MobileSQUARED, a mobile research firm.
The experts say that the enduring appeal of SMS has made it evolve in a way that it represents significant new opportunities for both mobile carriers and businesses. It’s simply because any number can now be equipped to send and receive text messages. According to Wired, that means 200 million existing business landline and toll-free numbers can be text-enabled. “Now, businesses can send and receive text messages from the same numbers that they have used for decades—numbers that their customers know and have programmed into their mobile devices.”
What’s more, people are very likely to engage with those businesses via text messages since that’s their primary mode of daily communication with other businesses. “Consumers, meanwhile, can bypass calling to text their favorite neighborhood restaurant for reservations or their auto repair shop to see when their car will be ready. That means they can use the mode of communication they vastly prefer to connect with businesses. It means they’re going to be more engaged with those businesses.” And that’s why the good old SMS is not going anywhere, and if anything, it’s here to stay.
