SMS — What is it?

What is SMS?

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is a way of sending text messages from one mobile phone to another. The text messages are typically limited to 160 characters and may include text, images, audio, or a combination of all three.

SMS messaging has become an integral part of how we communicate today, with individuals and businesses around the world using it as a primary means of communication. It is a reliable, cost-effective, and convenient way to send and receive messages, and the messages can be sent quickly and securely. For businesses, SMS messaging is a great way to reach customers and keep them informed about promotions, offers, or updates. It can also be used to send appointment reminders, confirmations, or surveys. SMS messages are often sent in bulk, allowing businesses to reach large numbers of customers at once.

Every SMS shows the recipient a Sender ID instead of a random number — that's the identity a business sets when it sends. BSG's How Does the SMS API Work and What Are the Benefits? walks through this in more detail.

What are its uses?

SMS messaging has a variety of uses, including

1. Sending appointment reminders and confirmations.

2. Sending promotional bulk messages , such as discounts and offers.

3. Conducting surveys and gathering feedback.

4. Delivering alerts, such as product updates and recalls.

5. Sending updates about delivery and shipment status.

6. Sending reminders for bill payments and events.

7. Talking to customers via 2-way SMS .

8. Sending OTP to authenticate users and transactions.

Types of SMS

1-Way SMS

1-way SMS is messaging that goes in one direction – from you to your customer. They can’t respond to 1-way SMS messages and it is typically used to deliver information such as receipts, booking confirmations, and other content that do not require a response from the recipient. You can use 1-Way SMS to send the delivery status of items purchased or even let your customers know their favorite items are back in stock.

2-Way SMS

Also called “1-to-1 messaging,” 2-way SMS allows your customers to reach you via SMS which saves time and ensures you’re not missing out on solving your customers’ problems, confirming bookings, or sending delivery updates.

When it comes to having a conversation with your customers, two-way SMS has a huge payoff. Texting is fast and easy for all involved, saving you time and giving your customers instant access to the answers they need. This is perfect for asking for product or service reviews.

Conversational SMS

Conversational SMS is a very exciting technology, and it is an upgrade from 2-way SMS. Traditional 2-way SMS systems only respond to specific words whereas conversational SMS use AI to create a true 2-way conversation, with support from your reps to keep conversations from stalling if the AI is unable to respond appropriately.

Don’t be Confused with 2-Way SMS

Conversational SMS shares some similarities with 2-way SMS, since both can be automated to a certain point. However, conversational SMS is much more advanced.

Conversational SMS generates automated responses to keywords and it will also forward a customer’s message to a customer support agent if the AI is unable to generate a response. That way, your customers get real conversations with your business.