Low-Cost Bulk SMS - Is It Really Worth It?
While discounts and low prices can be an important driver of
sales, it is also worth remembering the old adage that "you get what you
pay for". Bulk SMS is no exception. Businesses can choose between paying
less now and paying more later when problems arise, or paying a bit more for a
better overall service with no glitches. When it comes to selecting a bulk SMS
company for your mobile messaging, other factors besides price should be borne
in mind. Consider the coverage, reliability, network quality and customer
service, as well as the pricing of their mobile messaging service.
Products
and services
Does the bulk SMS Company offer a rich variety of features
and functions with its mobile messaging service? As well as offering a few
different ways of sending messages, what really useful additional functionality
does it offer? For example does it provide a HLR look up service so that you
can confirm your contact information? Using HLR lookup to double-check phone
numbers and subscriber identity saves money by eliminating invalid numbers.
Other features to look out for are messaging scheduling and delivery status.
Does the bulk SMS company offer two-way messaging, so that customers can easily
follow up on your SMS messages? Having additional features such as these can
save you money in the long run, as all of the data on your mobile messaging is
readily available.
Coverage
and reliability
Most bulk SMS companies will claim that they have complete
coverage to anywhere in the world. Yet the real question is not just the
coverage, but the reliability as well. If their primary route is blocked, do
they have an equally efficient backup? When choosing a provider take a good
long look at the operators and countries that they connect with, and ask if
they have more than one route to that destination. Does this backup service
come with all the features of the primary route? Make sure the secondary route
provides binary SMS, offers Unicode characters (which will adapt SMS for
hieroglyphic languages such as Chinese or a Cyrillic alphabets such as Greek),
and that it will concatenate long messages. Even simple things like a local
time stamp are important. Remember, the backup routes of any worthwhile bulk
SMS provider will be just as good as their primary route.
Network
quality
Sometimes when an SMS provider offers to send bulk SMS
messaging at a very low cost this is because the quality of their network is a
bit below par, causing the message to be delayed or even lost along the way. If
a text message doesn't reach its destination it is a waste of your time and
money. In an ideal world your bulk SMS company would have direct routing -- or
even its own network -- shrinking the delivery chain. After all, a more direct
route provides more reliable routing. If a bulk SMS company offers a free trial
use it to test the quality of their network. It is also worth bearing in mind
that some providers will offer several routing options for your mobile
messaging, letting you decide whether cost or speed is more important on this
occasion.
Customer
service
Although it may seem straightforward to send mobile messages,
throw in the variables of different mobile operators and geographic locations,
and the potential for problems with your bulk SMS messaging can increase. The
best solution is to use a bulk SMS provider that offers round the clock
customer support seven days a week, 365 days a year -- be it via live chat or
email... or both. This way you can get help regardless of the time zone, day of
the week, or national holidays. Usually, low-cost providers need to cut corners
somewhere so that they can discount their service. Unfortunately it is often
their customer support that suffers. Yet this is frequently the most important
component of your relationship with your bulk SMS Company. Pay close attention
to the level of support on offer by bulk SMS providers, and look for ones that
have a written service level commitment guaranteeing to provide a certain
amount of customer support.
Payment
method and minimum orders
Payments for bulk SMS messages are nearly always required in
advance. Once the prepayment has been made some providers will convert the
money to credits, which will be deducted after the text messages are sent.
Others just keep a monetary account which is debited after the messages are
sent. In either case, the SMS provider may require that a minimum amount of
messages are sent, sometimes within a particular time limit. It's worth
remembering that some companies also charge a signing-up fee. When choosing a
bulk SMS company examine their payment structure and be sure to ask about
additional fees or minimum orders. Likewise, if you plan to send out a massive
amount of messages, see if they will offer you a better rate.
Credentials
If you are prepaying for your messages you should consider
the bulk SMS supplier's background. Are they a well-established provider within
the industry or a relative newcomer? Are you happy to go with an unknown
quantity for your mobile messaging needs or would you prefer someone with more
experience? Do they come across as knowledgeable experts in the field -- their
website should give you a clue. Could they provide expertise to help your
business develop in new geographical markets? As you can see, there are several key factors to consider
when looking for a bulk SMS provider, only one of which is the price. The quality
of their service and coverage, along with their commitment to customer care is
also vitally important.
Selecting an SMS provider shouldn't be based on price alone,
as other factors matter just as much. If you'd prefer to use a company that is
leading provider of SMS and MMS solutions with a proven track record, then
check out Dove soft Pvt ltd. It has nearly a decade of experience under its
belt and offers a comprehensive range of SMS services and products-it even
offers a no-charge, no-obligation trial of its service.
Tags - Bulk SMS, Bulk SMS in Mumbai
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SMS service is a leading marketing way to reaching the customers and it helps to communicate the direct customers. Parken SMS is the best company in Jaipur that provides affordable bulk SMS service with the best price guarantee.
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