MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Consumers are choosing to spend more and more time on their phones, and the proliferation of social media and messaging apps have given them greater access to brands and businesses. A recent Forrester/Google survey says that 68% consumers are more likely to go with the business that offers convenient communications, and a global Wolfgang Digital E-Commerce KPI Report reveals that 53% of customers are more likely to buy from a company they can contact via a messaging app. Combine these results with statistics that 71% of customers expect brands to communicate with them in real time, and you will see a challenge that both small businesses and big brands are facing now.
On top of that, customers who have now grown accustomed to personalized brand interactions also expect the same level of personal touch in their messages with businesses. They also expect to receive customized messages and offers that are directed to them as individuals, not as part of a bigger segment—72% of consumers will only engage with marketing messages that are customized to their specific interests.
Viber, one of the world’s leading messaging apps, understands this and offers Viber Messaging Solutions that allow brands to reach their customers on each stage of the customer journey, and turn conversations into conversions as a result. Different businesses have different needs, so Viber offers two integration options — Business Messages or Chatbots — compatible with its three message types. Messages from brands to customers can be transactional (for example, order confirmation or notification about delivery of goods), promotional (messages with a special offer or promotion), as well as two-way conversations (customer support, receiving feedback, or placing orders).
Viber Business Messages allow brands and businesses to plug in their existing customers’ opt-in database. Business Messages can include richer messaging elements like images, files, and call-to-action buttons with links for a more enhanced experience for customers, instead of just generic text-only messages. They perform much better than emails (they have a much higher open rate, around 45 times higher than email and 3 times higher than push notifications) and there’s a reason for this: 96% of messages are read within three minutes on mobile devices. They are also cost-effective, costing much less than SMS, but you can also guarantee timely message delivery via SMS fallback for your peace of mind (e.g. for one-time passwords). Also, business messages are super secure for both brands and customers.
Especially for businesses who do e-commerce or want to improve excellent customer support, Viber Chatbots are another great messaging tool that can offer real-time customer support any time of day (or night). Chatbots are in touch around the clock and answer customer questions instantly by automating routine processes, reducing user frustration and increasing their level of trust in the company—all while reducing personnel costs. This messaging tool can also be leveraged as an additional sales channel, providing businesses with the the ability to sell their products and services directly to Viber. Chatbots are also great for collecting analytical information about customers, which allows businesses to create an accurate portrait of their target audience and to make relevant personalised offers to them.
Both global brands like Coca-Cola and WWF and local businesses have used Viber Messaging Solutions to interact with new and current customers and boost awareness for campaigns. They’ve seen great and measurable success in growing brand interactions, from improving response rate among customers to inciting actions like app downloads and bookings. Primer Group of Companies here in the Philippines, for example, introduced their new Viber Channel to connect with offline customers and offer them more shopping options with direct links and exclusive offers, contributing to them achieving 401% of their sales targets.
Viber remains an important channel for customer interaction because of its ease and accessibility, but also its security. Especially for business updates and formal communications, it’s important that customers receive these on a credible and secure platform. Considered as one of the most secure messaging apps in the world, Viber takes security and data protection very seriously and complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
For businesses wanting to send messages to their customers, Viber is applying an encryption in transit process. Encryption in transit is used when messages are sent not by an individual but through a brand’s platform using an API protocol. As soon as the message is sent (it’s “in transit”), it’s encrypted, and is only decrypted once it reaches the messaging app’s back-end system. The backend then encrypts the messages again before sending it back to the user or service. Encryption in transit provides an exceptionally high level of security for brands who can be rest assured that their messages are safe from hackers.
Now is the most crucial time for your business. Give it the boost it needs by turning customers into loyal advocates through solutions that put them first. Start by giving them a secure, efficient, effective, and direct line with you through their chats.
