What Are the Advantages of Using Texting for Business?

In many work environments, using tools like email or instant messaging for business communication makes perfect sense. After all, these are reliable communication methods that employees are generally familiar with, and they’re found in offices throughout the world. However, not everyone works in an office.

In industries like agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and transportation, how do employers reach their non-desk workers with important updates? One solution for these industries is texting. Like email and instant messaging, texting is a platform most people are comfortable with. Unlike those solutions, though, texting offers an option that can reach workers wherever they are.

Certain two-way texting platforms (like Yourco) include features like scheduling texts to employees, and you might be surprised to learn what else you can do with these solutions. In this blog, we’re going to be exploring the basics of texting for business. We’ll answer common questions like:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of texting employees?
• When should businesses use text messages to communicate with employees?
• What is the best text messaging service for business, and how do you use it?

What Are Some Advantages of Texting Employees?

The main advantage of texting is its accessibility. While not everyone is going to check their work email regularly—if they even have one—most if not all will have a working cell phone. By sending a text instead of an email, you can count on it being seen. In fact, studies show that around 98% of all texts—whether they’re messages from loved ones or junk/spam—are opened and read within 15 minutes. In contrast, only 20% of emails get read.

Imagine needing to reach non-desk employees out in the field to communicate an important update or safety-related alert. You could send an email and hope that employees receive it, but that’s not necessarily going to happen with any consistency. They might not want to check email on their phone (by downloading an application), or they might just not pay attention to it. By sending a text, the message is much more likely to be received and understood—almost instantaneously, in many cases.

A few additional advantages of texting your employees include:

• Simplicity: It’s easy to send a text, and just as easy to receive and respond to it.
• Easy Setup: Once employees’ names and contact information are loaded into a texting platform like Yourco’s, you can sort them by department, time zone, or other factors—or send a mass text to everyone. Even advanced features like scheduled sending are easy to use and implement.
• Privacy: With Yourco’s solution, employees’ personal information, including their phone numbers, are strictly protected, helping to ensure that everyone’s security is a priority. Your employees don’t need to download any applications, either!

What Are Some Ways to Use Texting in Business?

There are many ways you can use texting in business communication, with 5 of the most common examples described below:

• Informing employees about shift schedules, including schedule changes.
• Alerting employees to emergencies and/or hazards, like incoming severe weather or travel advisories.
• Communicating any updates or changes to company policies or benefits, including open enrollment reminders.
• Sending reminders related to compliance requirements or similar items that demand one or more employees’ prompt attention.
• Announcing company milestones or special events, like celebrating major “wins” or simply sending a birthday text.

These scenarios illustrate the advantages of texting over calling. Rather than going through the tedious process of individually calling each employee, texts are much easier to send and/or schedule. Plus, you don’t have to worry about playing phone tag—once you send a text, you know that they’ll see it when they return to their device.

Could There Be Any Disadvantages of Using Text Messages for Business Communication?

Like any communication or related business tool, texting isn’t 100% foolproof—but any potential disadvantages can be avoided by following a few best practices. A few potential disadvantages of texting in a business setting could include:

• Messages can be misinterpreted. Since tone can be difficult to discern in a text, there’s always the risk someone might take something the wrong way. Keeping business communications clear and concise helps minimize opportunities for misinterpretation.
• It can be disruptive or distracting. If employees receive too many messages (especially if some seem less than necessary), they might start tuning them out. It’s important to respect employees’ privacy by only sending messages to their personal devices when they’re truly necessary. 
• Different people have different preferences. Not everyone wants to be texted by their employer. For some, it might come as a minor annoyance that they ultimately get over, but others might take offense. In most cases, these types of clashes can be avoided by setting (and communicating) clear expectations for how texting might be used—and how it won’t be used. Of course, once these expectations are in place, they must be respected.
• Some environments might have “no-phone” policies. Sometimes, for safety reasons, phone use on the job might be limited (if not completely restricted). In such cases, employees are still likely to check their phones when they’re on break, so any message you send will be there waiting for them. You can also schedule messages to be sent during lunch breaks or other non-working hours.

So, do the advantages of texting outweigh the disadvantages? Certainly! It’s the most efficient, effective, and reliable mode of business communication for non-desk employees, and any potential pitfalls are easy enough to avoid.

Yourco: Versatile, Two-Way Communication for Non-Desk Employees

Fewer emails, fewer meetings, fewer misunderstandings. That’s what you get with Yourco’s business communication platform. Reach the employees you need to, where they’re at and when you need to reach them, with a simple text message. Employees don’t have to download anything special onto their phone, and there’s virtually no learning curve involved.

Contact us today to schedule a demo or try for free to learn about how our platform can help you to communicate more effectively with employees, so you can keep them safe, engaged, and well-informed.