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Can a single text really boost team morale?
These days, staying connected in the workplace isn’t as easy as a quick chat around the water cooler. And with the noise of email, instant messaging and other notifications, knowing what’s urgent and what’s not can get murky.
That’s where texting can help keep your people working in harmony and focused on what’s most important. Love to see it.
Here’s how you can use SMS to connect better with your team.
“Bing! Hi, welcome to the team.”
Most companies have figured out that team-building exercises don’t work (please, no more trust falls!) That’s where SMS can be a fresh and modern way to send culture-building messages instantly.
Something as simple as sending and receiving messages shows employees you’re listening. When people feel heard and safe to share their opinions, they’re far more likely to be engaged and excited team players.
Here are some ways you can use SMS to create a positive team culture:
- Get to know new employees. Skip the generic welcome email. Instead, send a personalized text saying hi to your newest team member.
- Ask their opinion. SMS is one of the most effective ways to gather customer feedback, so why not get staff suggestions too? Your people will appreciate being involved in issues they care about, which will go a long way towards boosting team morale.
“Can anybody work Wednesday?”
Staff member called in sick? Need extra help on a busy shift? No sweat. SMS is a great way to keep the cogs of your business running smoothly, even when the unexpected happens.
- Send shift reminders. Make sure staff know where they need to be and when, with shift reminders and schedule confirmations.
- Fill shifts faster. Family emergencies, a staff member sick – all reasons you might need to fill a shift quickly.
Send quick, easy updates.
Sometimes, the rubber hits the road and you need everybody’s undivided attention. When that happens, texting is a fast, reliable way of connecting with your team. Fact.
Maybe the office is flooded or there’s a planned power outage. You can send time-sensitive messages fast, to more devices, so your people stay in the loop when it matters most.
SMS is also a handy channel for less-time-crunchy-but-still-important updates, like fun office events or long-weekend opening hours. Set an automated text reminder triggered by dates – one less thing on your to-do list.
The power of SMS in the workplace.
SMS sounds like a silver bullet, right? But why does it work so well?
Well, your people aren’t any different from your customers. They’re much more likely to engage in meaningful conversations on channels they know and find easy to use.
Here’s how SMS can help you do just that:
Two-way communication in a single inbox
Over 50% of people reply to a text message within 1-2 minutes. With faster response rates, two-way SMS lets you have instant conversations with your employees. Send and receive replies from one inbox, and you’ll save time while keeping your team focused.
Get personal
Customers expect personalized experiences, and it’s the same for your people. Use custom fields to personalize your text messages and show your team that you’re listening and you care.
Set automated replies
Setting SMS up right and sending texts can actually simplify your work (and build stronger connections with your team). How? Use rule-based triggers to send automated messages for repetitive tasks like timesheet reminders, so you can focus on other things.
Connect with teams around the world
Even across time zones, SMS is one of the most effective ways to stay connected with your people. Reach staff almost anywhere in the world – even when they don’t have internet access – and ensure that your message is being read and received. It’s also ridiculously low cost, which is an added plus. Sweet!
Ready to make beautiful connections?
Download our latest playbook for more advice on getting closer to your customers
