IdeaTek uses SMS to expand internet access in Kansas.

SMS reminders have improved customer engagement and streamlined support. What’s more, SMS helped IdeaTek compete against larger telecom providers and meet their goal: bringing internet freedom to rural Kansas. Sales reps love the new platform—in fact, IdeaTek was so happy with Sinch MessageMedia, it converted all legacy SMS customers over to Sinch MessageMedia’s platforms.

IdeaTek is a Kansas-based internet service provider with a mission: expanding broadband internet access to rural areas of the state. It’s a worthy—and huge—goal, considering that 1 million Kansans are living in regions without reliable internet service.

The challenge: Reaching new customers.

To expand their services to underserved rural areas, IdeaTek needed to reach potential customers in these areas—before the larger telecoms did. Separately, they needed a way to track automated text messages to existing customers and interact with message replies, to make sure their hard-won customers stayed happy and on board.

The solution: Easy, personalized messages.

IdeaTek was no stranger to SMS—in fact, the company had once sold SMS services to businesses so they knew what to look for. Sinch MessageMedia SMS for Zoho CRM solved IdeaTek’s awareness and communication issues, allowing the company to easily reach out to residents across multiple touchpoints.

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Using SMS for better sales and service.

To drum up business, IdeaTek sends personalized messages with updates on new locations for available service, while also promoting their local customer service and lack of contracts. For current customers, IdeaTek uses SMS for upcoming service call reminders and to troubleshoot issues. And because of the Zoho integration, it’s easy for the team to keep track of everything from one spot.

IdeaTek has even integrated SMS into their Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system, texting callers a link to take certain actions, like paying their bill instead of waiting to talk to a representative. This allows for more visibility into those texts and a cut down on incoming phone calls for service.

Before we moved over to Sinch MessageMedia, all of our bulk reminders—things like, ‘You have a service call that’s coming out’—were going through a different company. And it was automatic, but nobody here really had a good way to interact with the customers.

Moving over to Zoho and having the integration with Sinch MessageMedia has really helped us make sure that we’re able to talk to those customers through that platform. Plus, the team was very, very good about helping us figure out what we needed and getting everything set up for us.

Aysha Fercha-Anderson, Service Delivery Manager, IdeaTek

The results: Streamlined processes, happier customers

In part because of their partnership with Sinch MessageMedia, IdeaTek is making huge strides toward its ultimate goal: Bringing internet freedom to rural Kansas.

The SMS reminders have improved customer engagement and streamlined support, winning fans among customers and the sales reps. In fact, IdeaTek was so happy with Sinch MessageMedia, they’ve converted all the company’s legacy SMS customers over to Sinch Message Media’s platforms

What’s next?

IdeaTek plans to keep working with Sinch MessageMedia SMS for Zoho CRM and plans to start using it to send follow-up messages to email recipients, for even greater customer nurturing and engagement.