The insurance industry is entering the world of digital communication.

With the Millennial generation at the forefront of this new mode of communication between insurers and the insureds.

This means that technology is running faster than ever before to keep up with the pace of society.

While insurance agents are used to spending hours on phone calls each day, the reality is that audio calls are not the vehicle for conversation like they used to be.

Today, most people use their mobile device to stay connected and communicate through texting, messaging apps, and social media.

The most forward-thinking agencies recognize the power that text messaging has and will use it to build and sustain better relationships with customers.

Check it out: Modernize Your Agency's Website

How Is Texting Different from an Email Message?

They are both messages sent electronically, right?

You’re not wrong.

But the difference is that every business sends emails.

And almost any website a consumer visits will have an email address associated with a contact page or section of the site.

Not to mention newsletters, and other subscribe lists that consumers can hand over their email addresses for.

Think about all the places you’ve handed over your email address.

From contests, surveys, stores, work, friends, downloadables, and so much more!

I’m sure the answer is TONS.

Because of that, our emails are often saturated with spam and many emails we never even see.

Now think about your phone number.

Sure, you hand it out to a lot of people you meet, but not near the capacity to which you rattle off your email.

However, just as customers need to sign up to receive emails from a company, a text message would work the same way.

“According to Mashable, 98% of text messages are read, compared to 21% of tweets, 16% of Facebook posts, and 12% of emails.”

Whats worse about emails is that they are opened maybe a couple times a day, while text messages are read almost immediately.

Receiving a text message almost guarantees you will notice it before you even think of checking your email.

Text messaging between company and customers is more convenient now than ever before thanks to automated texting tools.

Check it out: Why Businesses Are Integrating Text Messaging Infographic

Automation is a handy advantage when you have a large number of customers who have opted-in to receiving text messages.

Instead of sending out those emails and wasting your time on phone call reminders, companies can schedule out their automated text messages ahead of time.

What Are a Few Ways Agents Can Text with Customers?

1. Connect to Schedule Meetings

As mentioned earlier, almost every text is read compared to not nearly as many emails that are received.

Because of this, texting is a great way to schedule more meeting with customers.

When your messages actually get through to customers and are read, they are more likely to respond and schedule a meeting.

Creating a script for a text message and being able to schedule it out for days, weeks, or even months ahead of time, will save you time and help you to stay on top of things.

2. Don’t Miss the Big Things

Businesses don’t get far without successful relationships.

Being there for your customers when they need you and allowing them to feel heard or like they aren’t just another stack of files, can make or break your company.

Texting your customers during big moments in their lives can be beneficial to the future of your relationship with them.

A birthday, graduation, anniversary, etc., can be great moments to congratulate them or wish them well; creating a better relationship.

These types of texts can even be sent to perspective clients and help push them forward in your pipeline.

3. Reminders

After you have sent a text for a meeting proposal after having scheduled it a couple weeks or even a month ahead of time, it’s good practice to send out a reminder text just to make sure everyone is still on the same page and prepared to meet.

Sending a reminder text will also increase the likelihood of keeping that meeting.

Reminders aren’t just useful for appointment and meetings but can also be good for payments.

If your customers don’t have an automatic payment set up, sending a quick, simple text can help them remember to make their payments on time.

See also: WHICH AMS DOES YOUR INSURANCE AGENCY NEED: APPLIED TAM VS. APPLIED EPIC?

4. Google Leads

Most people conduct local business searches on their phones and many of those people search a business on Google to learn more information.

To get quick answers to questions they have, being able to message a company directly while on the go for price quotes, service, etc., is a great way to convert more leads.

Adding a click to text button on your Google business listing is the best way to put the option out there for visitors.

From there you can go through the quoting process by texting the questions necessary to receive a quote.

This process is similar to an online quote.

The only difference is that the questions are asked and answered over text rather than online.

Once the necessary questions are answered, you can text over the completed quote for the prospect to review.

5. Reviews

Allowing people to share reviews of your company based on their service and experience is significant way to gain more attention and more potential leads to grow business.

90% of people say online reviews influence their buying decisions.

Texting is one of the most productive ways to allow reviews to be posted.

At the end of a text conversation with a customer, send a link to the review page to allow then to post about their experience.

Check it out: The Benefits of Social Media Analysis

Texts containing links have a 36% click through rate as opposed to an 8% rate through an email.

6. For the Agents

Not only does texting benefit the customers, but agents as well.

Agents can collect the information needed for claims processing faster.

Utilizing text messaging capabilities, customers can text pictures of their provider cards, VIN numbers, declaration pages, and proof of damage.

Texting is also beneficial to building better customer relationships because of the ability to track conversations.

Insurers can go back through text threads to read previous conversations, unlike phone conversations which are not always recorded.

SHARE BLOG POST