Should it be a call or a text? And how do you know? Though it’s usually the question on a romantically overwrought individual’s mind, we’ve all been there at some point. Trying to determine whether you should text or call is another one of those scenarios where customer relationships can feel like dating.6
When it comes to connecting with your customers, the answer to the question “should I text or call?” is: it depends. While we’re currently living in an overwhelmingly pro-text society that operates primarily via messaging as the preferred communication method, the phone call remains a staple of the way we connect with friends, family, and even businesses.
Text and calling both have their place, and knowing when to use each is crucial to your relationships with your customers. While a business’s decision to text or call may not prevent a broken heart as it does in a romantic relationship, it can certainly prevent a broken customer relationship—as well as provide the means to take things to the next level. Ready for the 411 on how to turn a “casual fling” into a “customer for life”? We’re here to help.
Read on to learn when to call vs. text customers and why.
Texting vs. Calling: Which one is better?
There is no definitive answer as to whether calling or texting is better. It depends on numerous factors, so you will always want to consider the following:
- Target audience: Consider your target audience, specifically their preferences and how a call or text will fit into their day.
- Purpose: Think of your goal with the message. Scheduling is easier via text while complex issues are better over the phone.
- Budget: Consider your budget, as texting is more affordable.
- Length of Conversation: Phone calls tend to be more time-consuming.
Texting vs. Calling: Pros and Cons
As you likely already know—whether from personal or business relationships—texting and calling both have advantages and disadvantages. And it’s important to know what those are if you want to build a strong customer relationship through seamless, relevant, and meaningful communication.
Advantages of Texting
Yes, the rumors are true. Text has an open rate of over 98%.
And did you know that over 40% of consumers say they are likely to switch to a different business because they offer text messaging to communicate? Over 65% of consumers think texting makes working with a local business more convenient. And consumers are nearly twice as likely (1.8x) to prefer texting to any other communication method.
With over 3.8 billion smartphones in the world, it’s easy to say that messaging has taken over and that text is king. It caters to the modern consumer in an asynchronous, personal, and freedom-promoting way that allows for casual conversations, quick fixes, and fast updates. However, don’t be too quick to crown it the king of all. Because text doesn’t allow for intonation and nuance or longer messages, it can also increase the likelihood of miscommunication and failure to solve more complicated issues.
1. Is more convenient.
Texting is incredibly convenient, both for your team and your customers. A quick text can even be somewhat automated.
2. Facilitates multimedia communication.
You can easily attach images, video, or audio to texting. You can also easily include links.
3. Does not require synchronization.
Texting doesn’t require both parties to be present at the same time. Your customers can respond whenever it is convenient for them to do so. The notifications on their Android or Apple device will tell them about your text, just like a notification on LinkedIn would inform them of a message there.
4. Provides casual, quick, and conversational dialogue.
Texting is particularly good for quick, casual conversation. It is informal and conveys information quickly.
Disadvantages of Texting
1. Makes it harder to resolve complex problems quickly.
You may need to send a lot of texts or type out long messages for complex problems.
2. Is a service not everyone has.
While most people have cell phones, not everyone does. This is especially true of certain audiences, such as the elderly. Some people only have a landline phone number.
3. Is not personalized.
Texting feels more impersonal than calling, especially if you don’t do anything to personalize it. This can reduce engagement.
Advantages of Calling
When the problem is serious or the need for meaningful conversation is more than text messages can handle, calling is the way to go. Phone calls have an undeniable power, it is true. The chase, the connection, the intensity! In all seriousness, though, sometimes it does take a phone call to do what a text message can’t. And what is that, exactly? The heavy lifting.
In recent years, calling in its various forms (such as via softphone or voice chat) has become the go-to for matters that require more in-depth communication. Research shows that consumers prefer voice calls when they need to connect with not only their friends and family, but also their credit card company, insurance agent, and bank.
Despite the problems of lower response rates and limited employee resources that need resolving, businesses approximate that their use of voice will increase (36%) or remain the same (50%) in the next year.
1. Helps you quickly solve complex issues and problems
Active conversations with a back-and-forth dialogue make it easier to solve complex issues. It also gives your clients or support team the chance to interrupt if they have additional questions.
2. Provides uninterrupted dialogue and undivided attention.
Texting is usually done while multitasking, so you may not have the full attention of your client. Phone calls, however, tend to involve full attention. Similarly, your customer knows they get the full attention of your team.
3. Engages your customer and strengthens bonds.
Calls build a human connection, making customers feel like loved ones.
4. Reduces miscommunications.
Being able to hear tone and easily ask additional questions reduces miscommunications.
Disadvantages of Calling
1. Takes up more time.
Calling tends to take longer than texting, and you can’t just work it into your day a bit at a time.
2. Typically has lower response rate.
Fewer people answer the phone than open or respond to texts.
3. Requires synchronization.
The caller and customer have to be available at the same time, like they would for a video chat. That said, you can leave a voicemail.
Best Practices—When to Call vs. When to Text
When to Call
When it comes to the important stuff, you should always call. There’s no substitute for the human voice. Calling is excellent when nonverbal cues, nuance, and intonation are vital to the success of an interaction. Rely on call when you need to:
Resolve a Complex Issue or Problem
Complex issues are much easier to resolve over the phone, as they can require a lot of back-and-forth conversation.
1. Close a deal.
Calling adds a level of personalization and a human connection that can help you close a deal. That stronger bond improves the customer experience.
2. Communicate sensitive information.
You don’t want to write out sensitive information in text messages due to privacy concerns. Instead, convey them in a phone conversation or other secure business communication.
3. Have in-depth discussions.
Like complex issues, in-depth discussions require a great deal of back-and-forth and can be exhausting to type out via text.
If you’re worried that something might not come across correctly via text message, err on the side of calling.
Pro tip: When you do call, it’s important to let customers know who is calling them. That means paying for branded caller ID.
When to Send Text Messages
You should use text for just about everything else. While you can make up for some nonverbal cues with punctuation and emojis, it is great to use text for simple and straightforward messages while adding a personal, human touch. Use text to:
1. Confirm appointments, bookings, and applications.
These are quick, informal conversations.
2. Deliver promotional messaging and coupons.
These promotional messages don’t require any conversation at all, just a quick message.
3. Talk to millennials and younger audiences.
These audiences prefer texting, so you will improve engagement.
4. Send website and payment links.
Users can click on the link directly from the text message, letting you automate the process and saving both your company and the customer time.
5. Ask for customer feedback, referrals, or reviews.
As with payment or website links, you can easily send links for feedback, reviews, and referrals.
6. Communicate basic or casual information.
Texting is ideal for casual information that you can convey concisely.
Pro tip: Often, it’s nice to text before you call, setting expectations and letting customers know what is going to happen. This helps the call feel less intrusive, wastes less time, and increases efficiency.
SMS marketing platforms are a great way to really get on top of your text message marketing and make sure that each of your SMS messages carries as much impact as possible.
How Texting vs. Calling Impacts Customer Relationships
Texting and calling also impact customer relationships differently and imply different things. Did you know that communication that includes voice (such as mobile phone calls, voice chat) creates stronger social bonds than communication that centers around typing (such as text or email?). That’s right, people tend to feel significantly more connected through communication methods based on voice than they do typing-centered methods. Actually hearing someone’s voice can make experiences better.
Research also shows that calling trumps messaging when you want to connect with a person in a meaningful way. Text, on the other hand, increases the conversational tone of an interaction and frees customers to answer confidently in their own time and from their own space. It creates more casual bonds—slightly more transactional, friendly, and low-key than calling. In fact, receiving a text message actually lights up the brain’s reward system and stimulates the dopamine system, which can create a cycle.
Texting and calling also have very different underlying connotations that are important to understand. Texting says to your customers: “This is casual!” “You can take your time or get back to this right away!” “This is simple, friendly, and straightforward.” While calling says: “We really want to connect with you.” “This is a bit more complex/sensitive.” “It would be good for us to talk very soon!”
It is important to consider how your medium will impact your customer relationship before you use it.
Take Customer Communication to the Next Level
Ready to use texting and calling perfectly in sync? Try the platform that does it all—really well, if we do say so ourselves—and all from one place. Learn how Podium can help you use text and calling in perfect tandem here. Podium helps you make customer communication faster and easier. It is a CRM built for small businesses that lets you turn more customer calls into revenue.
Texting vs. Calling FAQs
Q: Do customers prefer text or calling?
A: Customers usually prefer texting.
Q: Is it faster to text or call?
A: Texting is faster, especially when you have to send messages to customer lists.
Q: Is it cheaper to text or call?
A: Texting is usually cheaper, especially in the case of international calling.
