link: webitpr | Postal strikes help businesses appreciate the value of SMS
More UK businesses turned to text messaging as a way of communicating with their customers during the recent postal strikes.
The TM4B SMS Gateway, a London-based service provider, saw a 15 per cent increase in messages being sent with daily averages exceeding 75,000 MT SMS. It also found sales enquiries turning into actual sales much faster than before the strikes.
Director of Sales & Marketing, Mr Abdul Majid, said: ‘Everyone expected couriers and private mail firms to be busier during the strike, but it didn’t cross our minds that we too would benefit. As you can imagine, we were delighted to see companies turning to SMS, as an alternative, more reliable way of communication.’
Since the first set of postal strikes in June, TM4B’s monthly customer acquisition rates have risen by 20 per cent.
The strikes, over a pay rise offer, crippled the UK postal service on October 4th and 5th, and again on the 8th and 9th. There continued to be wildcat strikes in Liverpool and London until the 11th October.
As of today (Friday 19th October), Royal Mail says the Communication Workers Union has called off official strike action planned for this week and the unofficial strike in Liverpool has ended.
Mr Majid added: ‘Text messaging is such a powerful way to communicate and extremely cost effective. The only problem companies like us have is getting businesses to simply try the medium and these strikes have been a great impetus. We foresee SMS having an even greater impact on traditional ways of communicating even more.â€Â
Dohhh!! of course. iTAGG saw a big spike in SMS traffic too over the past few weeks, and also an increase in SMS and MMS keyword sales. I was trying to figure what caused it but of course, those darned postal workers. Strike more often I say!!! 😉
steve
STEVE!!!!, Don’t encourage them!, My post is still days behind!… the bloody postman didn’t even bother to deliver our parcels yesterday instead he knocked on the door and handed me a fistful of dockets!!!!… it took all the restraint I could muster not to rip his head off and shove those dockets down his throat. What an absolute cu*(^&&*%*(@NO CARRIER
hahhaaaa! TOLD YOU SO!
I wish SMS could deliver bluetooth headsets. Shame my stinge-bag client insists on using Royal Snail.
Mind you, I’m with Dan – nearly shoved the postie’s head up his a*se when he finally made an appearance at 2 ‘kin 30 yesterday. WTF?! A week’s extra “holiday” not good enough, you work-shy pavement trampers?
TRY BEING SELF EMPLOYED, WORKING OVER 18 HRS A DAY, NO HOLIDAY PAY AND NO COMPANY PENSIONS YOU SWINES! AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR JOB, THEN CHANGE IT!!
We sat there watching our averages go up, feeling chuffed with ourselves. Only afterwards did we realise.
Steve… here here!