Business texting has proven to be an asset for many businesses that incorporate texting into their day-to-day activities. Customers love having several avenues of communication to connect with a business, but employees also appreciate text messaging. But a regular struggle is knowing texting etiquette.
Traditionally, if coworkers wanted to talk to each other, they had three choices: walk over to their desk, call them, or email them. Email can be a tedious form of communication. Unless a worker has their email always pulled up on their desktop, it could be hours before the email is read.
Solving Business Problems
This leaves an in-person conversation and a phone call, but what if a lot of workers all need to be contacted? Walking around the office all day or calling each individual coworker or employee would be too time-consuming. This is where text messaging becomes especially useful. With a quick text message, the sender can guarantee that all workers are reached.
Also, statistics show that 90% of text messages are read within the first 3 minutes of receipt. This is ten times more than email! While text messaging seems to be one of the best “new” forms of communication for businesses, it is important to remember texting etiquette when creating and crafting messages sent to employees, coworkers, and customers.
Due to the sensitive nature of business text messaging, we have created a list of quick tips for business text messaging etiquette:
Texting Etiquette Quick Tip 1:
Use professional language in your business text messages. Whether you are sending a message to your employees, coworkers, or customers, it is important that you represent your company well at all times. If your text messages are littered with internet slang and abbreviations, your messages will come off too casual and not professional.
Correct grammar can also help your messages look more professional. Commas, periods, and other punctuation marks are often left out when two friends are texting each other. When a business is using text messaging, punctuation is a must.
Texting Etiquette Quick Tip 2:
Don’t be too formal. In the tip above, you were asked to be professional in your messages. However, if you are too formal, your messages can be misinterpreted as condescending or cold. Remember, you started using business text messaging to improve and build relationships with your key stakeholders.
When you create your messages, make sure to read them over for tone. You can even have a second person check your message to ensure that your intended tone and mood are being relayed through your message.
Texting Etiquette Quick Tip 3:
Other forms of communication are still appropriate. Just because you can send a quick text message doesn’t mean that it is always the most appropriate form of communication. Phone calls and emails are sometimes the most appropriate and effective ways to connect with coworkers.
Email is especially helpful and important for collaboration. When you have large files that need to be shared, a text message would not support it. Text messaging is also not appropriate for large-scale work nor is it appropriate for sharing several graphics and photos. Email and other file-sharing software should be used.
Phone calls are also still the best choice on many occasions. If you need to communicate a more serious matter or need clarification on a topic, a phone call would be the best option to connect with the other party.
Texting Etiquette Quick Tip 4:
Changes and updates should be made over email. When scheduling appointments and meetings, initial times can be sent via text messaging. However, any changes made should be sent via email plenty of time ahead of schedule. Also, if several people are involved and invited to the meeting or appointment, scheduling should take place over email. Email allows a paper trail that can easily be referred to later.
Start Business Texting With RyText
RyText powered by RyTel Hosted, allows businesses to get started with business text messaging. If you have any questions on how to get started, what the benefits are, or what features are included, we are ready to hear from you. Here at RyTel, we want you to build relationships with your customers through our top-notch communications solutions. Contact us today to enable messaging from your main business line!
To see RyText in action, text “Demo” to 801 997 6670
