MENU 26 Mar 2020 Crisis communication via SMS: inform people quickly and reliably during the Corona virus pandemic In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis it has become increasingly necessary to communicate to employees, partners, customers, patients and citizens fast and reliably, in the race to expose malicious and harmful fake news, while also ensuring you reach absolutely everybody. According to the business data platform Statista, around 77 percent of Austrians aged 15 and above own a smartphone, furthermore, 4.5 million Austrians are currently using social media platforms. The number of active SIM cards, both prepaid and postpaid, by far exceed both figures and assert that everybody has a phone in his or her pocket. Even a basic mobile device and smartphones of course have the potential to act as an effective communication method when disaster strikes. SMS is a cross-generation familiar and trusted communication channel The opening rate scores at 98 percent and messages are read within 3 minutes. No internet connection needed, only a minimal GSM signal is required in times of possibly overloaded Internet connections. Furthermore, SMS is fully GDPR compliant and delivers in real time. Public Warning System by SMS in Austria put into action The Austrian government has on 20 April 2020 adopted a legislative change of the Telecommunications Act, valid until the end of the year, acknowledging the efficiency and reach of this communication method, in order to send out SMS nationwide or within a specific region. Mobile Network Operators are legally bound to send out these SMS in case of emergency with an official warning message to end-consumers. CAUTION – The region you have entered is under quarantine The Australian, New Zealand and UK governments are just some examples of nations who have also been quick to make SMS a tool for alerting the public about the latest coronavirus measures. Source: www.gov.uk Source: Twitter Source: private recipient Communication for enterprises But of course, mass communication is not required only by governments in times of crisis. SMS is a highly valuable tool for enterprises too. Sending SMS messages is a simple, safe and effective way to communicate with employees and customers at times in which no personal contact is possible. Your store is closed, and you want to direct consumers to your online store? As COVID-19 increases, eRetail booms. Many online stores are recording a sales increases of 20 – 30 percent. Physical store owners are increasingly launching online stores to tackle the challenge. A SMS of up to 160 characters with content and a shortened link is the ideal way of supporting the message you are conveying through e-mails and your social media channels. How to generate a contact base for SMS communication An effective customer list can be created with no large effort, all you must do is create a widget on your website. You define which date the user enters, the mobile number is automatically verified by a personal code sent by SMS and added to your distribution list. In addition, you can gain valuable insights such as demographic data, ranging from location, age and sex – and interests. SMS Newsletter plugin You can collect mobile phone numbers from people who visit your website by adding a Newsletter SMS plugin on your website. As an incentive you may want to offer a discount code for the next order. Think wisely when sending out bulk SMS. It is important to address the right target group and to address their actual interests. Stay healthy! Local hero, global scale As an innovative market leader, DIMOCO, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Austria, offers high-quality business SMS solutions and thus enables global communication in any language, sending over 1 billion A2P SMS annually to people worldwide via our messaging hub. We’ve always got a light on for you, even in tough time and are only a message away: sales.messaging@dimoco.eu. DIMOCO Messaging – Driving interactions between businesses & people for almost 20 years Get the latest DIMOCO blog posts delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe me to the list! Share PREVIOUS POST In some European countries’ MNOs have already realized that investment in brand awareness and brand recognition of Direct Carrier Billing is absolutely vital. How so? 3 Feb 2020 NEXT POST Carrier Billing – safe ways to get physical in 2020 6 Apr 2020 Contact Charlotte Newby Head of Corporate Communications DIMOCO Corporate Headquarters Tel: +43 1 33 66 888-2059 Email: hello@dimoco.eu Stay in touch! CARRIER BILLING PAYMENT SERVICES MOBILE MESSAGING RESEARCH CENTER Terms of Use Legal Disclosure Privacy Policy © 2021 DIMOCO All rights Reserved DIMOCO Communication Career Contact DIMOCO Carrier Billing GmbH Campus 21 Europaring F15/302 2345 Brunn am Gebirge/Vienna Austria Phone: +43 1 33 66 888-0 Mail: sales@dimoco.eu CONTACT US MEET US