Starting a wholesale and retail SMS trading business? One of the most important requirements is to have a bulk SMS Gateway & Platform. But how do you get one? While there are several Bulk SMS Gateway providers online, it is crucial to choose a reliable provider. At first, it might look tempting to save some pennies and go with a budget SMS Gateway provider. But always remember that such services can be catastrophic to your business and its reputation after some time. Certainly, you don’t want to bear such a loss.
This post will guide you about how to opt for a bulk SMS Gateway provider whose services are meaningful and useful for your business.
Reliability
It should be the primary factor to be considered. By Reliability, we mean that the SMS Gateway system should offer maximum uptime. This in turn ensures successful and timely execution of SMS campaigns. A better way to test reliability is to take the free trial of the platform which is usually provided by almost all solution providers. During this time duration, you can send a few SMS campaigns to gauge the efficiency of the system.
User-friendliness
An SMS platform that offers various features is one thing, but the ease of using those features and the platform itself is entirely another thing. You should certainly test the user-friendliness of the platform. A complex solution can make things quite difficult for you and your customers. It has a direct impact on customer experience as well. Check navigation and intuitiveness of the system so that you can manage your campaigns seamlessly.
Established Provider
It is important to note that you should always go with a provider whose industry experience is at least more than 5 years. A new SMS Gateway provider might offer lucrative deals but their services might not be worth your time and money. A well-established Bulk SMS Gateway provider will surely offer best-in-class SMS services which can be a lot beneficial for you.
Types of SMS Offered
Initially, you might only want a gateway that supports only one type of SMS service, say, Bulk SMS. But, with time and business growth, the need for other types of SMS services is likely to show up. It is always a better idea to choose a platform that offers different types of SMS services such as Single SMS, promotional SMS, and Transactional SMS.
Feature-Richness
Today or tomorrow, you will need different types of features in the SMS Gateway Solution. So look for a broad range of features. Your list must include Content Management, Automated Invoicing, Reporting Facility, Advanced Routing Facility, Pricing and Rate Management, Client Management, Contact Management and Campaign Management.
Pricing
Cost is a crucial factor in determining the right SMS Gateway for your business. You can compare the pricing model of 2-3 SMS gateway providers to opt for the one that is reasonably priced. These days, pay-as-you-go pricing models are quite popular as they are easily affordable. Also, don’t forget to ask for hidden charges, if any, so that you don’t have to exceed your budget later.
Data Security
While sensitive data that belongs to your business and customers moves through the SMS Gateway, it is important to choose a platform that ensures maximum data security. There are many SMS Gateway providers who implement advanced and effective security checks like 2 Factor Authentication, Network Topology Hiding, Login authentication through username and password, etc. Such a platform will certainly protect your critical data getting into the hands of bad actors.
SMS Processing Time
A reliable SMS Gateway must process SMS messages within milliseconds otherwise it is not useful. You can ask the provider for Latency and Throughput of the SMS Gateway. Latency means the amount of time to perform an action and Throughput is the number of actions executed per unit time.
Effective Customer Support
With the quality of customer support provided by a company, you can have an idea about their ethics. A good company will have a knowledgeable team ready to answer your queries 24/7. You can test this factor by raising a few queries and checking how they respond. Look for the time and knowledge they provide you with their reply.
Statistics reveal that 64% of consumers want businesses to connect with them via text messages. In a study, it has been found that 50% of U.S. customers directly make a purchase when they receive an offer or discount through text message. This percentage reveals that SMS is still one of the most popular and preferred communication channels among the masses.
Investing in a Bulk SMS business appears to be a lucrative business opportunity. It is because Bulk SMS business model is quite simple yet effective. The more the SMS traffic, the more will
be your earnings. Don’t wait, just start your search now!
Top comments (0)