Before Selecting a Two-Way Messaging Provider

Does your customer database contain mobile phone numbers?

Did You Know?: If you just have a customer’s phone number, your messaging provider can help you
identify associated chat app accounts for the number.

Have your customers opted in to be contacted by you? Have they selected or set up their
communications preferences?

Important Note for two-way messaging: Make sure you and your service providers are GDPR compliant. A double opt-
in process can help by confirming someone’s wish to join your text messaging list. This gives you complete confidence in a subscriber’s consent and helps protect against spam complaints.

Have you validated your customer data? It’s important to clean up errors and perfect contact details to
improve response rates and reduce communication costs.

Tip: By using a simple API from a number information provider, you can easily validate your customer
database and keep the contact details up-to-date.

Do you have access to the mobile messaging channels preferred by your customers? If so, have you
integrated mobile messaging in your omnichannel program?

Tip: When implementing mobile messaging such as SMS and chat apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, think
about how they will be used alongside your other communications channels (e.g. email, voice, etc.) and
which channels are more relevant for your customers.

Have you considered the type of interaction that fits you best? Design the entire flow of the interaction,
including possible handoffs between man and machine.

Tip: Nailing the bot-to-human handoff is key to successful chatbot integrations in the customer
journey.

Have you set up your monitoring tools for the metrics you need to measure your ROI? Make your KPIs
guide your actions by monitoring them at all times.

Did You Know?: Not all messaging providers have the end-to-end network visibility to provide you
with the data needed. Make sure to request the access to monitoring data before deploying.

Test your messaging service, find out potential issues, re-work requirements — and get started.

Tip: if it’s your first time implementing mobile two-way messaging, start small. Pick a use case, a country or a
particular user base to work out the hiccups. Once you’ve got it figured out, expand from there.

Have you told the affected stakeholders (internal and external partners) about the upcoming
deployment?

Tip: Make sure they have enough time to take appropriate measures such as updating
content and training.

Got bubblies? Every success deserves a little celebration. Be prepared :-)