Instant messaging has become the main remote communication channel between people, a trend that was pronounced in the last year in the context of the pandemic. Logically, companies have also appropriated these channels for customer service, taking advantage of their immediacy and familiarity. With more than billions of users worldwide, SMS leads the world of messaging and is the most demanded service by companies to communicate with their customers.
However, its use in the contact center industry is relatively recent. This opened the possibility for companies that manage a large number of interactions to use SMS integrated into contact software. Since then, at Nimbus Adcom, we have received hundreds of requests from companies interested in obtaining the API to use SMS in their contact center.
The question that we are asked the most is: how long does the process of obtaining the API take? To answer briefly: the process of obtaining the SMS API takes between 2 and 3 weeks (in some cases, even less).
However, there are several considerations to take into account to achieve an agile and successful integration. For instance, there are certain requirements of SMS API service provider in India to guarantee the authenticity of the line and the use according to its policies, which must be addressed in detail. Therefore, in addition to the technical specifications of the integration, which companies do not always take into account so that you know step by step how to obtain your SMS API, we have prepared this guide with all the requirements and best practices, which will facilitate the process.
The final enablement of the API always depends on SMS's criteria according to its policies. For example, if your company is not engaged in SMS restricted businesses (including gambling, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or dating sites), you will most likely get clearance. We will see more about this point in the specific requirements to start the process.
But there is another variable to consider: the size of the operation and its specific management needs. We have seen some articles explaining that small businesses cannot get the API. The reality is not so much that they cannot, but that it is not convenient for them to manage SMS in this way.
Differences between SMS and SMS API
The origin of several confusions that we have seen in relation to the business use of SMS derives from the fact that similar names are used for different uses and platforms. We must be clear about the difference between SMS and SMS API. It is essential to understand this because not all companies get the services of SMS API service providers in India.
Here it is worth delving into a point that we already mentioned initially: SMS API is a programmatic interface that allows you to connect the SMS channel to a contact platform. Single-person or small companies, which do not have a high volume of daily interactions, can perfectly manage their interactions through the SMS App. The SMS service is similar to the personal one but with some extra functionality for companies. It is free, and it is possible to use it from a cell phone.
On the other hand, larger companies, which handle a high volume of daily interactions and have a team of agents serving them on a contact center platform, will need to integrate SMS into that platform. They do that through the API. Thus, they will be able to manage messages with their clients in a more centralized, orderly, and secure way. And by integrating with an Omnichannel platform, they can follow the entire history of interactions with each client, both on SMS and in the company's other channels.
That said, we recommend that before entering the application process, make sure that your company meets these conditions and that it is profitable for you to manage this channel through the API or SMS API service provider in India on a contact platform.
When we generate SMS marketing and sales strategies, it is much more profitable to automate processes. Having SMS API capabilities such as those offered by our SMS marketing & Sales services, which integrates the entire process in the same technology, allows you to optimize time and achieve a better return on investment and practically eliminate the margins of error.
Here at Nimbus Adcom, our marketing & sales platform combines all the capabilities to develop the SMS marketing strategy with the most advanced technologies of an Omnichannel service center. Consumers want immediate answers anytime, anywhere, so it's important to automate service.
The integration of self-services, IVRs, Chatbots, and technologies with artificial intelligence allows your customer to be attended to immediately and that their purchase decision does not change in the waiting time. SMS marketing also enables the intelligent distribution of leads for an assisted sale through multiple channels, depending on the qualification of the lead, the campaign, or other factors that determine your strategy.