Introduction
Short Message Service (SMS) remains a highly effective communication channel due to its high open and engagement rates – typically, around 98% compared to other channels like email (with around 20%). This makes SMS particularly effective for targeted campaigns.
However, bulk SMS services are most cost-effective when purchased through wholesale providers. This allows businesses to send a large volume of messages at a lower cost per message than they could when using individual carriers or smaller providers.
When Does It Make Sense to Use Wholesale SMS?
It makes sense to use wholesale SMS if you need to send the same message to a large number of recipients in a quick and cost-effective manner. With bulk SMS for enterprises, it’s possible to send a message to thousands of recipients simultaneously. So organizations with a monthly SMS volume of 50,000 messages or more can benefit from wholesale SMS.
Due to its high open rates and immediate delivery, wholesale SMS is ideal for transmitting time-sensitive information, such as special offers, alerts, and reminders. Bulk SMS for enterprises can also boost customer engagement, through the strategic delivery of content such as personalized greetings (birthday wishes, anniversaries, etc.), loyalty scheme updates, or customer feedback requests.
Organizations can integrate wholesale SMS with other marketing channels (such as email and social media) in a comprehensive approach that reaches customers wherever they are. For enterprises with international stakeholders or a global market base, wholesale SMS from a provider with the right connections can satisfy their multinational messaging needs.
Bulk SMS for enterprises can also help businesses streamline their internal communications. For example, an enterprise may use bulk SMS messaging to coordinate project teams, or for sending urgent updates to the workforce.
Compared to other marketing channels, bulk SMS for enterprises can be very cost-effective – especially with the economies of scale that apply in sending messages to a large number of people. This can be an important budgetary consideration in scenarios where using retail SMS aggregators becomes too expensive.
Individual messages may cost only a few cents, while budget plans for bulk SMS may start from less than $40 a month. Given its relatively low costs and swift conversion rates (typically, recipients will open 90% of messages within 90 seconds), bulk SMS for enterprises can deliver a high Return On Investment (ROI).
[Image source: messagemedia.com]
Key Features in a Reliable Wholesale SMS Platform
Enterprises should look for the following key features in a reliable wholesale SMS platform:
High Throughput and Scalability
A wholesale SMS platform should be capable of handling a large volume of messages without performance degradation, to ensure timely delivery even during peak traffic. Especially for time-sensitive campaigns, you’ll need a platform with a high throughput – which is the ability to process and send a high volume of messages per second. High TPS (Transactions per Second) support is therefore a must, for any wholesale SMS platform you consider.
Carrier-Direct Routes
Bulk SMS for enterprises demands a wholesale platform that can guarantee enterprise-grade deliverability and message routing. This means that in practice the wholesale provider should offer carrier-direct routes for all bulk messaging. The platform should be authorized for global messaging, and able to provide proof that all of its global carrier partnerships are compliant with all relevant local or international laws.
Ideally, the provider should offer a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with high uptime guarantees – typically, 99.9% and higher. Failover routing and redundant infrastructure should be part of the package, to minimize the chances of interruption to your bulk campaigns.
Ease of Use
Look for a platform with a user-friendly interface that’s designed for the less technically skilled. For example, there could be dashboards and tools that simplify the process of sending bulk messages, and enable users to easily manage contacts, compose messages, and track performance.
Under the hood, the platform should provide a reliable and well-documented Application Programming Interface (API) for seamless integration with various enterprise systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), eCommerce platforms, and other business applications.
Reporting and Analytics
Performance monitoring is an essential aspect of any bulk SMS marketing or communications campaign. Real-time delivery reports enable users to track message status, and optimize future transmissions. So you should look for a wholesale SMS platform that offers comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to provide insights into message performance. This will help your users understand which messages are most effective.
Compliance Management
In order to maintain a reputation as a business that respects its customers, bulk SMS for enterprises demands a wholesale platform with built-in consent management and tools for adherence to region-specific rules.
To protect sensitive data, look for a platform that offers security measures like SSL support, IP security for API and SMPP connectivity, and network topology hiding. Particularly for organizations operating in the Asia-Pacific region, support for Distributed Ledger Technology or DLT is a must in ensuring bulk SMS compliance. It’s a blockchain technology which ensures that only verified businesses can send SMS to consumers.
Fast and Reliable Customer Support
With a strong SLA to set out its terms, you should look for a wholesale SMS platform that offers a quick and reliable response to support requests. Higher end providers will assign you a dedicated account manager.
In addition to 24/7 support channels like live chat, email, and voice, some providers may offer knowledge base resources such as video tutorials, webinars, self-help articles, and how-to guides.
Industries That Benefit from Wholesale SMS
Wholesale provision of bulk SMS for enterprises is benefiting organizations across a range of industries.
Financial services organizations such as banks and other institutions routinely use wholesale SMS for transaction alerts, balance updates, loan offers, and fraud detection. Everyday examples include the real-time transmission of One-Time Passwords (OTPs) for customer verification or the the completion of transactions.
Retail organizations can use bulk SMS for promoting flash sales, sending out discount codes, order confirmations, and shipping updates. These communications can engage customers and drive sales. For eCommerce players, bulk SMS helps give customers real-time updates on the status of their purchases and the time of delivery.
In healthcare, wholesale SMS empowers practitioners and institutions to deliver appointment reminders, prescription refills, health tips, and patient updates. For regional health management scenarios, bulk SMS for enterprises enables health authorities to issue emergency alerts and notices to affected populations about ongoing health crises and new policies.
Customer Relationship Management organizations and communications and marketing platforms can leverage the power of wholesale SMS platforms to deliver automated messaging to their customers and stakeholders. Real-time notifications can also keep stakeholders in the loop about information and events immediately relevant to them.
Retail SMS vs. Wholesale SMS: Cost & Control Comparison
Retail SMS and Wholesale SMS differ primarily in their pricing structures and level of control. Retail SMS is generally more expensive per message but tends to offer a simpler, more user-friendly interface and potentially better support. Costs are typically between 1-2 cents per message. Retail is generally most suitable for businesses that send a moderate volume of messages, value ease of use, and don’t require advanced features.
Wholesale SMS provides lower per-message costs, greater customization, and more control over the messaging process. However, the trade-off here is that wholesale often requires more technical expertise. Wholesale SMS offers lower per-message costs than retail, often tiered based on volume. Platforms provide more granular control over message routing, sender IDs, and integration with other systems.
In bulk SMS for enterprises, the Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol and compatible APIs are optimized for high throughput, using persistent TCP/IP connections to reduce overhead and improve efficiency for continuous message flow. The protocols support crucial bulk SMS features such as long SMS concatenation, dynamic sender IDs, and scheduling options.
A drag-and-drop UI for bulk SMS simplifies the message composition and delivery process, making it more accessible to users with limited technical skill.
Why Enterprises Choose IDT Express for SMS
There are several reasons why IDT Express is the first choice communications platform for bulk SMS for enterprises.
IDT Express offers free inbound SMS, and provides a platform with tools for creating, managing, and tracking bulk SMS campaigns. This enables businesses to reach a large audience efficiently and cost-effectively. IDT Express has been designed to optimize budgets without compromising quality, with transparent pricing and scalable capacity.
In addition to SMS, IDT Express supports multi-channel communication, enabling businesses to engage with customers through various avenues. IDT Express Omnichannel Messaging provides a unified messaging platform that features integration with social messaging tools such as Facebook, Viber, and WhatsApp. IDT Express also integrates with major Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, streamlining workflows and enhancing customer management.
IDT Express utilizes a carrier-grade platform, ensuring high quality and reliability. IDT’s global coverage empowers businesses to connect with customers worldwide – and the IDT Express platform ensures high-speed and dependable delivery of messages across global networks, ensuring messages reach their intended recipients.
The platform offers a robust Application Programming Interface (API) with comprehensive documentation, enabling seamless integration with existing systems and applications. This makes it easy for users to incorporate SMS into their workflows. The IDT Express platform also offers detailed analytics and reporting features, providing insights into campaign performance, and enabling data-driven decision-making. The platform adheres to high security standards and compliance regulations, protecting sensitive data and ensuring a secure communication environment.
To help clients keep everything running smoothly, IDT Express provides 24/7 support to assist with any questions or concerns, ensuring smooth operations. Dedicated account managers provide personalized support and guidance to enterprise clients.
So, if you’re an enterprise, CRM, marketing platform, or CPaaS user, take the next step:
Start Scaling with Wholesale SMS — Get Your Free Quote from IDT Express.
