FTEU
FTEU ~ Revolutionizing Business Communications
SMS is the New Way to Communicate
What if you could revolutionize your business by communicating directly, simply, and efficiently to large numbers of people at lower cost than with traditional methods such as mail and phone calls?
You can, using SMS Text messaging.
Text Messaging Isn't Just for Teenagers.
Companies are coming up with new business uses for SMS messaging every day. A few of these are:
- Billing, payments, and collections
- Public Safety announcements
- Customer service (bill pay, fraud alerts)
- Customer loyalty (rewards, special offers)
- Health care communications (prescription refills, appointment confirmations)
That's the good news.
But It's Not That Simple
It is important to know is that under most messaging plans; both the sender and the recipient pay fees for texts received. And this creates a problem for businesses. Customers don't want to pay to receive advertisements and notifications that may or may not be welcome. They don't want to pay for information that comes to them free via other methods such as e-mail, phone calls, and regular mail. And companies don't want a negative response from their customers and those in their target markets. Since senders have no way of knowing whether the recipient has one of the fixed-rate unlimited message plans, they run the risk of alienating the receiver every time a text message is sent.
There Is an Answer
Until today, regulation and the threat of consumer revolt has prevented the widespread use of SMS texting from taking its rightful place in the realm of business communications. Today – there is an answer and Go Live SMS has it and its name is Free To End User Text (FTEU). The development of Free to End User (FTEU) systems resolves the critical question of who pays for messaging. With the advent of FTEU, businesses can utilize the convenience of texting at their own expense--and this brings texting in line with other, more commonly used – yet significantly less effective and more expensive communication channels.
Overcoming Obstacles
The Carriers.
Despite its advantages, FTEU is not 100% available. One impediment may lie in the complexity of billing systems which some carriers are reluctant to modify. FTEU turns the usual process on its head. With FTEU companies pay the carrier a per-message cost prior to sending the message; there is no cost for receiving it. So carrier billing systems must be adjusted to identify these messages to insure that customers won't be charged for them no matter what kind of plan they subscribe to. Right now, only a few large carriers, including AT&T/Cingular T-mobile and Verizon offer FTEU plans. Go Live SMS is currently one of a very few companies who are licensed to use FTEU text.
Federal Regulations.
Although financial institutions could have many ways to utilize SMS text messaging in their dealings with customers, there are questions about whether this method falls within the guidelines of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) regarding matters such as disclosures and "explicit consent." The limit of 160 characters per message makes compliance difficult. But those issues can be handled in other communications between a company and its customers. FTEU is a key component for the growth of SMS texting because it eliminates the important legal issue of cost to the consumer. Using FTEU systems, companies can send messages with no charge to the customer either for messages received or responses back to the company.
With these obstacles removed; there exists great potential for increased productivity and profitability for companies looking to connect with their customers in the most effective way possible.
Whatever You Can Imagine
Only our imaginations will limit the ways in which SMS text messaging will be used in the future. Consider, for example, the ad campaign undertaken by the United Methodist Church. They reached out by using text messaging to attract young people. Billboards and other outdoor ads invited people to text the word Believe to a designated number. The response was a message from the Church with an invitation to attend services at Christmastime. The campaign was successful beyond all expectations.
For many industries, FTEU opens the door to more convenient, more direct communication with existing and potential customers. The opportunities are endless. FTEU will play a huge role in making SMS text messaging a viable option for businesses everywhere – and Go Live SMS will be leading the way!
About Go Live SMS
Go Live SMS is a FTEU texting service. We provide financial institutions, utilities, collection services, political and non-profit organizations with the most affordable and environmentally friendly method of conducting consumer and client communications. Click here to find out how you can easily and inexpensively Go Live with your clients.