Talking with: Why messaging could be your new customer magnet

The world feels like it’s moving quicker than ever, and new technology continues to shape how people and businesses interact. And yet, there’s comfort in knowing that one thing remains sure: The importance of connection, writes Harry Lowes, Director of Mid-Market ANZ, Meta.

While we’ve moved beyond face-to-face interactions as the primary mode of engagement and more towards mobile-and digital-first, consumers still expect brands to show up and meet them where they are.

Consumers now want to engage with a business through phone calls, emails and online platforms and on their favourite messaging apps. Research conducted by BCG and Meta revealed that 70 per cent of consumers feel closer to businesses that they can message, with 65 per cent preferring to contact businesses via chat rather than by email or phone. What’s more, 46 per cent of Australian consumers said that they are likely to repurchase with a brand if they are satisfied with their overall messaging experience.

Getting the most out of your conversations and driving performance

Business owners increasingly recognise the potential of embracing messaging as a strategic communication channel. However, not all businesses are equipped to meet the escalating consumer demand. Striking a delicate balance between delivering exceptional customer experiences and achieving measurable return on investment (ROI) has become daunting.

Furthermore, evolving data policies and regulations, such as the elimination of third-party cookies, have created industry headwinds and prompted concerns among marketers, media teams and many small businesses. By leveraging messaging, businesses can create personalised experiences at scale while simultaneously adapting to a cookie-independent approach for effective digital marketing.

Our research also shows that 80 per cent of consumers plan to continue using messaging to interact with businesses. Additionally, due to shifting consumer habits since the pandemic, the number of businesses that generate more than half of their sales online has grown by 22 per cent. As a result, more and more businesses are finding new reasons to expand their business messaging strategies to create better customer journeys and drive loyalty and improve business performance.

Reaching customers at scale through AI and automation

AI is having a real moment in the spotlight and has existed for many years powering smart home devices, self-driving cars and your social media feeds. It also powers business messaging, which uses AI automation to enhance customer service interactions and streamline communication.

Gone are the days of manually creating chatbots to address commonly asked questions, a process that demanded significant time and effort. Thanks to AI automation, small businesses can now generate automated question-and-answer flows or chatbots based on pre-approved data sources, helping businesses boost their customer service interactions even when they aren’t there.

Embracing business messaging gives businesses the ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences and foster loyalty on scale. It’s a great step to driving deeper connections and conversations with your customers, and setting your business up for continued growth.

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