Infobip Data Finds COVID-19 Accelerating Adoption of Omnichannel Marketing

Growing consumer appetite for digital experiences during pandemic sees brands shifting strategies and adopting new tools

Infobip, a global cloud communications company that provides messaging solutions for advanced customer engagement, identity authentication and security, released data showing that COVID-19 is driving businesses to invest in long-term digital solutions with a focus on SMS messaging and omnichannel communication solutions.

Infobip has been tracking how its clients are engaging in new ways with customers since the beginning of global lockdowns in March. Activity across Its communications platform, which has the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices and ‘things’ in 190+ countries connected to over 800 telecom networks, underscores a rapid acceleration of customer-centric digital transformation plans within organizations.

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“Now more than ever before, companies are looking for ways to create seamless experiences and maintain relationships with their existing customers through digital channels,” said Craig Charles Webster, Head of Marketing Americas for Infobip. “Before the pandemic, many of our customers had plans to roll out their digital transformations over the next few years — that quickly changed. And, as a result we were able to closely monitor their strategic choices in finding news ways to engage with their customers.”

Specific takeaways include:

-SMS messaging has soared, as marketers look for timelier communication methods beyond email to confirm pick-ups, share updated hours of operation, and more with their customers. Infobip saw a clear spike in SMS volumes in March and April, with 8.5% and 20% growth compared to February, respectively.

-Customer communications are increasingly focused on building consumer confidence and trust, rather than simply driving revenue.

-Personalization is a growing priority in a company’s outreach, far exceeding the {FIRST NAME} tags in an email. Customers expect the right message to be delivered, in the right place, at the right time.

-Companies are rapidly turning to cloud-based CcaaS (Contact Center as a Service) solutions, such as Infobip’s Conversations platform, to seamlessly integrate their communications across multiple channels, including SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, RCS and voice.

-AI-powered customer care solutions are becoming essential, as spikes in support tickets overwhelm contact centers. Chatbot integration is also rising, to manage basic customer inquiries while leaving more complex issues to support agents.

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-Communication volumes have correlated with industry performance since COVID-19 lockdowns. Healthcare grew 39% in March, and an additional 29% in April, while communication in the transportation, hospitality, and travel sectors dropped by 50% in April and just began recovering in June.

Craig Charles Webster is available for interviews to discuss these findings. Press are approved to use the above quote in their coverage, attributed to Craig Charles Webster, Head of Marketing Americas for Infobip.

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