Have you ever had a customer call with a problem that you're pretty sure you can take care of but it's kind of hard to tell from their description? The customer just wants their problem solved but you need to make sure that you price it right or that you can even commit to doing the work. Sometimes words just aren't enough to communicate. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
The Problem with Email and Pictures
OK, you have to agree communication is easier when there's a picture. But have you ever tried to explain to a customer how to email you a picture?
Take a picture with your phone
Tap on Share
Tap on Email
Wait
Maybe the picture will show up. Maybe it gets lost because it's too big. Maybe the customer doesn't have email set up on their phone. Good luck explaining how to solve any of those issues. But the good news is they can text!
Real Time Pictures
Every one of your customers has a smartphone. Every one of those smartphones has a camera. And every one of those phones can send pictures by text. Sure, they could text it to your cell phone, but not every business owner or admin wants to hand out their personal cell phone number.
That's why your business should have an SMS/texting number.
We have a real-time texting add-on that lets you set up a local phone number (you get to pick) and you can then use that number to send texts to your crew or your customers. They can reply and you'll see those texts right in serviceminder.io. Customer texts are archived with the contacts so they are immediately available to your entire team.
You can also put that number on your website with an "sms:" link so that any user browsing your site on their phone can just tap that link and send you a text message. And that text message can include a picture. A picture that might be worth a thousand words.
Get the Picture
So the next time you're on the phone with a prospect or a customer and they're describing the issue, just have them point their phone at the problem, snap a picture and text it to you. You can immediately view it while they're on the phone, confirm you can do the work, and then schedule someone to take care of it. And because the picture is archived with the contact, your crew can see that picture when they get onsite, using serviceminder.io mobile.
So what's that worth? A thousand words or $49/mo.