When it comes to communicating on (and off) the construction site, time, efficiency, and impact are all essential. Not getting a message out at the right time or in the right way can be detrimental to the safety of your workers and your business operations.
SMS is one of the most cut-through methods of communication, and yet, many construction companies are yet to adopt it. In this article, we’ll explain how SMS can benefit your business, and how easy it is to get started.
Segmentation means you get the right messages to the right people
A powerful capability of text messaging, with the right communication platform, is being able to segment your audience. By setting up distribution lists, you can easily send the right messages to the right people, and make sure you’re not unnecessarily spamming workers who the message isn’t relevant to.
For example, you can set up a distribution list for a certain work site. Then, when you have communications that are only relevant to them, you can quickly build and deploy text messages to only be sent to that group.
Manage your worker lists with powerful contact management
SMS reaches a wider audience, faster
When it comes to the stats, there’s no arguing that SMS is an incredibly engaging way to communicate. On average, 98% of text messages are opened (which is a whopping 750% higher than emails), and 90% of SMS messages are opened within 3 minutes of delivery.
When you’re trying to communicate quickly and effectively with a distributed workforce, these levels of engagement are incredibly important.
Learn more about the power of SMS
SMS is quick to build and deploy
Not only does SMS get a wide reach, but it's also incredibly fast to put together and send out. With bulk SMS capabilities and the right communication tool, you should be able to deploy messages en masse within minutes.
Even better, text messages still feel incredibly personal, so sending them out in bulk doesn’t necessarily have to lose that human touch. With a tool that automatically pulls in the first names of recipients, you can drive that level of personalisation even further, without it requiring a stack of time and effort on your behalf.
Discover how bulk SMS can benefit you
Automated text messaging saves you (crucial) time
Now here’s where things start to get really interesting.
Not only can you save time by being able to quickly deploy engaging text messages en masse, but automation steps up that time-saving factor even more. And, it creates an even more personalised experience for your workforce, because you’ve made sure your automated messages are being sent to them at the exact right time.
Automation works by setting up messages to be automatically sent out based on certain triggers or events. For example, when you’re alerted to a critical safety event, you could have an automated message that’s triggered to go out to your affected workforce. Or, when someone completes and submits an online form for a safety check, you can make sure a confirmation is automatically sent to them.
Two-way communication takes automation to the next level again. This works by designing automated responses based on how your audience responds to you. Someone’s texted in to confirm they’re safe? You can verify that with an automated ‘thank you’ message. Someone’s opted to pick up a new shift? Confirm their response with an automated acknowledgment.
See how easy it is to build automated message journeys
Rich messages help you broaden your message
One of the main (or maybe, only) cons of text messaging is that you’re limited when it comes to how much space you have. Even though SMS clearly has higher engagement levels, and can help you reach more people faster, many construction companies still opt for traditional communications like email because of how much more flexibility it offers.
Rich messaging gets around this perfectly. Basically, this involves creating a purpose-built mobile webpage. This page can contain things like forms that need to be filled out, surveys to gather feedback, instructional videos, and a whole host of other interactive elements.
Rich messages allow you to build this webpage and link to it directly from an SMS. That way, when your workforce receives a text asking them to complete a form for OH&S, provide documentation for something, or whatever it is you need, they can simply click the link and get it done.
No more waiting for your workers to be at a computer and check their emails; instead, the action you require from them can be completed within minutes.
An all-in-one communication platform for your construction company
Whispir makes it incredibly easy to benefit from the power of SMS. Our platform has been designed to make it easy to quickly build and deploy text messages, as well as monitor engagement levels in real-time so you can see how well your communications are being received.
Whispir offers more than just SMS, though. Our multi-channel platform allows you to manage, send, and monitor communications across various channels – including email, voice, and more – making it the ultimate all-in-one solution for construction companies and their varied communication needs.
Learn more about how Whispir can work for your construction company.
