Do you think a function allowing your office phone to send texts to customers would increase your sales? Why or why not?

I don't think texts would be good for sales in the prospecting sense. But for established customers who you're trying to build a better relationship with, texting is great. It's easy to respond to and quick. 

Texting is a great way to connect with customers and prospects. It is less often overlooked like phone calls or emails. I've often wished we had the ability to both send and receive texts with our business number. I could see many uses for this both for customer follow up and communicating promotions if customers opt in for such a service of course.

Texting is great and more businesses need to utilize it. Best thing I have seen in restaurant industry is sending a text when a table is ready instead of giving out a brick that someone needs to hold and wait for it to buzz. Also today's world loves quick test non-face to face interactions. Attention spans are short and texting is also at the palm of someone's hand

Its like robocalls. Pick up the phone and develop a relationship. Social media is great when its used appropriately.

Our first use would be to remind those that register for our events to actually attend!

It depends on the purpose for contacting them, the frequency of the texts, and the content of the texts. Are the texts helpful or useful to your client? Generally speaking, if you are truly making things easier for your customers and your interest is in servicing them to the fullest, it will result in higher sales. If it’s used as only a function of getting more sales just by texting info to them, it will be experienced as annoying or even harassing. You’ll lose customers. Do your homework and make sure that the texts offer a true benefit to your customers, and your sales will increase. 

Like all businesses, we HAVE to embrace social media platforms (um, I'm posting on a biz-related one... right.... now), because they are the future and the future is now.  It's a good witch and a bad witch:  it saves time and creates a very wide broadcast - but, biz professionals also get inundated with txt messages, so there's the risk of getting lost in the rush.  Certain age groups (ahem, ME) still like a more direct, personal touch.  If you have very specific clients you're wooing (for an event), send them a personalized, handwritten note.  They'll remember you!

From my perspective, an office which has one or several SMS enable services is invaluable as long as it used for non marketing purposes;

Think of on-demand customer related information such as getting account credits balance, ordering food, setting appointments, etc.  

For what regards non acquired customers, it is very useful for giving information about the company, its services, plans, etc. 

In fact, the industry is actively going towards this by combining customer service channels, such as SMS and chat, by way of artificial intelligence (AI) bots. 

Take for instance Google Assistant; you build one bot and you can then integrate it with a variety of channels and devices such as chat, SMS, google home devices, etc.

       "Hey google, I need a medium all-dressed pizza"

       "Ok!, your pizza will be delivered within 30 minutes!"

All of this simply by using one plateform, which can then be used with simple SMS services.