What is Messaging?

Messaging is a text-based, one-to-one conversation that usually occurs on a mobile device or platform like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS text messaging, or within an app. Unlike web-based chat that occurs in a pop-up screen where both parties must be logged in, messaging is asynchronous, meaning you don’t need to stay in a session to send or receive messages. Messaging takes the idea of web chat and moves it to where consumers already spend their time – on SMS, in apps, or on third-party communications platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, or Apple Business Chat. Messaging is convenient, provides context, and allows conversations to be more personal with emojis, gifs, and links to information.

Unlike more rigid chat sessions, messaging works best when it’s quick, authentic, and personal. Consumers respond well when they know there’s another person on the other end of the message to quickly answer their question or provide information through links, videos, or images. This means that in addition to reliable technology, customer-facing associates hold the key to a successful messaging program. They must have brand knowledge and soft skills to successfully operate in this channel.

TTEC’s unique position in the market humanizes digital and digitally enables humans by striking the right balance of people and technology. From recruitment and associate training to technology implementations and customer management, our end-to-end CX as a Service helps some of the world’s top brands bring humanity to business through messaging and other emerging channels.

Additional Messaging Resources

Transforming conversational messaging into a competitive advantage: Consumers use messaging apps as a conversation and interaction space daily. And that preference is quickly bleeding into retail, commerce, and customer support. But while adopting a new channel like conversational messaging is one thing, doing it successfully is quite another. In this strategy guide, discover why your customers want to message you, the best ways to implement the evolving channel, and 6 key steps to achieve CSAT success.
Top 5 CX Gaps in Messaging and Chat: We mystery shopped some famous brands. In this infographic, see what we learned about their Chat, Messaging, and Texting conversational experiences.
The Ultimate Business Case for Conversational Messaging: Asynchronous messaging helps you create better customer experiences, and it is one of the only CX technologies that simultaneously lowers cost, increases employee productivity, and improves customer satisfaction. Read this white paper to learn why messaging is an essential channel and next steps on how to add and optimize it in your company's contact centers.
Remote CX + Messaging = A Perfect Pair: The growth of messaging as a preferred contact channel coincides with a shift to a work-from-home contact center model. What great timing, since messaging perfectly pairs with an at-home workforce. Learn how to combine messaging and remote operations to deliver amazing and effortless experiences.
What is Asynchronous Messaging?: Learn how asynchronous messaging differs from synchronous forms of communication and learn the benefits of utilizing asynchronous messaging as a customer communication channel.
5 Tips for Stellar Messaging Sales and Service Conversations: As messaging grows as a brand contact channel, the challenge for many companies is finding associates with suitable expertise to interact with customers and prospects effectively on a variety of topics. Apple Business Chat and other emerging messaging services are unique from traditional chat in that messages are open-ended and can be both service- or sales-related. Because of this, associates will need to know how to successfully navigate both types of interactions. Here are five tips to successfully shift customer care chat associates into versatile sales and service messaging experts.
Conversational Messaging: Why Customers Demand it (and How to Deliver it): We live in an omnichannel world, and customers expect the convenience and ease of conversational messaging to be part of their experience. We’ve been working with clients that understand how important messaging is to their customers and are incorporating the technology into their services. Ready to embark on your own conversational messaging journey? Here’s everything companies need to know to make conversational messaging an integral part of their customer experience.
Contact Center Outsourcing Services: Outsourcing customer care and technical support is a cost effective way for brands to improve CX, accelerate digital transformation, and build operational efficiencies. We are contact center design, implementation, and management experts, and we can help you determine which omnichannel solutions are best for your business.
11 Benefits of Outsourcing Sales: Organizations that tap into the expertise of sales reps with proven performance in digital channels such as web, chat, and social will strengthen their omnichannel results. Meanwhile, many sales leaders are just beginning to recognize the engagement opportunities that messaging and chat can create with customers and prospects. Companies that lean on outsourced partners with proven digital engagement skills among their sales reps can achieve dramatic results in improving unit volume and Net Promoter Score (NPS) by connecting with customers who prefer to use chat. In this article, we illustrate this and many other key data points showing the value of sales outsourcing services, provide an overview of 11 benefits sales outsourcing companies can deliver, and outline a five-step approach in creating a roadmap to optimize sales growth.