OneReach has announced that it has introduced the SMS Call Center, a service that lets call centers convert voice calls to SMS conversations.

“Many call centers have adopted SMS as a marketing tool or for simple notifications, however, there are huge opportunities for businesses to use this powerful, always-available channel to engage in two-way communication with their customers," said Rich Weborg, CEO of OneReach, in a release. “Our SMS Call Center application provides a smart bridge from an expensive, sometimes frustrating phone interaction to an efficient engagement that is cost-effective for businesses and convenient for the customer."

More people are relying on their mobile phones, with many people doing away with land lines completely. A Pew (News - Alert) Research survey found that 31 percent of mobile phone users preferred using SMS messages rather than talking.

Many companies already provide Web chat channels for customer service, but in the past it’s been almost impossible to transfer a call from voice to SMS. Customers typically have to abandon a voice call and try again with a Web-based chat, if they even manage to do that.

OneReach’s new SMS Call Center can transfer a call from voice to a text chat with a customer service agent. The company said that the cost per interaction was 25 percent less than with a voice call. It’s also possible to automate routine requests, such as password changes. OneReach customers can design custom automated messages with a visual designer. OneReach can also build Web, IVR and SMS systems for companies lacking call centers.

The customer will also have the continuity of the call that was initially started over voice, without having to start over again in a new conversation.