Toll free RespOrg (Responsible Organization) ATL Communications (News - Alert) and cloud texting company Zipwhip are now offering companies the ability to make their toll free numbers text-enabled through a service called Textify.
Textify users will be able to send and receive text messages from their toll free number by using an application accessible from the web, a desktop, tablet or mobile device.
“Textify offers an entirely new way to use text-based communications and toll-free numbers," ATL Communications President Aelea Christofferson said in a statement on Channel Partners Online.
Zipwhip CEO John Lauer explained that a texting capability for toll free numbers "opens up a new world" for its own company, which develops texting solutions for desktops and business landlines.
The Texify service can be implemented in businesses of all sizes and aims to be a cost-effective way to enhance customer communication. With it, customers will have a new platform to place orders and ask questions, providing them with another option if they don't want to place a phone call or search a company's website.
For example, if a person wants to order a dozen roses from a company, they can text "Can I order a dozen roses?" and the call center response from a representative would feature information on any special prices on roses that day and ask for the customer's address and how they want to be billed for it.
The system can also work for food companies. For instance, customers can simply text a pizzeria what they want, and the shop will respond with the time that it will be ready and how much it will cost.
Currently, organizations that use Textify can respond to texts manually. However, by the middle of October they will also be able to respond to texts automatically based on keywords. This will come in handy with frequently asked questions, which will save companies time by not having to write out the same information over and over again. For example, if someone texted a utility company that they lost their bill and wanted to know where to send payment, a computer generated response would include the company's billing address.
Textify is available on a wholesale basis with pricing structures on a per-text and unlimited basis.
Edited by Blaise McNamee