As part of our 2024 State of Business Texting Report, 10% of respondents reported saving 10 or more hours a week by texting instead of making phone calls or relying on emails. That’s five times higher than the average, so we dived deeper to find out what was going on. Almost all of those respondents work in staffing and follow the three steps below. 

What’s the Real Problem? 

Typically, emails take hours to be seen, and most people avoid answering phone calls. That leads to a lot of repeated tasks, a lot of waiting and a lot of missed opportunities, leaving everyone frustrated. But 80% of people read and respond to texts within 30 minutes, which can be really impactful for getting necessary responses and filling jobs. Used well, staffers are able to get back a quarter of their week by texting. Here’s how. 

Know when to text vs. when to call. Texting is fast and effective, but that doesn’t mean all of your communications should be done through text. Texting is usually best when: 

• You need to reach multiple people with the same message.

• You need a response or completed action.

• The message is emotionally neutral.

• You need to type and translate if there’s a language barrier.

You might text a list of workers all at once instead of individually calling them about new jobs, or you might text new applicants to schedule a screening call instead of leaving a voicemail and waiting for them to call back. 

Any conversation that involves more details, or that might get emotional, should be a phone call — though you might text to set that call up. 

Make sure you’re properly set up. The most effective texters in staffing have already completed 10DLC registration. This dictates whether, and to what extent, mobile carriers will deliver your messages. Carriers are becoming increasingly strict in an effort to protect consumers from spam, and we’re told that by the end of 2024, you won’t be able to text as a business at all unless you’ve completed your 10DLC registration. 

Next, take a little time to set up your mass texting service to make employees more productive day-to-day. Create message templates, import contact lists, add employees as users, leverage contact properties and reporting — whatever will help your team move a little faster. 

Send SMS campaigns that actually work. Great SMS campaigns have four characteristics: They create excitement, they’re clear, they create urgency and they tell you what to do next. For example, a good message could be: “New opportunity! Job X pays $Y and starts Monday. Need # positions filled. Reply to this message today if you’re interested.”  

Great SMS campaigns also get through spam filters (yes, mobile carriers have spam filters, similar to email). When creating your messages, avoid these red flags: 

• ALL CAPS

• Dollar signs ($$)

• Excessive emojis

• Shortened or Bitly links (consumers can’t see where the link goes)

• Ending a message with a URL (add some text after it)

• Multiple typos

• Super long messages

You may be able to get away with any of them, but keep in mind they could hurt your delivery rates. You can’t be effective and save time if your messages are filtered. 

What Else Are These Mega Time-Savers Doing?

A key trait from these people who are saving so much time by texting is that they’re actively looking for opportunities to save time using technology to help them — not just in filling jobs, though that’s the main use, but throughout their workday. They’re texting to follow-up on paperwork and to gather workers’ hours, share surveys and ask for Google reviews, and even to bring in new client leads and applicants.  

They’re also working with other agents and looking through reports to find opportunities to improve. The common thread is they’re intentional. You can begin seeing similar results by being intentional, too. Not sure where to start? Look for the opportunity. Anytime there’s a roadblock in your work — like an unanswered call or a delayed response — try sending a text.