Why can’t I just use Facebook Messenger instead of Textodog?

That’s the most frequently asked question we get every time we give a demo of our platform. We also get “Why can’t I just use my own cell phone to send text messages?”

We thought it was the perfect opportunity to create an article to respond to the most frequently asked questions.

Question 1: What about Messenger? Creating a group on Messenger is easy, free, user-friendly, and when traveling, it is much more common to have access to WiFi than to have access to a network. For me and for many of my colleagues, this is already the solution that is used.

Many small businesses, especially travel agencies, love Facebook Messenger. And so do we! Facebook Messenger is a great way to start conversations and can be used throughout the customer lifecycle journey. Having said that, it does have its limitations.

1. People absolutely have to be on Facebook and go to the agency’s page, which is not easy for everyone. On the other hand, everyone has a smartphone now and text messaging is available to everyone.

2. Text message alerts are read 99% of the time and responded to within 3 minutes. For Facebook, people don’t always see the push notifications when new messages arrive.

3. Before the sale and during the trip, using messenger can be effective, but for the pre-trip and post-trip stages, it gets complicated. Sending specific messages in one click to all customers to inform them of a schedule change, for example, is not possible.

4. With marketing automation, it’s easy to tag each client with trip and personal details and then, send a text message on their birthday, for example, or other dates deemed important. This is a way to keep a deeper and long term contact with the customers. People tend to forget who they dealt with, but texting refreshes their memory easily, especially when they see the agency’s name on their phone. The phone number for text conversations remains the same as the agency’s phone number.

5. Text messaging does not replace messenger on Facebook, but it is an added value. When used properly, text messaging is a more personalized and effective way to communicate with clients. I use messenger a lot, but if I’ve sent a submission via email or messenger, I also text them to let them know. Quotes can take a long time to come in and prices and availability change very quickly. I have experimented with both methods and texting is much faster and more efficient.

6. My mother wouldn’t know how to send me a message on Messenger, but texting, no problem!

Question 2: If I want to create a group text message… why would I need a system? It’s very easy to do it manually, from a cell phone.

You’re right. But your sales team can’t see and answer customer questions on your cell phone. In other words, other agents can’t access it and help you serve customers. It’s like a shared email box, but for texting. The entire sales team can access it and work together to sell or provide unparalleled customer service. Conversations can be assigned to an agent so you don’t step on each other’s toes.

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