Short message service (SMS) or text messaging is proving to be a powerful tool for connecting with customers, particularly in the financial services and retail sectors. Used heavily by marketers overseas, message services -- which enable companies to contact their customers via SMS -- are rapidly coming into their own in SA, where average SMS usage by consumers on a monthly basis outweighs that of some of the world's leading carriers.

Telecommunications service provider, Orion Telecom, reports that its corporate client base is responding well to the benefits offered by its managed messaging solutions, and many clients are using the service to communicate with their customer base at far cheaper rates than expensive outbound calls.

'Of all the communication channels used by marketers, messaging campaigns (also known as bulk SMS or broadcasts) have the best chance of reaching customers immediately, regardless of where they might be,' says Andr' Joubert, product manager for managed messaging solutions at Orion Telecom. 'Large multinationals are now asking how they can save on voice call costs and use SMS or MMS to communicate information rapidly and effectively. Typically they communicate with many thousands of customers at a time; SMS makes that process quick, easy and cost-effective. Most importantly, detailed and frequent management reports allow you to monitor and measure the success of any campaign -- including premium rate SMS campaigns.'