When people are looking for support during a crisis, the answer may just be a text away. That’s because many crisis hotlines are offering texting services as a way to reach more people. What used to be men and women from younger generations are now adding text messaging to reach older demographics, 40-65 year olds are the fastest growing group of texters.
We are a text-based society, and that’s exactly why your hotline, helpline, or support software should be utilizing two-way text messaging. There are several benefits to adding a text hotline to your service.
It Supports Texting As The Preferred Mode Of Communication
One of the primary reasons why you need a text hotline is because most people prefer to text rather than talk. Texting really IS the new talking, providing hotlines and helplines with an opportunity to augment their services using the most popular channel on mobile phones.
Another benefit, besides the popularity of text messaging, is the fact that it provides process efficiencies in providing assistance. Not only is there a time-shifting element to messaging, additional resources such as links, videos, and images can be sent over SMS, providing access to quick and helpful information that may have to be spelled out over a phone call, taking up valuable time.
A few quick stats about texting:
* Over 80% of Americans use text messaging every day to communicate.
* Texting is 10x faster than phone calls, which means hotline/helpline moderators can help more patrons in less time (and even at the same time).
* 97% of texters open and read every text message they receive. Because text messages are like the subject line of an email, this really isn’t that much of a surprise.
* 85% of customers want their text messages with business to be two-way conversations.
Clearly, text messaging is a popular mode of communication in today’s society, and it’s encouraging people to seek emotional support from hotlines now more than ever.
Text Hotlines Allow People To Remain Anonymous
Text messaging offers an additional layer of anonymity, which is a big deal for people in crisis as most of them don’t want their spouses, roommates, or neighbors to overhear them talking to a counselor on a hotline. Understandably, people who seek hotline support don’t want to be judged for their struggles from the people closest to them.
Thankfully, exceptional text messaging support software offers people the opportunity to share their problems and concerns discretely. Instead of “voicing” their concerns on a telephone call, they can communicate their problems privately via text message if you’re using a great text hotline.
Texting Encourages People To Feel Safe Communicating
Contrary to traditional hotlines, a text hotline enables people to hide their emotions more effectively whereas an actual telephone conversation may make them feel raw and exposed. As a result, many hotline callers are less likely to express their true feeling during a telephone call for the fear of being openly judged from the person on the other end.
Anecdotally, we know that text messaging provides a males are more comfortable with texting because it helps them to protect some of their emotions, opening a line of communication that may not exist in a phone call format. This isn’t only males, but young people in general aren’t speaking on the phone to their friends and family, so it’s no surprise that there may be a discomfort in calling into a hotline for support. Some of our clients who may require telephone interviews/appointments for data collection in their research use text messaging as a reminder of the upcoming phone call so the respondent will answer when they see the number.
For more information on how Mosio Q&A can help you offer innovative and effective text messaging solutions for your hotline or helpline, visit https://www.mosio.com/qnaplans to view pricing and sign up for a free, 14 day trial.