2024 SMS And Texting Trends in India

Are you curious about the latest SMS and texting trends in India for 2024? 

Well, buckle up, as we have some exciting stuff to share. 

As a business, using SMS is super fun and easy, but with so many SMS trends, it can take a lot of work.

That’s why we’re here to help. 

This article will help you understand SMS and texting predictions for India in 2024. 

Let’s get started.

What is the current state of SMS and texting in India?

Alright, let’s break it down for you, my friend. 

In India, SMS and texting are still growing strong as a means of communication. 

In fact, over 92% of mobile phone users in India use SMS as their primary messaging tool? 

That’s right. 

SMS is still king in this part of the world. With a population of over 1.3 billion, that’s a lot of text messages. 

Estimates suggest that people sent over 2.2 billion SMS messages in 2022. That’s a whole lot of texting.

If you haven’t started using SMS as part of your business communication strategy, it’s time to get on board.

Checkout how SMSCountry can help you get started with using SMS in your business. When you book a demo, we’d help you understand how to use SMS and set everything up. You’d also get free SMS credits to start with.

5 SMS and texting trends for the Indian market

Are you ready to dive into the hottest texting and SMS predictions in India? We’ve got the inside scoop on what’s trending in 2023. So get your notepad and get ready to take some notes.

1. The emergence of conversational commerce 

If you love texting, you’ll be happy to hear that businesses are making it easier to chat with them. 

So what is conversational commerce? 

This is where companies use chatbots and AI to chat with you. The chat is like you’re talking to your friend. 

There’s more. 

Chatbots are not only for customer service. You could do anything, from booking appointments to buying products. A simple AI chatbot can do all that. 

So what does that mean for your customers? 

Well, no more waiting on hold for years or filling out super-complicated forms. 

Chatbots will help you get everything faster and with way less effort. The best part is they’re available 24/7, so your customers can get help whenever needed.

Some companies program chatbots to remember your past conversations. This takes conversational commerce to a higher level. 

How does that matter? 

Well, it remembers your conversations and offers suggestions you didn’t know you needed.  

For example, you spoke to a bot about spicy food. Now it remembers that, and the next time you ask for a dish suggestion or recipe, it will suggest spicy food. 

Amazing, isn’t it?

Conversational commerce is changing the way businesses interact with customers. It’s making things easier, faster, and more personal.

Now that we know the full power of conversational commerce, let’s check out how it can help your business. 

What does this mean for your business?

AI will improve your customer engagement.

You can automate conversations and provide fast solutions to your customers with AI. 

Chatbots and AI will save you time and resources and help you keep your customers happy. 

Here are examples of how conversational commerce is already changing the game:

• MakeMyTrip: They use chatbots to assist their customers in booking flights and hotels. Customers can ask the chatbot questions like “What are the cheapest flights to Goa?” and they’d have the answer in seconds.
• HDFC bank: They use a chatbot named EVA to assist customers with banking transactions. Customers can ask EVA questions like “What is my account balance?” and they’d have their answers in seconds. 

Conversational commerce is already making a big impact. And by using AI, you can stay ahead of others.

2. SMS-based customer service

Have you ever received an SMS from a business? It’s a convenient and fast way for companies to provide customer service. 

Several companies in India are using SMS to communicate with their customers. But not only that, they are using SMS even to answer questions and provide customer support.

For example, if you order food from Swiggy or Zomato, they send a confirmation and a tracking SMS. This helps you to know when the food is being prepared and when it’s out for delivery. 

Another example is booking a cab with Ola or Uber. They send you a text message with the driver’s details and a link to track the ride. 

SMS-based customer service is useful for customers who are always on the go. They can send an SMS and get a quick response, making the customer experience much smoother.

What does this mean for your business?

Using SMS-based customer service can help you improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. It helps with quick and easy communication and shows that you value your customer’s time.

Here are two real-life examples of SMS-based customer service:

• IndiGo: They send SMS alerts to customers about flight delays, cancellations, and rescheduling. This helps their customers stay updated with the latest information.
• HDFC bank: They send SMS alerts to customers when they do any activity with their accounts. This helps customers keep track of their account activity and detect fraud.

SMS-based customer service helps streamline communication with your customers. It also helps keep your relationship with them happy and strong.

Also Read: 10 Free SMS Templates For Excellent Customer Service Experience

3. The rise of mobile payments via SMS

Have you ever paid for something using SMS? Sounds almost fake, right? Well, it’s a reality in India. 

It’s a convenient and easy way to make payments without carrying cash or cards.

In India, SMS is helping make mobile payments a reality. This is accessible to even those without a smartphone or internet. 

The question is, how does it work?

You send an SMS to a designated phone number with the amount you want to pay and a unique code. 

The payment is then processed by your mobile provider and sent to the recipient. It could be a shopkeeper or even a restaurant. 

To simplify this even further, here is a real-life use case. Some customers in India now use SMS-based payment for their transactions. From their utility bills to buying milk, SMS-based payments have made it easy to pay now. 

You can also use this service to pay small vendors who do not accept digital payments.

What does this mean for your business?

Using SMS-based payment can increase your customer base significantly and promote financial inclusion.

It will empower you to cater to customers who don’t have online banking or a credit card.

Here are two real-life examples of SMS-based mobile payments:

• Paytm allows their users to make payments via SMS. Users can send an SMS with the amount they want to pay and a unique code to a designated phone number. The payment is then processed and charged to their Paytm account.
• The National Payments Corporation of India launched the *99# service. With this service, users can access banking services via SMS. Users can send an SMS with a designated code to access their bank account and pay their bills. 

Accepting SMS payments provides an accessible payment option for your customers. This will not only help you keep your customer loyalty high but will also boost your revenue.

4. The use of interactive messaging

Have you ever received an SMS from a company on WhatsApp asking for feedback? 

That’s interactive messaging in action. 

Businesses in India are using interactive messaging to provide: 

• Personalised recommendations
• Discounts and promotions 
• Collect feedback 

With interactive messaging, you can interact with your customers in a more fun way. 

Who doesn’t want that? 

Interactive messaging also helps you learn more about your customers. 

For example, a clothing store will use interactive messaging to send personalised recommendations based on your previous purchases. They could also offer discounts and get feedback from customers.

Interactive messaging also helps businesses improve just by implementing feedback. 

But wait, there’s more.  

Interactive messaging can also help with the following:

• Customer support
• Answering questions 
• Quicker resolutions 

All in all, interactive messaging can do a lot for your business. So, let’s check that out now. 

What does this mean for your business?

Interactive messaging can increase sales by sending personalised recommendations to your customers. 

What does that do? 

It helps you boost your sales, retention, and brand loyalty. 

Here are two real-time examples of interactive messaging:

• Zomato uses interactive messaging to send recommendations based on previous orders. They also offer discounts and collect feedback to improve their service.
• Amazon India uses interactive messaging to provide customer support via WhatsApp. Customers can send a message to receive instant help with their orders. 

Interactive messaging offers your customers a more personalised and engaging experience.

Also Read: Free Expert Advice: 6 Incredible Benefits of Bulk SMS For Your Business

5. Integration of SMS with other technologies

Have you ever received an SMS with a link to a mobile app or a website? 

That’s an example of SMS integration with other technologies. 

Businesses in India are adopting SMS integration at a rapid pace. They integrate SMS with AI to keep their customers engaged and happy. 

So, why are SMS integrations so important? 

With it, you can send their customers personalised content and real-time information. 

For example, you order food online, and that very instant, you receive a confirmation SMS. That SMS also contains a personalised link that will take you to an app with updates on your order. 

This SMS integration with your app keeps your customers informed about their orders. 

So, now, the customer’s tummy is full, and their customer satisfaction and loyalty are also high.

But that’s not all. 

With SMS integration, businesses can create interactive experiences such as: 

• Automated customer responses
• Personalised recommendations 
• Personalised promotions.

With SMS integration, businesses can offer customers a more personalised and fun experience. 

What does this mean for your business?

SMS integrations are a game-changer for your customer experience. By combining SMS with apps and AI, you are creating a seamless experience for your customers. 

Here are two real-life examples of SMS integrations:

• Swiggy uses SMS integration to keep its customers informed about their orders. They also send real-time updates on the preparation and delivery status via SMS. 
• Practo uses SMS integration with its chatbot to offer virtual consultations and reminders. This integration helps deliver a personalised and timely service to their customers. 

We know no one likes being basic anymore. So by using SMS integrations, you can offer a comprehensive service to your customers. This will keep your retention and loyalty super high.

This trend is here to stay, and if you’re not already doing it, it’s time to start exploring now.

Unlock the power of SMS with SMSCountry

There you have it. 

SMS has evolved into a powerful tool. It is no longer just a 160-character message. 

It’s a tool that can provide customer service, mobile payments, and interactive messaging. You can improve customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty with all this. 

So are you ready to try SMS? 

You must check out SMSCountry, India’s best SMS marketing platform. With SMSCountry, everything is possible and more. 
Get free credits and start using SMSCountry today. Or schedule a demo to see how SMS will benefit your business today.