Customer Story
IdeaTek uses SMS to connect Kansas communities and expand internet access
Learn how IdeaTek expanded internet service to 89 rural cities by using SMS for outreach.
Customer Story
Challenge: Needed a way to quickly reach new customers
Solution: IdeaTek adopted Sinch Engage SMS for customer communications
Results: 89 cities served in Kansas with the help of SMS.
“Moving over to Zoho and having the integration with Sinch Engage has really helped us make sure that we’re able to talk to those customers through that platform. Plus, the team was very, very good about helping us figure out what we needed and getting everything setup for us.“
IdeaTek is a Kansas-based internet service provider with a mission: expanding broadband internet access to rural areas of the state. It’s a worthy—and huge—goal, considering that1 million Kansans are living in regions without reliable internet service.
To expand their services to underserved rural areas, IdeaTek needed to reach potential customers in these areas—before the larger telecoms did. Separately, they needed a way to track automated text messages to existing customers and interact with message replies, to make sure their hard-won customers stayed happy and on board.
IdeaTek was no stranger to SMS—in fact, the company had once sold SMS services to businesses so they knew what to look for. Sinch Engage’s SMS for Zoho CRM solved IdeaTek’s awareness and communication issues, allowing the company to easily reach out to residents across multiple touchpoints.
To drum up business, IdeaTek sends personalized messages with updates on new locations for available service, while also promoting their local customer service and lack of contracts. For current customers, IdeaTek uses SMS for upcoming service call reminders and to troubleshoot issues. And because of the Zoho integration, it’s easy for the team to keep track of everything from one spot. The addition of the Sinch Engage Zoho integration has allowed for 89 cities to be reached with the help of SMS.
IdeaTek has even integrated SMS into their Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system, texting callers a link to take certain actions, like paying their bill instead of waiting to talk toa representative. This allows for more visibility into those texts and a cut down on incoming phone calls for service.
In part because of their partnership with Sinch Engage, IdeaTek is making huge strides toward its ultimate goal: Bringing internet freedom to rural Kansas.
The SMS reminders have improved customer engagement and streamlined support, winning fans among customers and the sales reps. In fact, IdeaTek was so happy with Sinch Engage, they’ve converted all the company’s legacy SMS customers over to Sinch Engage.
IdeaTek plans to keep working with Sinch Engage SMS for Zoho CRM and plans to start using it to send follow-up messages to email recipients, for even greater customer nurturing and engagement. As of now IdeaTek has 5 use cases for Sinch Engage with more planned to support expanding internet access in the state.
