Today, reaching out to customers on every available platform isn’t enough. When it comes to text messages in particular, it’s important to distinguish yourself from the deluge of other messages they receive. 

Chances are, your customers’ inboxes are already filled with both legitimate text blasts and scams or spam messages. These days, businesses who use SMS to keep in touch with their customer base must be able to craft and brand their SMS messages well in order to assure receivers that the messages are legitimate一otherwise, their message might be left unseen (or worse, in the trash). 

Customer behavior is changing, and it applies to the simple act of sending and receiving SMS messages. Here are a few reminders on how to maximize this powerful and accessible platform in order to better and more authentically engage with your customers.

Let customers know who you are. The last thing you would want is to be tagged as spam or scam. Let them know who’s texting them right away by having a customizable sender ID. Not only does it assure recipients of the legitimacy of the messages they’re getting, but it also adds to your brand recall. Make yourself known right away so they would know that it’s from a credible sender. 

No texting before six and after eight. Don’t text customers before 6 in the morning when they are most likely a few hours away from getting up from bed or are busy preparing for the day. Sending a message past 8 in the evening might also bump your message off their radar as they’ll be too busy doing chores, or are looking forward to relaxing. However, when it comes to time-sensitive messages, you don’t want them to miss out on important dates and limited-time promos. Send those messages at around 10 in the morning so there is time to make decisions during the day, and not when the details are already stale. You have better chances of producing repeat purchasers if you get the perfect flow when it comes to text blasting.

SMS is not extinct. SMS messages can also be a gateway to your other communication channels. Far from being extinct and outdated, text messaging continues to be one of the most accessible and reliable forms of keeping touch with your customers, which is why each message must be crafted well and purposefully. If you’re going to include a link in your text message, make it count. Providing more ways to get in touch with you will make your message bear more weight especially for customers whose interest is already piqued but would like to know more.

Customer feedback is a gift. The opportunity to provide feedback is a gift best given when it’s well-wrapped. As opposed to one-way messages that feel robotic and cold, having the option to collect customer stories and provide real-time virtual assistance gives your business the edge it needs to retain the connections you’ve worked so hard for. Letting them know that you want to improve and serve them better lets them know that you’re willing to go the extra mile to keep your customers happy.

While this all sounds rewarding, planning and implementing it is manually tedious. Luckily, there are digital solutions that help business owners maximize the platform with ease and flexibility. Globe Business M360 helps business owners solve the most common challenges to SMS blasting by providing a multi-channel messaging platform that ensures all areas mentioned above are covered. With bespoke and thoughtful features, it helps business owners optimize, automate, and enhance their text messages according to their needs. 

Ready to get a head start on your SMS marketing with Globe Business M360? Visit our website to know more.

Virtualized communication isn’t anything new, but with the changes we’ve been experiencing, industries across the Philippines and the world saw not just a rise in usage but also heightened appreciation over softwares and apps that allowed people to reach one another regardless of where they are. This pushed companies to invest bigger and wiser in terms of the technologies they install in their workspaces to maximize employee productivity and business success. 

The Philippine Computer Society (PCS), the longest existing professional association of computing and information technology professionals in the country, recognized this need right away. Partnering with Globe Business in 2020, PCS has been able to benefit from utilizing the video communications program, Zoom, as a means to communicate with its members anytime anywhere online. 

Shifting From Physical to Online Events With Zoom 

“Globe Business and Zoom came to PCS at a challenging time,” said Mr. Titus Manuel, Board of Trustee In-Charge of PCS. “Our traditional bread and butter of live events for members and partners came to a sudden halt. COVID-19 and lockdowns disrupted our business operations, with no public meetings and people working from home. Globe Business and Zoom gave us an opportunity.” 

Empowered by Globe Business, PCS utilizes Zoom Cloud Meetings, which offers free and professional plans to any company. With the free plan, 100 concurrent participants are allowed 40-minute video conferences. The pro account (an add-on feature), which PCS has been sponsored with, can hold up to 500 participants with unlimited time duration. 

Digitization Paving The Way to New Normal Conferences 

“With the sponsorship and technical assistance, PCS-V was born. V for Virtual, our new platform,” added Mr. Manuel. “It worked like magic. Not only did it put us back in business, but it also made our long-time dream of nationwide meetings possible, even reaching outside the country with attendees from the Middle East, Australia, and USA.” 

Aside from global meetings, town hall forums, and team huddles, PCS has indeed maximized their partnership with Globe Business. Over the past year, they have also been able to invite their members to take part in online learning sessions, such as in Tech Advancement and Data Privacy, and programs such as Virtual Tech Talks, where Mr. Bradley Pineda, Finance Industry Manager of Globe Business MSME Group, co-presented an Executive Briefing on Information Security. 

Globe Business is Your Partner – Not Just a Solutions Provider 

“At the time we needed someone, Globe Business was there. It did not only provide us with Zoom accounts but also with technical speakers that added value to our programs,” Mr. Manuel said. “Today we are venturing into Professional Certification for Information Security, Non-Technical Skills for IT Professional (EQinIT), all with some form of technical and marketing assistance from Globe Business.” 

Online communication across organizations and locations has never been this easy. With Globe Business, companies and businesses no longer need to look far for dependable ways to do such. With the features of Zoom Pro, they can enjoy seamless virtual meetings, events, and programs, surpassing geographical boundaries in this pandemic. Strengthening organizations by connecting people is not only made more possible, but also more fruitful.

Save up to Php 15,000 per month with our new Direct Internet and Zoom bundle! Visit this link to enjoy uninterrupted virtual meetings for you and your team. 

Investing in digital solutions may seem like a daunting step due to the perceived complexity and steep costs of integrating it into business operations. However, Globe Business, in partnership with the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), assures micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that there are affordable solutions that can boost and protect their business especially during challenging times. 

Along with other expert panelists from the ICT industry, Globe Business participated at the recently held PSIA Fireside Chat on “Digital Transformation for SMEs” to provide an in-depth look at how digital solutions play a role in addressing operational, marketing, and security challenges brought about by the pandemic and in creating business growth and efficient systems for MSMEs in the Philippines. 

“We are committed to help MSMEs realize the value of investing in new technology or digital tools: how it allows them to reach new customers, increase engagement with existing clients, and facilitate collaboration among their staff and employees while streamlining operations, leading to overall business growth and optimistic performance,” said Anne David, Marketing Acquisition Head, Globe Business MSME Group.

Key tech trends that are driving business growth and resiliency today

During the virtual learning session, the different ICT experts identified some of the key challenges MSMEs face today such as declining customer engagement, limited financial service accessibility, outdated operational processes, and cybersecurity threats, to name a few—which continue to hamper their growth and success. However, they were quick to point out that these issues can now easily be addressed with the rise of digital technology shaping the world today. 

1. Digitizing operations to improve customer engagement 

According to Jowie Alcala, Business Development Manager for Rhipe PH, one of the leading cloud solutions distributors locally, “digital automation is imperative for businesses to grow because this allows us to allocate the time that was used for answering customer inquiries to strategizing and developing plans for the business.” 

Caloy Ang from Suds Premier Franchising Corp. echoed, “businesses that survived [the pandemic] were the ones who were able to provide excellent customer experiences through digital channels. It is important that we are able to quickly respond to customers’ inquiries especially when they need us most.” 

Globe Business, through its affiliate Globe Labs, offers various API solutions to facilitate faster communication and increase engagement between businesses and customers. Some of the solutions include the SMS API, Voice API, and Sponsored Access API.

2. Encouraging cashless transactions for safer and convenient money disbursement

MSMEs were faced with the challenge of working around social distancing measures enacted by the government. To cope with the ever-changing mandates, businesses turned to online digital payment to sustain operational efficiency.

Through GCash’s Powerpay Plus Platform, companies can transition from tedious manual payroll systems to enjoying a fast, secure, and easily accessible digital payroll solution for salaries, allowances, incentives, and more. On top of that, customers can also conveniently transact with MSMEs through GCash. 

In fact, one of the panelists pointed out that their most utilized mode of payment is GCash because of its convenience. Their customers pay them through the app and they transfer the money into their bank account, giving them the flexibility to access their money anytime and anywhere. 

3. Fostering a collaborative remote work setting through the Cloud and digital tools

As remote work continues to be the norm, it is imperative for organizations to foster an environment where employees can continue to collaborate and see-through projects together even while apart. This is made easier and more efficient with Globe Cloud Solutions, allowing enterprises to quickly adapt to shifting workflows because processes remain the same, files and services continue to be accessible, and resources are intact despite weather or mechanical interruptions. 

MSMEs can also utilize cloud-based productivity solutions, some of which you may check out here. These applications store information and run servers on the cloud so users can access them anytime without installing them in their machines

4. Safeguarding the company from cyber threats 

Now that everything’s becoming more digital, it is more important now than ever for companies to stay vigilant and proactively protect their business and customer data from any vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks can easily be triggered these days by innocently clicking on spam emails from unsecure or public networks, compromising confidential data and important company information in a snap.

Partnered with the best global cybersecurity providers, Globe Business offers a holistic suite of cybersecurity solutions and services that help enterprises identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover from cyber threats to avoid severe damages to the income and reputation of the business.

“Technology should be an organization’s best friend especially during this point in time. By investing in digital solutions, businesses can reach more customers while saving on cost and keep the operations running regardless of what will happen,” said David.

To learn more about the exciting products and services Globe Business offers, sign up at https://go.mybusinessacademy.ph/ICTMonthOffers-PSIAArticle.

Today’s evolving business environment challenges companies to adapt and pivot on a dime, using technology. Any company that wants to thrive needs the agility and speed to do so, as well as the powerful connectivity and digital tools to enable the shift.   

Recently, Globe myBusiness collaborated with the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), a longtime partner and local technology industry driver, to share with the organization’s membership a broader understanding of the role technology plays in business success. 

At the PSIA’s 4^th Town Hall Meeting themed “Food, Clothing, Shelter, Connectivity: The New Basic Needs,” Globe myBusiness led discussions on the importance of connectivity that would help MSMEs transform their operations into functioning digital businesses, an especially crucial transition now that COVID-19 lockdowns have shuttered some companies and severely hampered others’ ability to still operate.

“The ability to respond to change is key to success these days, and that success is made possible thru digital transformation. Now is the time to understand how technology keeps your business agile and ready for anything,” said Marvin Montes, Director-Sales Head of Globe myBusiness, in his keynote message.  

Pandemic underlines the vital role connectivity plays in businesses

During the onset of the pandemic, a majority of SMEs were forced to navigate “unfamiliar territory” as businesses shifted online. Businesses had to pivot from traditional ways of doing things, as accelerated digitalization and an increased consumer demand for online services forced them to accelerate their own digital transformation efforts.  

The increased demand from businesses for internet services and digital tools has made it abundantly clear that connectivity plays an essential role in ensuring continuous operations for almost any business today.

Future-proofing businesses using digital tools

At the event, Montes explained that aside from having good connectivity, organizations must also leverage digital tools in order to create a robust business continuity plan (BCP). A BCP will allow the business to respond to incidents immediately and mitigate any further disruptions to operations. Having a BCP also allows businesses to minimize financial loss; and to maintain critical functions and services at an acceptable level for customers and stakeholders.

“Digital tools are a powerful means to ensure the continuity of business operations. From various communication channels such as e-mail and messaging apps, video conferencing, and cloud solutions—these tools are driving more seamless collaboration between business owners, partners, and employees despite today’s current limitations,” added Montes.

Leveraging digital technology helps businesses plan for and mitigate crises and, when they do occur, help streamline operations and improve crisis response.

With its expansive ICT portfolio, Globe myBusiness has been a steady partner of IT businesses and MSMEs in their journey to digital transformation, helping them put up solid IT infrastructure that enables seamless operations and enriches customer service. 

“As a leading telco in the Philippines, Globe is actively driving digital transformation in the country, and so Globe myBusiness is the perfect partner to help MSMEs learn how to use technology to thrive in our new business environment.” confirms Jonathan De Luzuriaga, PSIA President.

Businesses looking to jumpstart their recovery can tap Globe myBusiness to help address their pain points and select the connectivity and business continuity solutions appropriate for them. To know more about the internet and data solutions offered by Globe myBusiness, visit https://go.mybusinessacademy.ph/ICTMonthOffers-PSIAArticle.

To become a member of PSIA and get access to various industry initiatives, visit https://www.psia.org.ph/ https://www.facebook.com/PSIAorg. #

With the extended lockdown,  more businesses realize that going digital is a must to survive and thrive. For entrepreneurs who want to revamp their business but are intimidated by complicated jargon and too many options, Globe myBusiness Academy (GmBA) introduces ‘solu-Shawn’, a go-to digital coach who can guide them on their journey.

Shawn’  is an online guide who can help business owners understand the many technology options open to them, to help them run their operations more smoothly.  In his video series “Solutions from Shawn”,  he explains different ICT tools and solutions in a simple and straightforward way.

“We want to break the barrier that prevents MSMEs from enhancing their business operations. ‘Solutions from Shawn’ is our way to equip entrepreneurs with the understanding of how they can maximize these tools to support their daily business activities,” said Globe myBusiness Strategy and Marketing Head Maridol Ylanan.

For its debut video, Shawn explains in three minutes the Application Programming Interface (API) solution —or simply put, a software that allows communication between two applications to make businesses run more smoothly. 

API’s in fact solve various business day to day operational issues.  School administrators who struggle to stay connected with parents, students, and staff or BPO firms that don’t have enough agents to field calls, may find APIs useful in solving various business operational problems. How? Shawn teaches us that APIs will let schools send messages in bulk to families and faculty,  and enable BPOs to respond to concerns of multiple customers all at once.

Shawn’s upcoming videos include Cloud Payroll, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Solutions will clearly explain how each solution can be useful across various scenarios in different industries.  The video series will be a boon to business owners who want to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven economy.  

About Globe myBusiness Academy

Globe myBusiness Academy provides its members access to insights, tips, and exclusive online videos that empower entrepreneurs. It is an online learning site designed to provide business owners and decision makers with easy access to articles and insights from industry experts.

To learn more about Globe myBusiness Academy and ICT Solutions videos from Shawn, visit Solutions from Shawn by Globe myBusiness | Globe myBusiness Academy.

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Before the pandemic, visits to the doctor entailed filling out forms, getting tests done, and waiting patiently in line before your name was called. Fast forward to today, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an obvious change in healthcare. With health seekers still wary about heading to hospitals to get a consultation and care from their primary providers, telemedicine technology is being adopted by healthcare industries around the world for cost-effective, convenient, and risk-free access to care. 

Addressing Challenges Faced by Healthcare Institutions (HCIs) Today

The adoption of telehealth technology has certainly been an effective and convenient means of providing care during the pandemic. It will likely continue to be utilized even after the situation returns to normal. Moreover, the adoption of telehealth has helped in addressing some of the challenges faced by HCIs today.

1. Scarce resources

Admittedly, the Philippines does not have an equal allocation of resources in healthcare. There is a huge and obvious unequal distribution of critical care devices, drugs, and even healthcare personnel across the country, especially in public hospitals. The use of telehealth minimizes the need for an in-person visit to a doctor’s clinic for minor concerns and, instead, pushes health seekers to get consultation via the phone. In a way, resources are saved and allocated towards patients that warrant more attention and care. 

2. Inequitable access to health information and care

Not everyone has access to information and care that they need, and with the pandemic, consumers are pushed to adopt traditional healthcare rather than get help from medical professionals. With telehealth technology, information about one’s condition is now just an application, call, or text away. 

From New Normal to Next Future: Trends in Remote Care and Telehealth 

Due to the pandemic, healthcare providers are realizing that patient care can be done virtually, whether through a video conference or a voice call. Telehealth greatly reduces the need for face-to-face consultation, especially in today’s contactless environment. 

“Major efforts are really towards the direction of telehealth to minimize physical contact,” shared Dr. Saturnino Javier, Director of Makati Medical Center, in a virtual forum organized by BusinessWorld and Philippine Star. 

“Even during the height of the pandemic we have encouraged many of our practitioners to embrace teleconsultation or telemedicine to be able to connect with the patients who have no opportunity to visit them in the hospital,” added Dr. Javier.

In fact, a few hospitals in Manila have already explored the use of telehealth in place of physical consultations. These include a few prominent hospitals such as the Medical City, Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Providence Hospital, and Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Inclination Towards Virtual Care

According to a recent survey, 91% of the respondents are more likely to set an appointment virtually with a healthcare provider than schedule an in-person appointment. It is validated by reports that predict virtual care is likely to soar to more than a billion for 2021 alone. 

Virtual care is quite easy to adopt not only because it greatly minimizes the risk of acquiring COVID, but because the technology needed for it is simple. Consumers need only a smartphone, a desktop computer, or a laptop. In some cases, a regular mobile phone will do as patients can get a consultation with their doctor via call or text. 

Other than the ease of use, telemedicine offers more flexibility for healthcare providers and consumers. Patients who live in far-flung areas or don’t have the means to travel to a hospital far from their area can simply utilize virtual care. Healthcare practitioners can also adjust their schedules for after-hour calls or weekend consultations. 

Telemedicine Version 2.0

The pandemic accelerated the use of telehealth from three to five years in just three months. Moreover, the pandemic has proved that the implementation of telemedicine can be done in just a short period of time with the technology already used today. Telemedicine technology has for certain improved and enhanced the delivery of healthcare by making it easily accessible to all. 

Virtual care is pushing more consumers to get health information, schedule an appointment, or receive diagnosis and treatment online. Overtime, remote monitoring technology will also be used for active and passive consumers in the healthcare industry. In conclusion, customers just want timely and safe access to health information, which virtual care technology can provide.

With the rollout of 5G networks as well, the adoption of telehealth will further be accelerated. Make sure you’re prepared for this move by acquiring digital solutions made for telehealth and remote care from Globe myBusiness. 

Learn more on how you can apply telehealth to your medical practice by talking to a Globe myBusiness representative. Sign up now!

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Answer the questions you have when it comes to setting up an e-commerce platform, relaying the latest Supply Chain trends, and sharing any and all tools that might be needed in order to run a business online.

If you missed the session, watch the full recap here.

Featured Speakers:

Nicola Ebrada
Industry Manager (Globe myBusiness)

Love Magdoza
Business Development Manager (Globe myBusiness)

Patricza Isabel Maala
Business Loan Advisor (BPI Business Bank)

HELPFUL PRODUCT INFORMATION

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Post-COVID scenarios and discussions vary for businesses across different regions. Nonetheless, MSMEs remain to be the lifeblood of the country’s economy, and no matter how different the local, customer, and resource realities are, businesses should continue to be adaptive. It’s crucial to learn how to future-proof your business, knowing the right ways to pivot and incorporating digitization strategies to bridge the gap.
 
Globe myBusiness Academy invites you, VisMin MSMEs to CONNECT: An Online Business Matching event to connect you to investors, enablers, suppliers, and even potential customers!
 
As entrepreneurs, despite having different conditions factored into your day-to-day operations, no one has the perfect formula for navigating the current landscape during these challenging times. It’s crucial to invest in the right resources with concrete next steps to move forward not only to survive but to thrive.
 
Globe myBusinessAcademy’s Connect is a business-matching event to help MSMEs recover. Together with partners from different industries, CONNECT is a platform to establish connections and create networking opportunities that will help MSMEs bridge the gap between idea and action.
 
By design, Globe myBusiness Academy’s CONNECT will provide key insights from industry experts in terms of the standards that every business should take into consideration. Success stories of MSMEs who have gone through this journey would also be shared. 
 
Check out our lined up program below:

The business matching segment of the program will connect you to the right resource speakers and groups based on your businesses’ profiles. Get a chance to learn more about the right tools and must-haves that will help your business adapt and bounce back across the supply chain!

Join us on September 1, 3:30 PM and CONNECT with us!
Click here to Register: bit.ly/GmBACONNECTxVISMIN!

In every post-COVID discussion for small businesses, we’re sure you’ve heard it all: Digitizing, pivoting, and future-proofing your business are essential. The question is: how do you actually digitize, pivot, and future-proof? Who can you approach to answer all your unanswered questions – and actually bridge the gap between bouncing back in theory, and doing it?

Globe myBusiness Academy invites you to CONNECT: An Online Business Matching event to connect you to investors, enablers, suppliers, and even potential customers!

As entrepreneurs, we are struggling to navigate during these challenging times. It’s crucial to invest in the right resources with a concrete fool-proof way forward not only to survive but to thrive.

Globe myBusiness Academy’s Connect is a business-matching event to help MSMEs recover. Together with partners from different industries, CONNECT is a platform to establish connections and create networking opportunities that will help MSMEs bridge the gap between idea and action.

By design, Globe myBusiness Academy’s CONNECT will provide key insights from industry leaders in terms of the standards that every business should take into consideration. Check out our lined up program below:

The business matching segment of the program will connect you to the right resource speakers and groups based on your businesses’ profiles. Get a chance to learn more about the right tools and must-haves that will help your business adapt and bounce back across the supply chain!

Join us on July 15, 2020, 3:30 PM and CONNECT with us!
Click here to Register: bit.ly/GmBACONNECT!