Text messaging platform to simplify customer service

TalkTo enables users to text local businesses with questions, and ensures they receive a text response back.

Finding a company’s contact details in order to make an enquiry and receive a prompt response is an experience that frequently frustrates consumers. However, a start up in the US — TalkTo — aims to tackle this problem with a service that lets users text local businesses with their question, and ensures they receive a text response back. TalkTo was founded by Stuart Levinson and Riley Crane as a simple way for consumers to contact local businesses without having to trawl through websites, fill out online forms or waste time on hold. Users access the service via the web or mobile web, and enter which local company they’d like to ask a question, make reservations or book appointments with, or give feedback to. TalkTo then deliver that message, automatically selecting the best way to send it — for example through Twitter or email — regardless of whether the company is registered with them. If TalkTo don’t have the contact information for a particular company, their call centre will phone them on the customer’s behalf. In all cases the customer will receive the reply by text. The service is free for users and companies, and no customer data is shared with businesses. Companies are rewarded for quick response times with higher rankings in customer searches. Currently the service is only available in the US, with plans for optimal premium features to be introduced by subscription after the beta period, and launches for iPhone and Android also in the works. With the undeniable popularity of social media, instant or fast responses have come to be expected. Inspiration here for businesses to improve customer relations while saving save time otherwise spent managing various contact channels? Spotted by: Judy McRae