Two-way SMS communications

Are you connecting via your customers’ preferred channel?

Skip phone calls and emails and start texting.

Here’s why.

With an open rate almost five times that of email, Gartner states that “SMS remains an effective, yet underutilized, mobile tactic among marketing leaders.” And that’s not surprising. According to some sources, 98% of text messages are read—and 90% within the first three minutes. That makes SMS the most effective means of improving customer engagement by far. With every mobile phone able to send and receive SMS messages, no other messaging channel approaches SMS in its reach.

Text messaging allows businesses to share snippets of information and start meaningful conversations with individuals or groups. With 75% of consumers wanting to receive special offers and 64% asking for more communication via text,  SMS marketing is the optimal channel for brands to engage—especially with time-sensitive promotions.

Two-way SMS offers the ultimate personalized customer experience. As a direct message to a specific customer and either a real, live agent or well-trained bot on the other end, it’s easy to carry on text-based conversations using your customers’ preferred channel. Irrespective of your business’s size or the interaction’s complexity, customers prefer two-way SMS because they get an immediate response.

Include 2-way SMS in your omnichannel marketing strategy

With millennials (24 to 40 years old) overtaking baby boomers, holding much of the buying power (along with Generation Z  comprising those 18 to 23 years old), and preferring digital to human communication, using SMS marketing to reach them is essential for your survival. Used in conjunction with other channels, 2-way SMS can boost your marketing by simply speaking the native language of your customers and increasing:

  • Engagement: Reach your audience where they are—on their cell phones. With Gen Z on their smartphones an average of five hours or more each day—and with other generations not far behind—text messages deliver real-time alerts and messages with push notifications, nearly instant open rates, and rapid response times.
  • Intimacy: With personalization a critical differentiator in an impersonal world, 2-way SMS marketing positively impacts brand awareness, with retailers personalizing communications and recognizing special days with offers and promotions tailored to each customer.
  • Reach: Since it isn’t dependent on an internet connection, SMS is unique. It offers a far wider reach than channels built for the internet, even in remote areas or developing countries with limited infrastructure.

So if text message marketing hasn’t been on your radar and you’re fed up with receiving little response to email campaigns, it’s time to look at 2-way SMS.

Analyze campaign stats, refine your approach, and increase efficiencies

Text message marketing is also easy to track, allowing you to monitor your metrics and ensure the success of your campaigns. With up-to-date stats of messages sent, texts received, and overall contact counts, you’ll be able to analyze the data, see when engagement spikes, refine your approach, and increase your revenue and profits.

Unique versatility of SMS communications

Despite the vast number of messaging apps on the market—including Messenger, Signal, Skype, Telegram, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp—the versatility of SMS communications remains unparalleled. Anyone with a mobile phone can receive and send SMS messages without needing to install a messaging app, making it easy to engage in two-way communications with your target audience anywhere in the world—even with local numbers.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to nurture future generations of customers—today.

About SMSEagle

SMSEagle is a leading global brand of SMS gateway hardware. Designed for reliability and easy integration with existing systems, SMSEagle supports bi-directional SMS communications via your web browser, email system, or an API. It also converts email messages to SMS and offers the ability to send SMS alerts from network and security monitoring systems and SMS tokens from authentication systems.

Create the right solution for your operation

Your obstacles are unique, and the solutions for them should be too. The functions of SMSEagle allow businesses to incorporate SMS communications into their systems in a way that makes sense to them. To find out how SMSEagle will allow you to create the solution you need, get in touch with our team.

SMSEagle Supports Young Driving Talent

We are proud to continue sponsoring young driving talent along with our sales partner IT Awacs from the Czech Republic.
Drivers Vojtech and Jan have been competing on the go kart racing circuit for some time now, their passion for racing is something to admire. The young drivers have been developing their skills and looking ahead toward the future, looking for their next challenge.

They have found it in FIA Formula 4, also called FIA F4, is an open-wheel racing car category intended for junior drivers. There is no global championship, but rather individual nations or regions can host their own championships in compliance with a universal set of rules and specifications.

We wish the best for Vojtech and Jan in their racing endeavors and are delighted to play a small part in their development and success.

SMSEagle in DELL Lego Factory project

DELL Lego Factory project is a project developed by DELL Czech Republic together with ITAwacs (SMSEagle Sales Partner in Czech Republic). It is built from LEGO Technics with real technology for factory simulation of Industry 4.0. SMSEagle is used for SMS alerting purposes when factory failures are detected.

The project is being used in DELL showcases in Czech Republic. It was already seen in DELL Technology Forum, International Engineering Fair.

 

Are you on a mission? We’d like to help!

There are heroes who make Real Work happen while battling to eradicate hunger and poverty, helping children finish school, rescuing animals, preserving jungles. Maybe they are educating and preparing new generations for achievements that will change the world? Or caring for patients in hospitals and other healthcare facilities?

A proven means of communication could make a big impact on what you’re trying to achieve and we’d like to help!

Nonprofit Discount
SMSEagle offers now offers a 10% discount to nonprofits and charities that we verify.

Who can apply?
In general, organizations are eligible to receive a nonprofit discount if they are a nongovernmental organization recognized as a nonprofit or charitable entity. Public and nonprofit-private educational institutions are also eligible to receive the nonprofit discount.

How to apply?
Send us an email with a link to a page on your website describing your nongovernmental, nonprofit status. If it’s not extremely obvious on your website that you’re a nonprofit, we may require you to email us additional proof of your nonprofit status. We accept any official documentation that supports your nonprofit status. For example, US customers can submit a 501(c)(3) document, while UK customers can submit their registered charity number.

*Orders have to be placed directly at our online store and do not combine with other discounts.*

New 8 modem MHD-8100 line devices

The MHD-8100 product line comes from the many inquiries that we receive from our clients about their need for a higher throughput device. The device runs on the same software as the NXS line devices making it very reliable. As opposed to the NXS line devices, it has 8 modems which allow to send up to 240 SMS/min.
The device is also equipped with a LCD display for easy signal monitoring, list of IP addresses of network interfaces and more.

  • Incoming transmission rate: up to 240 SMS/min
  • Outgoing transmission rate: up to 240 SMS/min
  • Processor type: Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU N3350
  • RAM type: 2GB LPDDR4
  • Internal storage: 32GB eMMC storage
  • Network interface: 2x Ethernet 10/100/1000 TX (2xRJ45)
  • Other interfaces: LCD Display, 1x HDMI+DP, 2x USB 3.0

You can check the full device specifications as well as purchase these products at the pages below.

The MHD line devices have already proven to be unmatched in quality, performance and dependability. If you’re looking for a high throughput hardware with continually updated software, SMSEagle has you covered.

SMSEagle is a Certified Nature Friendly Company

We at SMSEagle are happy to do our part in reducing environmental risks posed by waste electrical and electronic equipment and the ways of minimizing these hazards. More importantly, we find it paramount to set a good example so that others will do the same.

“We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our offspring. Let us care about it, together.”– Antoine Marie Roger de Saint-Exupéry.

In the Report – World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) of 1987 it is written-…
“…balanced development is the development, where the needs of the present generation may be met without depraving future generations of the same choice.”

From that time on the balanced development has become the target in all areas of human activity. The idea of “corporate social responsibility” should be understood as such activities undertaken by entrepreneurs, which lead to a balanced development in particular sectors and branches of economy.

Although the “balanced development” has a much broader range of reference than economic activity, the sign “Nature Friendly Company” is the evidence that entrepreneurs and companies, which launch electric and electronic equipment into the Polish market, believe in values, which are a part of the vision of the balanced development.

 

SMSEagle NXS-9700-4G & NXS-9750-4G Receives Verizon Certification

Poznań, Poland, November 13th, 2019 – SMSEagle, the leading manufacturer of hardware SMS gateways, today announced that Verizon has officially certified NXS-9700-4G device.
Customers can now use Verizon networks and SMS plans.

“Verizon Wireless is the second largest U.S. wireless communications service provider, that’s why it’s important that SMSEagle users can take advantage of their offer to get the coverage they need,” says Radosław Janowski, CEO of SMSEagle.

(Update)
December 16th, 2019 – Verizon has also officially certified NXS-9750-4G device.

About SMSEagle

SMSEagle is a professional hardware SMS gateway for sending and receiving SMS messages. The device is designed with focus on reliability and stability. It has a Linux on-board, modern responsive web-interface, database backend, and built-in GSM/3G/4G modem. SMS messages are sent/received directly to/from cellular network without using any external 3rd party solutions. SMSEagle has a built-in SQL database for secure storage of messages. Built-in SNMP agent allows to constantly monitor performance of the SMSEagle. The device has a range of built-in plugins that enable additional functionalities and easy to use HTTP API for integration with external applications.

Network Security: Shadow IT Risk and Prevention

Contrary to many opinions discovered online, shadow IT (a.k.a. rogue or stealth IT) is not down to the IT team saying no or refusing to provide required productivity tools necessary for a specific job role. In truth, it is often down to restrictive budgets and senior management decisions on same. Speaking as an IT pro, we do not care what software users need and would happily supply it if the budget is available and the software need is indicated. WE are not responsible for users installing unauthorised software, using unapproved cloud services or adding their own hardware such as memory sticks and external drives to company systems. BUT, as always, we are expected to assume the responsibility and the blame for such practices.

What are the risks of Shadow IT? How can they be reduced?

As Przemysław Jarmużek, systems administrator & support expert at SMSEagle was quick to point out: “The level of risk will depend on the type of Shadow IT and the motives of the user involved” with common dangers including but not limited to the following:

BYOD

The rise of BYOD in the workplace has tied IT’s hands in cases where IT do not have control of the device. Device owners are free to install whatever they wish on their own device and rightly so. In an ideal world, the device would use mobile device management (MDM) to segregate work and personal use by using a virtual partition. This work ‘partition’ could be managed remotely and the partition could be erased or deleted if the device is lost or stolen or if the employee leaves the company.

Consumerisation of Software

Anyone with a credit card can purchase a cloud service or online subscription to a wide array of software and collaboration tools. Many are free and only need an internet browser to access. This is an obvious problem when trying to control the flow of company data, making it almost impossible to track the impact of a data breach. These unauthorised activities could also have an impact on compliance requirements, especially in relation to data protection and requirements for storage of personally identifiable information (PII). The risk of intellectual property loss also increases if third party service providers are breached by hackers.

Licensing

Users installing licensed software from home is also a danger. Note that this activity is sometime used by malicious employees seeking financial gain. They install illegal software on company systems and then send a ‘tip’ to organisations responsible for copyright theft to obtain a percentage of the high financial penalties levied. This point is demonstrated accurately in a TechCrunch article: Software piracy claims can ruin your business and reward those responsible. An old article but all the points raised are still valid today.

Productivity Aims

Many users install or use unauthorised software and tools to improve productivity and lack any malicious intent. They are just unaware of the possible dangers of installing freeware and paid solutions that are not approved or monitored by IT.

Preventing Shadow IT

Radosław Janowski, product manager at SMSEagle said that “IT cannot be expected to have psychic powers and each department head should provide a list of software and tools that they need to fulfil their roles in a productive manner. This will allow IT to supply it and eliminate the requirement for Shadow IT.”

An excellent point. Tell the IT team that you can’t do your job effectively without software X and tool Y. We will listen and respond with updates.

In fact, there are several ways to reduce shadow IT while enforcing the fact that IT are responsible for security on company equipment and on BYOD devices when the owner has signed an agreement allowing remote administration.

  • Admin Access – There is no reason for users outside the IT team to have the ability to install programs. Any and all programs should be installed and managed by IT.
  • Network Inventory Management – IT will regularly monitor hardware and software assets on the network, automatically detecting any additions and reacting accordingly based on potential risk. There are many tools available to accomplish this task and some will aid security patch and update management.
  • Network and port monitoring – to prevent access to unauthorised cloud services.
  • IT will provide a software repository for all approved software and tools. If additions are required by a user or department, it is formally requested.
  • IT will foster an environment of security awareness to include the potential dangers of Shadow IT and ensure that there is an onboarding process for new employees.

However, without senior management support, none of the above will work. Available budgets and claims of IT interfering in all departments no longer hold weight as IT is needed in all departments. IT are responsible for security and if identified security risks are not acted on, then future problems that result from inactivity cannot be blamed on IT. When you consider that a recent Forbes Insights report finds that more than one in five organizations have experienced a cyber event due to an unsanctioned IT resource, is it worth checking if shadow IT is a potential risk in your business? I think so.

SMSEagle at Open Source Data Center Conference 2019

We are happy to announce that SMSEagle is a proud sponsor of Open Source Data Center Conference (OSDC) 2019! The OSDC takes place May 14 – 15, 2019 in Berlin.

The Open Source Data Center Conference 2019 focuses on innovative strategies, forward-thinking developments and new perspectives in dealing with complex data centers. This year’s agenda includes some of the most important representatives of the international Open Source scene.

The program includes inspiring speakers and interesting topics such as:

Nikhil Kathole | Red Hat | Simplifying your IT Workflow with Katello and Foreman
Kosisochukwu Anyanwu | Kinvolk | Virtualisation in Docker, using KVM as Hypervisor
Dan Barker | RSA Security | 5 Steps to a DevOps Transformation
Thierry De Pauw | ThinkingLabs | Feature Branching considered evil
Matt Jarvis | Mesosphere | Introducing Maestro – Kubernetes Operators the easy way

The whole program is available at osdc.de/agenda.

The aim of the event is to present state-of-the-art solutions and pioneering concepts for developers, decision-makers, administrators and IT managers who work with complex IT infrastructures. OSDC attracts more than 150 open source enthusiasts to Berlin every year. Speakers and participants take the opportunity to inform themselves about the latest developments and jointly launch new IT projects. An evening event offers the ideal setting for informal exchange.

More at osdc.de.

Pomagasz innym? My chcemy Ci pomóc!

Darzymy wielkim szacunkiem ludzi, którzy codziennie poświęcają swój czas i energię na to, aby świat w którym żyjemy stawał się lepszym miejscem. Czy to pomagając ludziom doświadczonym przez choroby, głód i biedę, czy też kształcąc nowe pokolenia, które zmienią świat, a może ratując zagrożone gatunki zwierząt.

Rabat dla organizacji non-profit
SMSEagle oferuje 10% zniżki dla zweryfikowanych organizacji non-profit oraz organizacji charytatywnych.

Kto może ubiegać się o zniżkę?
Organizacja kwalifikuje się do otrzymania zniżki non-profit, jeśli jest organizacją pozarządową o charakterze non-profit lub charytatywnym. Publiczna oraz niekomercyjna prywatna instytucja edukacyjna również kwalifikuje się do otrzymania zniżki non-profit.

Jak złożyć wniosek?
Prześlij do nas wiadomość email z linkiem do Twojej strony internetowej, opisującej status pozarządowej organizacji non-profit. Jeśli informacje na stronie nie są jednoznaczne, możemy poprosić o przesłanie nam dodatkowego dowodu potwierdzającego twój status organizacji non-profit. Akceptujemy każdą oficjalną dokumentację, potwierdzającą status organizacji non-profit. Na przykład klienci z USA mogą przesłać dokument 501 (c) (3), podczas gdy klienci z Wielkiej Brytanii mogą przesłać swój zarejestrowany numer organizacji charytatywnej.