Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, why it matters for marketers and businesses, and how to make sure your messages still get noticed. 

What’s Changing in iOS 26 

Apple is introducing new inbox rules that determine how messages are organised inside the Messages app. 

A new “Unknown Senders” inbox 

With iOS 26, messages from numbers not saved in a user’s contacts can automatically go to an “Unknown Senders” folder. 

Messages that land here: 

• Won’t trigger sounds, vibrations, or lock-screen notifications 

• Will appear in a separate tab instead of the main inbox 

• May still show a small unread badge, but without alerts 

While this feature isn’t always enabled by default, Apple is expected to roll it out more broadly across regions.

How Apple classifies a “Known” vs “Unknown” sender 

Apple’s filtering logic looks at several factors when deciding where a message should go. A sender is considered “known” if: 

• The number is saved in the user’s contacts 

• The user has started the conversation 

• The user has replied several times to previous messages (3-message rule)  

• The user manually marks the sender as known 

If none of these apply, your messages could be treated as coming from an unknown sender — even if you have full opt-in consent and send legitimate business messages. 

Time-sensitive messages are an exception 

Messages that Apple detects as time-sensitive, like appointment reminders, one-time passwords (OTPs), delivery notifications, or emergency alerts can temporarily bypass the “Unknown Senders” folder. 

These messages may appear in the main inbox for a limited time (usually between one and eight hours) before being moved if the sender remains “unknown”. 

That means urgent service alerts (like this example above) may still reach customers promptly, but promotional or informational campaigns might not. 
 

Apple’s RCS Support 

With iOS 26, Apple is also rolling out RCS (Rich Communication Services) support, enabling richer, more interactive messaging between iPhones and Android devices. 

However, it’s important to note: 

• RCS messages don’t automatically bypass the new filtering logic. 

• Even branded or verified RCS business messages must still meet the “known sender” criteria to appear in the main inbox. 

• RCS for Business is not available globally on iOS, only in certain countries, including the US & UK.  

RCS enhances customer experience but doesn’t replace the need for smart message strategy. 

Why this matters for business text messaging  

If you rely on SMS or RCS to connect with your customers, iOS 26 could impact engagement and visibility if you don’t adapt to these new changes.

Potential impact: 

• Reduced visibility: Your messages might skip the main inbox if customers haven’t saved your number. 

• Lower engagement: Fewer notifications mean fewer eyes on your content. 

• Opt-in challenges: Flows where the business sends the first message may trigger the “unknown” classification. 

As always, it’s about making sure your messages reach the right place and that your customer recognise and trust your brand. 

How to prepare your SMS strategy 

Here are five practical steps to help your business stay ahead of iOS 26: 

1. Review your opt-in flows 

If your campaign sends the first message (“Reply YES to subscribe”), your number may be treated as unknown. 

Encourage customers to text you first, or follow up quickly to confirm and engage. 

2. Encourage early engagement 

Ask subscribers to reply, save your number, or confirm receipt early on. Two-way communication helps classify your number as known. 

3. Optimise your Welcome messages 

Add a friendly reminder like: 
“Save us as a contact to keep getting our updates in your main inbox!” 

4. Tag or segment time-sensitive messages 

Use your messaging platform’s settings to flag one-time passwords (OTPs) or time-critical alerts — these have a better chance of surfacing in the main inbox. 

5. Monitor performance post-update 

After iOS 26 rolls out, monitor changes in delivery, open rates, and response rates. Compare performance for iPhone users to spot trends early. 

What to watch for next 

Apple may continue to refine how message filtering works — including regional defaults and how “known” senders are detected. 

We’ll keep you updated as more data emerges.

Keep your texts visible and maximize ROI with MessageMedia  

Apple’s iOS 26 update represents a significant shift in how SMS and RCS are handled on iPhones. For teams that engage their audience with text messages, it’s a reminder that deliverability is more than just sending messages – it’s about maintaining trusted, recognised connections with your audience. 

Make sure your business can adapt to these iOS changes and consistently get the most out of your mobile messaging campaigns with Sinch MessageMedia. Start your free 14-day trial now.

The post Apple iOS 26 update: Everything you need to know about new inbox changes appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

Since then, we’ve been hard at work and have exciting updates that go far beyond a new logo. We’ve made some big changes that make it even easier for businesses of any size to engage with customers.

Our intelligent SMS marketing increases productivity, saves time, and boosts ROI – thanks to features like automated customer alerts, personalised messages, or two-way customer communication. Add to that our seamless integration with just about any major CRM, ERP, ecommerce, and marketing automation platform – and you can see how our customers get results.

So, if you want to simplify and improve operations, reduce costs, and increase sales, you’re in the right place.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. What’s so different with Sinch MessageMedia? A lot.

1. We make it easy – to get started, so you can more meaningfully engage with your customers.

We’ve added features that let you segment and personalise communications, and make you go “ah-ha!” Now it’s even easier to have two-way conversations via: 

• An intuitive, revamped user interface with a clean new look and new navigation. 
• A super customised contact segmentation that simplifies customer relationship management. Think hyper-targeted personalisation and authentic conversations at scale. 
• A brand-new mobile app for business messaging on the go.     
• A hassle-free number verification process for new users to get up and running quickly. 
• And, the cherry on the top – access to popular social channels. Because we’re no longer just SMS. You can now connect WhatsApp, Instagram, and more in seconds, and bring all your omnichannel messaging communications together in one place.

And if you want to chat with a human – no worries. We’ll always have someone to help get you set up and guide you on the best way to use our platform.

2. We make it easy – to work with your existing tech stack. 

Here’s the thing. We have 85+ integrations, including HubSpot, NetSuite, Zoho, Shopify, BigCommerce, and Salesforce. That means you can easily add the most trusted and breakthrough form of communication – messaging – to your existing tech stack. Because what counts is making the right connection.

Shopify.

Our integration with Shopify (and other leading ecommerce software) reimagines the way retailers interact with customers, in-store and online. For starters, it brings together two-way messaging, social media engagement, landing pages, chat, and automation. All the good things.

Targeted, personalised campaigns? Check. Improved abandoned cart recovery via SMS? Yes. Engaging with your customers across platforms is the way to go.

Let’s break it down even further.

Personalise engagement. The integration lets sellers reply to DMs directly on Instagram and Messenger, via one inbox. And that’s the personal touch that cuts through. Real-time synchronisation with Shopify stores means you can set up automated replies, send out or schedule targeted campaigns, and analyse engagement and campaign success.

Boost revenue. With the rise of mobile retail shopping and text messaging’s high open rates, you can effectively build customer lists and loyalty. That, in turn, helps with personalised automation and campaigns, including abandoned cart recovery.

Seize every interaction. Everyone loves an offer. Attract customers via Chatbox to SMS, a dynamic chat bubble that engages and captures essential contact details at the same time – the ideal mix of customer engagement and lead generation.

HubSpot.

Our deep SMS for HubSpot integration continues to evolve, with new capabilities and use cases added monthly across the Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub. 

The latest improvements are going to make Sales teams and Executives very happy. Because we’ve got exciting updates in Deal records (now the one place to view communications, have one-to-one conversations, and set up automatic notifications) and Reporting (we’re talking in-depth insights into text messaging performance, conversions, and click-through rates). So you don’t miss a beat.

NetSuite.

We are the only SMS service natively integrated with NetSuite – and we’re 5-star rated. So, what does this mean? It means you can send personalised messages based on customer data (such as order history or preferences) from the software you already use. Easy.

Our latest updates let you keep things separate with multiple Sender IDs and help reduce bill shock with Unicode character count.

Zoho.

Our native integration, SMS for Zoho CRM, is the 2^nd top extension listed in the Zoho Marketplace^. Hooray! (Pssst. Making instant connections is going to reach further, very soon.) But for now, the latest product updates let you message customers faster and easier. 

Want to set workflow rules and automate SMS, without any guesswork? Need to send a bulk SMS campaign to more than 5,000 contacts at once? Well, now you can. 

And with a faster loading interface, you can connect with your customers instantly via Sinch MessageMedia’s embedded inbox. And you can do it all via templates – ready to go.

3. We make it easy – to work with other Sinch products.

Sinch’s global super network powers over 700 billion messages each year – that’s more than 6,000 per second. The high volume gives Sinch, its partners and clients around the world, the scale that keeps everyone happy, with cost per transaction down, and quality up.    

That’s why IDC recently named Sinch as a leader in the CPaaS space, with Courtney Munroe saying, “Consider Sinch when you are a globally operating company and are looking for a CPaaS provider with a deep, global coverage and a robust portfolio spanning basic communications APIs as well as low/no-code and SaaS solutions with profound marketing and customer engagement capabilities.”   

What’s more, Sinch was also named Adobe’s Digital Experience Technology Partner of the Year in April. Fun fact, Sinch has powered Salesforce since 2014, helping it reach its global customer base via enterprise-grade messaging. 

It’s safe to say we’ve made some noise this year. And at Sinch MessageMedia, we’re bringing all the pieces together. Starting with email contact sync with Mailjet. And, coming soon, Sinch Voice customers will be able to easily add messaging with Sinch MessageMedia.

So what does this all mean? The customers win.

We’ve got thousands of customers worldwide using us to grow their businesses, save time, and thrive.  

A speciality gift basket company saw 50% revenue growth in 12 months by adding SMS to its solution. A healthcare organisation can more efficiently communicate with healthcare providers by incorporating Sinch MessageMedia’s mobile landing page solution. And an appliance wholesaler quickly managed and communicated customer notifications for 400,000+ products via SMS, within NetSuite.

Watch this space. We’re just getting started.

We’re continually making it easier for businesses – of any size – to engage in meaningful conversations. Through integrations with your existing technology, via social-conversational channels (like Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Google’s Business Messages), or a new omnichannel inbox that powers the future of conversational commerce across all messaging channels.

Because we know that success is possible in a multichannel, conversational future, we’ll pull all the channels – messaging, email, voice, and social – into one powerful but accessible Sinch MessageMedia platform. And we’ll bring Sinch’s global super network strength to all this, breaking down silos across channels and tech stacks.

_{^Zoho’s place as second top extension is based on the number of reviews, by volume of instals.}

The post MessageMedia is now Sinch MessageMedia. appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

And why does that matter? Because your customers can start a one-on-one conversation with you directly from Google Search and Google Maps. That’s going to make it super easy for them to reach out to you and get the help they need – right from their mobile device. And you can set up and manage those conversations within our messaging Hub. 

Here’s how you can use Business Messages to get ahead.

With billions of searches for products and services daily, adding Business Messages to your multichannel messaging stack is customer experience gold. And its role is especially relevant to connecting with local communities. Go granular, or go home. 

1. Boost customer engagement

Prospects want to message you – in fact, who doesn’t? Did you know that 75% of consumers now prefer to contact brands using private messaging channels, rather than traditional ones like phone and email? So, by making chat available in your Google Business listing, you’re immediately offering prospects their preferred method of communication.

2. Speed up the journey from search to enquiry

Your prospects can start a real-time conversation with you as soon as they find you in Search or Maps. That gives you the chance to deliver quick and professional one-on-one assistance at the most crucial point of their customer journey: the discovery phase. 

3. Personalise shopping experiences

Using Business Messages helps you adjust your responses and recommendations based on customers’ specific needs, preferences, and location. You’re giving them way more relevant information, quicker. Because (spoiler alert!) we’ve all got better things to do than sifting through pages of content. Be where they are – they’ll love you for it.

4. All your conversations, all in one place

Connect Business Messages to your MessageMedia account, and it’s on. Your team can manage all your messaging conversations from one inbox, alongside SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.

The future is conversational

Conversational messaging, also known as conversational commerce or conversational marketing, is the future of communication between brands and customers. Our research found that over 81% of consumers like having the option to message a business – it helps them feel more confident about a brand. But only 20% of them are actually connecting with customers on messaging channels. Yikes.

Over 81% of consumers say having the option to message a business helps them feel more confident about a brand.

Actually, according to Forrester, brands with more channels of communication achieve higher customer satisfaction, and they’re 3.4 times more likely to have experienced significant growth.

So by using Business Messages alongside other conversational messaging platforms, you’ll drive higher customer engagement, and cut through the noise.

If you haven’t already, start today. There’s still time to get ahead of your competitors.

Get started

Our integration with Google’s Business Messages is a significant new addition to our market-leading conversational messaging platform, one that helps businesses grow and succeed through the power of connection. 

Ready to get direct enquiries from Google Search and Maps? Existing customers can get started with Business Messages here.

Or, schedule a chat with one of our experts to get set up today.

The post Our integration with Google’s Business Messages boosts your local reach. appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

About the Zipwhip SMS shutdown

Twilio announced it will discontinue the Zipwhip software for all customers in the fall of 2021. When the software shuts down, all text histories and contacts for Zipwhip customers will be lost.

There are two important dates to keep in mind as it relates to the Zipwhip SMS shutdown: 

1. April 30, 2022: End of Account Changes

After this date, users can no longer make most account-related changes, including purchase updates and requesting downgrades.

2. December 1, 2022: End of Product Functionality

After this date, Zipwhip SMS software will no longer be available, including desktop, mobile, and web. Integrations will also cease to function.

Plus, Zipwhip has announced other notices related to the shutdown:

What’s changing for existing customers: 

• No product enhancements or updates will take place
• No contractual changes are available 

What’s not changing for existing customers: 

• Service will continue until the shutdown
• Cancellation policies 

Start the process of migrating now so that your business isn’t left in a pickle later. 

Tip #1: Determine your business needs

Before you get too far into the process of selecting another SMS provider, take the time to figure out the needs that are most important to your business. This includes asking yourself questions like:

• What functionality is a requirement for me to be successful? 

Every SMS provider has a variety of different features, such as templates, rich reporting, batch sending, automation workflows, and more. Evaluate which of these features are a must-have for your business. 

• What sender option would work best? 

Rotating shared number, dedicated number (would it help if your contacts could phone this number?), or alpha tag – there are a lot of options available for sending text messages. If you need help determining which option would be best for your business, be sure to write that down. 

• What volume of messages am I currently sending? 

Take a look at your existing Zipwhip data to understand how many messages you are regularly sending and how that number might change in the future. 

• What is my budget for SMS?

Review your current Zipwhip contract to see what you are currently paying for your service, and then determine your budget and ideal price point for your new provider. 

• What level of support does my business need? 

This can be an important differentiator for many businesses as some SMS providers charge for setup, onboarding, and ongoing support.

Tip #2: Understand your tech stack

Review your existing tools and determine places where text messaging can be integrated into your business more efficiently. Most SMS providers integrate into ERP, CRM, and marketing automation tools. See what your internal teams are using and where it might be helpful to create an integration. 

If you already have an integration with Zipwhip, make sure to find a provider that can maintain that integration. Typically, it’s easy to start in the app marketplace of the software you want to connect with to see other providers that might work. 

Tip #3: Manage your contact list

Save time by managing your list of current leads, contacts, and partners. 

• Start by making sure your list is complete and up-to-date. 
• Export your final lists from Zipwhip so that you can import your contacts into your new provider’s software.
• Make sure to include customers that have opt-ed out of your messages so that you remain compliant. 

Tip #4: Map out current or desired workflows and automations

Document any existing workflows or automations that you have set up. It can also be helpful to download any message templates or texts that your business sends frequently. 

If you don’t currently have any workflows created, think about opportunities where you could implement automation into your business. Creating these efficiencies can reduce manual tasks and save time for your staff. Not all SMS providers offer scheduled sending or automated replies, so make sure to put that on your requirement list if your business needs those features. 

Tip #5: Find a new provider aligned with your needs

Take all of the information you’ve compiled from the first four tips. Use that as your baseline for finding your new SMS provider and: 

• Eliminate providers who don’t meet your needs.
• Demo all providers that check your boxes.
• Ensure their team is a good fit for your business and that they can continue to meet your needs in the future.

How MessageMedia can help

Don’t disrupt your current business with a cumbersome and time-consuming project. MessageMedia can make it easy to switch. We offer an easy and engaging global messaging solution and over 20 years of experience with 65,000+ customers worldwide. Our platform provides the same features your team knows about from Zipwhip plus so much more.

Next steps

At MessageMedia, we want to ensure a smooth transition from Zipwhip SMS for you. Our dedicated experts can help walk you through these steps in more detail to ensure that your business gets everything it needs from its next SMS provider. 

To learn more about finding a Zipwhip alternative and see how easy the transition to MessageMedia can be, schedule time with our team of specialists for a quick demo.

For additional information, explore these helpful resources:

• Watch our short, 45-minute on-demand webinar to learn more about transitioning
• Check out the features of our platform
• Browse our resource library for tips & tricks on SMS

For more information on the Zipwhip texting shutdown, read the official announcement.

The post Migrating from Zipwhip SMS: 5 quick tips to make a seamless transition appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

Twilio acquired Zipwhip in July 2021, leaving approximately 30,000 customers unsure of their future with the two companies.

Recently, Twilio announced it will discontinue the Zipwhip software for all customers. When the software shuts down, all text histories and contacts for Zipwhip customers will be lost.

Although Zipwhip hasn’t announced an official end date, they advise customers to “ensure your 2022 planning includes updating your business texting communications platform”. So if your organisation is currently using Zipwhip, you now need to find a new provider.

Zipwhip has announced their cancellation policy remains the same, so customers should review their contract for specific information on how to cancel their service. Additionally, Zipwhip customers will no longer be able to add phone lines or downgrade their existing system.

MessageMedia is a leading SMS provider

If you’re a Zipwhip customer, MessageMedia is the best option for your business moving forward. We offer an easy and engaging global messaging solution and over 20 years of experience with 65,000+ customers worldwide. Our platform provides the same features your team knows about from Zipwhip plus so much more.

Additional features Zipwhip customers get with MessageMedia

• Mobile landing pages:
  Send media-rich content to your customers with engagement tracking and analytics for each click. Each mobile landing page element can be personalised for every recipient in your bulk SMS campaign. Simply select one of our many engaging templates, customise the content — upload your own images, choose colours, and change fonts using our simple web interface — attach your recipient list, and you’re on your way.

• Chatbox to SMS:
  Like live chat, Chatbox to SMS is a widget you place on your website. But unlike live chat, Chatbox to SMS allows your team to continue conversations with customers on their mobile phones, after they’ve closed their browser.

• Short trackable links:
  Automatically shorten a website URL in your text message to just 22 characters and save SMS characters. Short trackable links are unique for each contact, even with bulk SMS, which allows you to see exactly who clicked — or didn’t — and either follow up or export a report.

• Subaccounts:
  Separate your phone numbers, usage, and application settings with subaccounts, while still accessing one comprehensive overview of all your messaging activity. Subaccounts are particularly useful for businesses with multiple departments or those running multiple campaigns with separate accounts or applications.

We’ll strive to make your transition from Zipwhip to MessageMedia as seamless as possible. Our team of SMS experts is available 24/7 and will get you up and running in less than a day.

MessageMedia also integrates directly with essential CRM, ERP, marketing automation, and eCommerce solutions, like HubSpot, NetSuite, Salesforce, Shopify, and many more. You can check out all of our technology integrations here. In addition, we offer plug-and-play, native integrations, and connectors, so you can text-enable your existing software tools without adding to your tech stack.

But don’t take our word for it

At MessageMedia, we help organisations make better connections by creating mobile experiences people love. That’s why over 95% of our customers stick with us over time, because the solutions and support we provide are too valuable to lose.

Here’s what some of our customers have to say about our messaging solutions.

MessageMedia saved hours and decreased ‘no shows’ by as much as 25%. Financially, we are truly thankful.

IT Manager, Just Better Care Australia

By using SMS to remind clients of payments, there has been a 66% increase in clients making on-time payments.

Jacaranda Finance

If it’s urgent, send it via SMS. It doesn’t have to be an emergency, but if it’s time-sensitive, an SMS is best. SMS is personal, immediate, and prompts action. This communication path with parents is incredibly important.

David Eedle, Co-founder and CTO, EdSmart

Watch our recorded webinar to learn more

Register to watch our free webinar on-demand to learn more about how easy the transition to MessageMedia can be. During the webinar, we covered:

• Overview of the Zipwhip SMS shut down
• Why MessageMedia is the #1 alternative
• Additional features Zipwhip customers get with MessageMedia
• What your migration to MessageMedia looks like
• Plus, integrations, uptime, industry knowledge, and more!

Next steps and further reading

To learn more about finding a Zipwhip alternative and see how easy the transition to MessageMedia can be, contact our team of specialists for a quick demo.

For additional information, explore these helpful resources:

• Check out the features of our platform
• Learn more about mobile landing pages
• Browse our resource library for tips & tricks on SMS

For more information on the Zipwhip texting shutdown, read their official announcement.

The post MessageMedia is the best alternative for Zipwhip SMS appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

Australian-founded MessageMedia serves more than 60,000 small and medium-sized business customers and handles more than 5 billion mobile messages a year through its web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS). The leading service allows for two-way messaging without any need for coding or familiarity with APIs.

MessageMedia CEO Paul Perrett said Sinch’s global product, values, and ability to serve large and enterprise customers complemented MessageMedia’s own capabilities.

“The MessageMedia team and our customers welcome the close of the transaction to formalise our ownership by Sinch today,” Perrett said.

“It’s an incredible reinforcement of the world-class people, products and capabilities of MessageMedia, which will continue to operate under a separate business unit. Our mission to become a global messaging leader for small and medium-sized businesses has been supercharged by the acquisition. I believe this is just the start of our journey as we continue to scale into new markets and strengthen our partnerships internationally with the support of Sinch.”

MessageMedia was founded by Grant Rule, Justin Lau and Regina Hill in 2000 and has grown to become an Australian market leader, while also expanding into new markets. The business has proven its capability to successfully grow organically and through ten successful acquisitions, strengthening its ecosystem most recently with Mercury SMS from Aprika, a leading native Salesforce SMS app.

It has also leveraged integrations with platforms including Shopify, HubSpot and NetSuite, allowing for seamless SMS alerts and notifications, billing and payments, appointment reminders, marketing, and staff scheduling in dozens of industries including healthcare, hospitality, education, real estate, retail, and utilities.

Sinch CEO Oscar Werner said they would accelerate MessageMedia’s international expansion by supporting the management team as they built a world-leading position as the preferred mobile messaging service for SMBs. “Addressing small and medium-sized businesses opens up a new avenue to growth and dramatically expands our addressable market. With MessageMedia as a part of Sinch, we have the best team in the industry to capitalise on that opportunity”, Werner said.

The post MessageMedia set for global scale as SMB mobile messaging market leader after Sinch deal closes appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

According to Oracle, SuiteWorld 2021’s theme was “Power Your Growth,” which focused on strategies and tools for businesses to thrive, “We’re summoning all our superpowers to bring you a reimagined SuiteWorld. We’ve designed this year’s SuiteWorld to bring the NetSuite community together and learn how to power growth.”

From business leaders to superheroes on the ground, this year’s event brought the NetSuite community back together to connect and look toward the future of business. With three keynotes, 50+ dedicated sessions, a high-energy exhibition hall, and unique networking events throughout, there was no shortage of opportunities to engage and learn during the packed conference.

Power your growth

In the SuiteWorld Kickoff keynote, Power Your Growth, NetSuite founder and executive vice president Evan Goldberg talked about the superpowers that companies need to grow, saying, “We want to provide more superpowers to drive your business forward.”

He presented the new normal, which he calls “The – Dynamic – Multi – Hybrid – Normal” and mentioned that in the future, companies must grow and adapt to “meet your customers and employees where they are.”

Later, Goldberg discussed the essential superpowers to help companies grow. He shared that these growth drivers are automation that drives speed, insights that allow you to look behind the data, and agility that ensures adaptability.

Throughout the keynote, several NetSuite customer executives joined Goldberg on stage to discuss business going forward, including:

• Richard Davis, CEO of Make-a-Wish Foundation
• Shanna Tellerman, Co-Founder and CEO of Modsy
• Tim Guenther, CEO of Clickstop
• Shawn David Nelson, Founder of Lovesac

The keynote concluded with a one-on-one discussion with businessman, author, politician, and TV personality, Kevin O’Leary. Kevin presented many thought-provoking ideas for what he has dubbed this time in history: “America 2.0”.

As an investor featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, he even provided tips for future starters to deliver successful investor pitches.

O’Leary recommends entrepreneurs:

1. Articulate the opportunity in 90 seconds or less
2. Convince investors they have the right team to execute the plan
3. Know the numbers and understand the business model

Cultivating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: How Organisations Can Recruit and Retain Women

In another powerful session, a panel of leaders passionate about creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce spoke about their experience during this critical time. This group of women in tech included:

• Jennifer Smith, Group Vice President Marketing, Oracle
• Darlene Slaughter, Chief Diversity Officer, March of Dimes Foundation
• Danielle Kayembe, FQ Impact, The Female Quotient
• Rebecca Bayles, Managing Director, Deloitte Digital
• Sara Kaur, CFO for Codex Beauty

During the session, each panellist shared their unique professional experience with diversity in the workplace and how they’re working to create a better future for their companies. The session also addressed how the pandemic impacted women specifically, highlighting that the percentage of women in tech is currently at 28.8%, down from 35% in 1990. Experts predict it could take up to 12 years to reach equal representation. The group shared with the audience some examples of things that they’re doing to combat these challenges. Additionally, they talked about the importance of going beyond recruiting to ensure onboarding, professional development, and mentorship are in place to retain diverse hires.

Notable quotes from SuiteWorld 2021

All businesses have a unique story to tell…there are challenges and failures, and how you respond powers you to new heights.

Evan Goldberg, Founder, and EVP, Oracle NetSuite

Data is the new oil, and customer data from building a direct to consumer business is becoming extremely valuable.

Kevin O’Leary, Businessman, and Television Personality

Companies that were able to pivot to a direct to consumer model…are the ones that survived the pandemic.

Kevin O’Leary, Businessman, and Television Personality

People have always wanted to find purpose in their job, but it’s never been more prevalent than in the last 18 months…they need to have a purpose and feel like they are a part of something.

Jennifer Smith, Group Vice President Marketing, Oracle

When you want to fill the job, you forget about who’s not at the table. So when you have those conversations around diversity and inclusion, you really help people to slow down and step back.

Darlene Slaughter, Chief Diversity Officer, March of Dimes Foundation

NetSuite’s latest product updates

As the leading integrated cloud business software suite globally, NetSuite recognises the importance of being forward-thinking, including how to offer more to its customers. Throughout SuiteWorld, NetSuite announced several new products and features designed to deliver more to their customers. Gary Wiessinger, Oracle NetSuite SVP of Product Management, explained that each new endeavour aims to leverage intelligence, automation, and analytics to help businesses achieve more.

The new features discussed were:

1. Suitebanking. Designed to help customers automate key financial processes and gain complete visibility into cash flow, SuiteBanking will bring together automated accounts payable and accounts receivable processes. It will allow businesses to quickly pay bills, send invoices, and get paid, all within NetSuite.
   
   
2. NetSuite Analytics Warehouse. An extension of NetSuite SuiteAnalytics, NetSuite Analytics Warehouse provides embedded real-time reporting and metrics dashboards, enabling customers to enhance their reports with data beyond NetSuite on a single analytics platform. It has been built to help customers spot patterns and gain insights from NetSuite and additional data to enhance decision-making and grow business.
   
   
3. Customer 360. The new Customer 360 feature builds on the existing functionality of SuiteCommerce and NetSuite CRM. It delivers essential information and insights on buyers in one place. Customer 360 tracks behaviour and shows key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer lifetime value, customer profitability, year-to-date sales, remaining credit, and other key numbers.
   
   
4. SuiteCloud Development Framework (SDF). SDF creates seamless team collaboration with the ability for developers to source code control, peer code reviews, team development, and integrated debugging.
   
   
5. Advanced Customer Support (ACS) Playbooks. Available for ACS customers, ACS Playbooks aim to help customers accelerate their return on investment. The playbooks help customers address operational challenges, including revenue recognition, project profitability, and supply chain management, as well as cross-functional processes like quote to cash.

Final thoughts, further reading

If you missed SuiteWorld, you could still purchase an On Air pass, which provides access to a live stream of the keynotes, along with an on-demand library of content. According to Oracle, SuiteWorld will return to Las Vegas in 2022. To be the first to know, make sure to subscribe to the SuiteWorld Insider Newsletter – you’ll receive upcoming announcements and deadlines, including calls for submissions, special savings, sponsorship opportunities, and more.

As a NetSuite partner, our team was at SuiteWorld in full force. At MessageMedia, we offer the only native NetSuite SMS app on SuiteApp.com. Companies use our 5-star rated texting solution to automate and streamline deliveries, appointments, customer support, marketing, internal communications, and so much more.

We’d love to show you how it works. Set a time here for a quick demo with one of our SMS for NetSuite experts.

For more, make sure to check out:

• Use our NetSuite SMS integration to auto send text messages
• Supercharge your NetSuite ecommerce interactions with texting
• MessageMedia Text Messaging for NetSuite

The post NetSuite’s SuiteWorld 2021 hybrid conference looks toward the future of business appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

In this blog, we’ll capture the highlights of the event, from HubSpot’s most significant announcements to the best advice from some of the world’s biggest names in entertainment and business to success secrets you can apply to your business today. Finally, we’ll summarise key new features available from HubSpot.

HubSpot’s take

According to HubSpot, the event was a “fully immersive, online experience that provided access to transformative business trends, proactive conversations, and key actionable takeaways. Tens of thousands of global attendees were able to connect with leaders across industries and spark catalysts that they weren’t even aware existed.”

INBOUND offered an opportunity to hear from HubSpot’s executive leadership team. There were appearances from HubSpot’s co-founder and CTO, Dharmesh Shah, and co-founder and executive chairman Brian Halligan. Yamini Rangan, the newly appointed HubSpot CEO, also made her debut.

Dharmesh Shah HubSpot co-founder and CTO

Mr Shaw delivered an exceptional presentation about the emerging customer dynamic. His session was simultaneously slick and down-to-earth. He mentioned an alarming survey that revealed 27% of people had a customer experience that ruined their entire day and that one in 10 had such a terrible customer experience they cried. Remarkably, no one has presented this information, yet so many of us have had these experiences, making his session relevant for all of us.

He also dove into a topic he calls Web 3, the next generation of the Internet. But, before Shaw broke it down, he outlined the evolution of the web.

Web 1: Information
Web 2: Interaction
Web 3: Decentralisation

Sharing that he’s excited to the point of goosebumps about Web 3, Shaw said, “It’s about putting power back in the hands of people; it’s the way the Web was always supposed to be.” And he further explained that in a Web 3 world, you own and control your personal data. Big tech no longer owns it, and he gave examples like the cryptocurrency market. Shaw concluded by stating that we’re in the age of the customer, “Embrace the idea that we’re in the age of the customer. Embrace the idea that over time customers are going to have more and more power, and they’re going to be equal partners in their relationship with us.”

Embrace the idea that we’re in the age of the customer. Embrace the idea that over time customers are going to have more and more power and they’re going to be equal partners in their relationship with us.

Dharmesh Shah HubSpot co-founder and CTO

Brian Halligan HubSpot co-founder and executive chairman

After recovering from a severe snowmobile accident, Mr Halligan returned to HubSpot as executive chairman. He sat with Ms Rangan and Andrew Lindsay, HubSpot’s SVP of Corporate and Business Development at HubSpot headquarters in Boston, for a chat.

Halligan shared, “I’m a starter. I started HubSpot 15 years ago. I’ve been a CEO, and it was going great. But it’s a different animal. We have thousands of employees, hundreds of thousands of customers, billions in revenue. This is a much larger scale company, and I’ve never seen that movie before.”

He highlighted Rangan’s outstanding performance during his 6-months out of the business, along with her experience leading large organisations, stating, “she’s not just a culture fit, she’s a culture add.” And concluding, “it became a no brainer” for her to become CEO.

When asked about customers, Halligan said, “We’re right at the beginning of a major migratory change for buyers.” He added, “B2B buyers are starting to look a lot more like B2C buyers. Going further, he shared, “If I had advice for our customers and partners, it’s how do we get a little bit of that carbon-based life form (human) out of the buying process. How do we lower the friction and use technology to accelerate it.” Finally, he urged businesses to move beyond linear go-to-market strategies toward fly-wheel customer-centric experiences.

If I had advice for our customers and partners it’s how do we get a little bit of that carbon-based life form (human) out of the buying process. How do we lower the friction and use technology to accelerate it.

Brian Halligan HubSpot co-founder and executive chairman

Yamini Rangan HubSpot CEO

Ms Yamini shared her experience growing up in a small town in India, pursuing education, and working her way up. She also discussed the strong emotion she felt when presented with the opportunity to be the CEO of HubSpot.

“Companies that grow very rapidly end up in silos and therefore expect me, the customer, to become the bridge,” she added. “Look at it from the customer’s point of view, not from a function or department.”

When asked how HubSpot approaches CRM, she said, “The way we approach CRM is about buyer empowerment, not seller enablement.” She went on to say that people no longer call you to learn about your product. Instead, they visit your website to research and only reach out when they’re ready to buy.

A visual feast and avatars too

Leave it to HubSpot, the people who essentially invented inbound marketing, to create a gorgeous, captivating experience from start to finish. The company’s culture dazzled from the event web pages to pre-show communications to each of the carefully crafted sessions. What other tech business calls user groups “HUGs” and talks about “love,” and does it all with so much panache?

The virtual networking options available this year, which allowed participants to connect online, were a highlight. Although it was undoubtedly a new experience to see your headshot above a cartoon body, it was nevertheless charming and innovative. With the surge in virtual events since the start of the pandemic, the HubSpot team stood out by understanding the top priority is grabbing and maintaining attention. As a result, INBOUND 2021 was visually and experientially arresting, making it much less likely for participants to be distracted by incoming messages, as with most online conferences.

Best quotes from INBOUND’s all-star speaker line-up

I have to connect to the story. I don’t worry about the audience. The audience won’t connect to it if I don’t connect.

Spike Lee, Writer, and Filmmaker

Our workplace promise is that every voice matters and everybody belongs. When we first put the values up I said ok, these values are on the walls but they will also operate in the halls. This will be values-based employment.

Cynt Marshall, Dallas Mavericks, CEO

You just gotta do you and figure it out as you go, because you never know if what you experience is going to be relevant later.

David Chang, Chef, and Founder, Momofuku

Being a new brand and product to market, we really valued the ability to have a direct relationship with the customer and understand intimately what the customer liked and didn’t like, which you lose when you go through a third party retailer.

Sarah Paiji Yoo, Blueland, Co-founder and CEO

We all have these weird crazy superpowers and yet we benefit from one another’s perspectives and opinions.

Hasan Minhaj, Host of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

Here’s what I have to offer you today. The idea of a more intentional life. And what does that mean? It means a life that you design based on who you are and who you wish to become.

Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions, Global Media Leader

Four Standout INBOUND 2021 Sessions

1. How B2B Brands Grow – Ty Heath and Jon Lombardo

LinkedIn’s B2B Institute partnered with the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to outline the laws marketers must follow to grow. The session began with Ms Heath addressing the power of brand and explaining that marketing aims to link the brand to more buying situations. She then debunked the top-down funnel model, flipping it on its side while sharing a two-state customer model where all customers are either “in-market” or “out-market”. She also addressed that it’s already too late if in-market customers don’t know about your brand when it’s time to buy.

2. Email Myths Busted – Jay Schwedelson

This high-energy session began with a discussion of how the pandemic opened Pandora’s box of email tactics. Next, Mr Schwedelson addressed sending emails from people’s names vs. brand names, which is a hot email trend for BtoB companies, with a 450% increase in use in the last six months because it delivers a 38% increase in open rates. He then talked about the fake-forward tactic, which he says is surging in BtoB and BtoC. The risk for both of these tactics? Opt-outs. His recommendation? Don’t use these tactics.

Instead, he recommends adding specific characters to your subject lines. For example, open rates for BtoB companies increase 25% with an asterisk*, [18% with brackets], and (27% with parentheses). Another way to win right now with email? The fake-mistake email. This approach works by saying something like, “Oops, you almost scrolled past this,” within the subject line. This tactic gives you a 29% boost in BtoC email open rates and a 37% increase in BtoB email open rates. Of all INBOUND 2021 sessions, this one likely offered the most real-world tactics to apply today.

3. No More Cookie Cutter Marketing – Alex Moore

Mr Moore’s first topic was to address the update heard worldwide when Google announced the end of its third-party cookie support effective two years from January 14, 2020. While it’s still on the horizon, Google announced a delay in phasing out third-party cookies until 2023, giving us all more time to adjust our approach to digital marketing.

His talk then dove into three main areas:

• Data privacy: He shared his perspective that data privacy and policy were an intersection driven by GDPR. Thus, creating a growing desire to protect consumer data through the introduction of new rules and regulations.
  
  
• Cookie 101 and third-party cookies: He then explained the three types of cookies:
  
  • First-party cookies: He shared that first-party cookies allow you to monitor general user behaviour on your website.
  • Second-party cookies: He briefly mentioned 2nd-party cookies, which are website behaviours shared among partners and are relatively uncommon.
  • Third-party cookies: Finally, he addressed third-party cookies which allow organisations to track a user’s behaviour across multiple websites. How common is the use of third-party cookies? Very. If you’re doing digital advertising or overseeing a website, you’re using third-party cookies today. And this is a significant problem for Google (and other digital companies), with up to 80% of Google’s revenue tied to third-party cookie use.
    
    
• The future of digital marketing: What does this mean for marketing in the future? First, digital advertising will change and likely recede. Retargeting, as we know it today, frequency capping, and view-through attribution will disappear. While targeting will continue, it will look very different. Instead of individual identity, the current roadmap focuses on clusters of groups or cohorts (with the latest guidelines being that you must have at least 100 identities per group).
  
  Several major digital companies are striving to set the standard for the new third-party cookie alternative. His biggest recommendation is that marketers return to the basics and focus on strategies like account-based marketing, segmentation, messaging, and more sophisticated marketing analytics skills. Whereas digital marketing has lowered entry barriers, marketers will need to brush up on traditional marketing skills and techniques. Finally, websites will need to deliver an exceptional user experience for companies that want to continue to compete.

4. Grow Your Business Through Lead Value With Google- Neha Chadha

The session began with Ms Chadha addressing the increasingly noisy digital environment in a post-pandemic world. Sharing a report, “The State of B2B Digital Commerce,” from 2Checkout, she shared that 46% of B2B leaders say finding new leads is a challenge, and 40% of CMOs are struggling to understand the nature of temporary and permanent shifts in consumer behaviour. The primary challenges for marketing and content professionals are breaking through the digital noise, maintaining brand consistency, and adjusting messaging. The remainder of the session focused on solving these challenges.

To tap into intent, Chadha recommends getting in front of consumers while conducting market research with paid search. She shared that it’s crucial to continually analyse results to optimise top performers and suggests marketers leverage automated bidding to control costs to optimise paid search. To inspire and convert, she recommends messaging that focuses on meeting customer needs by solving their challenges.

Six significant new features from HubSpot

HubSpot continues to invest in its platform. With over 121,000 customers worldwide, the company has built a massive community of users relying on their automation solutions to connect, convert, and support customers. During INBOUND 2021, the latest new features were revealed, including:

1. New admin tools.
   These new tools contain a recommended list of permissions based on the role of each team member. You can monitor user activity, access, security activity, along with any exported content. Your organisation can also improve collaboration by providing access to additional users and team members.
   
   
2. Service hub customer portal.
   This new feature allows customers to access important information when they need it through HubSpot’s customer portals. Customers can access project status within the portal, manage support tickets, browse their content knowledge base, and keep track of every communication in one centralised location. HubSpot also allows organisations to customise these portals with branded colours and logos.
   
   
3. HubSpot payments.
   HubSpot’s new payment feature was built natively within the platform. It makes it easy to include a secure payment link in customer communications, including quotes, live chats, and emails. This feature is currently only available in the United States.
   
   
4. Custom feedback surveys.
   You can create surveys or use one of the pre-built net promoter score (NPS), customer effort score (CES), or customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey templates to gain customer feedback quickly. The surveys are easy to share, with intuitive reports to analyse data.
   
   
5. Custom report builder.
   HubSpot’s new custom report builder allows you to create reports that work best for your organisation. It also guides you to ensure you collect and report on what’s most relevant. Finally, it makes it easy for team members to access it when they need it.
   
   
6. Sandbox environment for enterprise customers.
   Enterprise-level customers can now explore a secure environment to build and test new workflows, integrations, web pages, and more.

INBOUND 2022

Planning for HubSpot’s INBOUND 2022 is already well underway. According to HubSpot, INBOUND 2022 will be “one of our biggest INBOUND experiences yet!” In the meantime, powerhouse pass holders can still access the platform and on-demand content library throughout the year.

Final thoughts, further reading

HubSpot INBOUND 2021 was a powerful event that left attendees fired up about putting customers first and creating new and more meaningful connections.

As a HubSpot partner, we both sponsored and attended INBOUND 2021. We offer a 5-star rated SMS-for-HubSpot app that helps teams make better connections.

The benefits of SMS for HubSpot are clear:

1. Open rates at 98%
2. Nearly instant delivery
3. Typically read in 90 seconds
4. Read rates 8x greater than email
5. You can automate it

If you’re not sure where to start, our team of HubSpot SMS experts can help. You can learn more about our HubSpot native texting app here.

For more on SMS for HubSpot, be sure to check out:

Video: Magnify the power of your HubSpot workflows with SMS
eBook: 30 SMS templates for marketing, sales and customer success
Webinar: How to Implement a Cross Channel Communications Strategy with MessageMedia

The post HubSpot’s INBOUND 2021 Highlights: What you need to know appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

MessageMedia CEO Paul Perrett shared this about the acquisition, “We’re delighted to have Mercury SMS join MessageMedia. The team’s services complement our platform and extend our commitment to delivering exceptional mobile customer engagement for SMBs worldwide.”

When it comes to reaching out to prospects and responding to customer requests, timing is everything. Sending the right message at the right time can significantly improve results. The key to attracting and retaining more customers is through personalisation and convenience.

Integrating text messaging into your CRM allows you to reach people how they prefer to communicate today—by text. This blog will go through the in’s and out’s of Mercury SMS for Salesforce and the benefits of a native CRM integration.

Integrate SMS into your Salesforce process

Some SMS integrations use pop-up windows or buttons to send a single text message. Native integrations allow you to go much deeper and create or update existing objects. Most teams today seek to streamline and automate communications and business processes. When one-off texting doesn’t cut it, teams need a native SMS solution.

Mercury SMS is a great option to leverage the power of text messaging without adding more software to your tech stack. Teams can seamlessly add text messages into their existing customer communication framework and send personalised messages at scale. This provides a holistic view of prospects, customers, and business partner communications in one place.

Unlock rich yet easy to use texting features

With Mercury SMS, teams get a text-enabled Salesforce allowing them to stay in touch with customers from first contact to point of sale and beyond.

Some of its capabilities include:

1. Automated outbound messages

Salesforce users can easily build campaigns and automate messages through Workflow Rules. For example, customers can automatically send a welcome message when a new contact or a mobile number gets added.

2. SMS keywords

Automatically create and update records when an inbound SMS message matches a keyword. You can create leads, cases, campaign members and carry out field updates.

3. Message feed and SMS inbox

Stay on top of messages through the SMS inbox and have a conversation with customers in ‘real time’. The message feed functionality is similar to texting on your own mobile device.

4. SMS templates

Teams can build a library of SMS templates to use through Salesforce so that you don’t have to re-create frequently used messages every time. Templated messages can include merge fields for more personalised communication, and they can also be sent automatically.

Tailor text messages for your Salesforce customers

Incorporating SMS into your existing communication will help achieve any business goals that your organisation has set. Messages are logged within contact records to provide a complete view of all customer communication so that you can rely on a single source of truth.

Send and receive SMS through Salesforce on a laptop or desktop computer, as well as through the Salesforce app. Texting can be used for a variety of business use cases and customer needs, including:

• Staff communication
• Marketing messages
• Appointment reminders
• Prospect engagement
• Customer support
• Feedback surveys

Getting started is easy.

Existing Salesforce customers simply need to join Sinch MessageMedia.

Learn more about Mercury SMS

Final thoughts, further reading

A Salesforce SMS integration is a no-brainer for organisations looking to leverage text message communication. Not only is this a fast and convenient way to reach customers, but it’s also a powerful way to nurture and improve customer relationships. Its capabilities will help bring SMS from just a feature to a strategic asset within your business.

• Read more about the acquisition of Mercury SMS in our press release
• Learn how SMS automations can supercharge your marketing
• Check out some of the best ecommerce platforms for SMS

The post Send SMS from Salesforce with our latest messaging integration appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.

To counter this, MessageMedia has launched our newest feature: single sign-on, also known as SSO. It’s likely you are already using SSO with other applications as more and more businesses are employing this security measure to better protect themselves, their employees, and their information.

What is single sign-on (SSO)

Simply put, SSO is an identity management system that allows a business and its users to gain entry to multiple applications with just one set of user credentials.

What does this mean?

A user, whether they’re an employee of your business or a single business administrator, will not need to create an entirely new username and password to access our SMS services. SSO enables users to simply sign in using their account with another trusted service.

Basically, SSO allows trusted websites (aka central authenticator) such as Microsoft, Linkedin, Facebook, or Google, to verify a user’s identity. Once the user’s identity has been validated and the company requesting this validation (i.e. MessageMedia) is also checked, only then is user access granted.

Imagine SSO as an invisible license or passport that is stamped by a trusted party to allow you access to online software or services.

Benefits of using an SSO solution

For users and businesses there are multiple benefits:

• Maintenance – Easy for you or your account administrator to maintain user access and information. If multiple people are joining or leaving the company, you can easily revoke, give or check access all from your MessageMedia account.
• Security – We do not keep any sensitive information such as passwords that could be accessed by malicious hackers.
• Cost – There is no additional cost to use this service.
• Convenience – No need to remember multiple passwords with just one set of credentials.
• Efficiency – SSO cuts down on time-taking login and authorisation processes, especially if users are already logged in to a trusted third party.
• Control – It’s up to you which third party can verify and share your details. You can also choose not to use it too.

NOTE: Please be aware that our SSO only accounts for AzureAD logins (Microsoft/Office365) at the moment. We will be expanding these options in the coming months. If you have a trusted provider you would like us to support, get in touch and we will add it to the list.

Is SSO right for my business

If you’re a mid-size to enterprise business with multiple users accessing our SMS service, then SSO is perfect for you. Each user may also require different levels of access due to the complexity of the account or its sub-account structure. Access can be easy to organise and maintain with SSO.

However, SSO can be useful to any small business or single user who finds they spend too much admin time tracking all of their logins and digital tools! Talk to us and we can enable this feature for you too.

How to add SSO for your business users

Eager to start? It’s easy for enterprise customers – learn how to enable SSO through the web portal. If you are a non-enterprise customer, contact support and we’ll enable SSO implementation on your account.

If you are using an identity provider like Azure, here are instructions for setting up MessageMedia SSO with Azure.

If you have any questions or are finding it difficult to set up, check out our MessageMedia SSO FAQ or chat with our helpful staff who can walk you through the process.

Final thoughts, further reading

Protecting your information and ensuring your security is of prime importance to us. MessageMedia will continue to take steps to make sure that your service experience continues to improve and that you are given the best options to protect your data.

Make sure to also check out:

• Product release: Structure your business with sub-accounts
• Sinch buys MessageMedia in $1.3B acquisition
• IDAHOBIT Day: How MessageMedia supports the LGBTQ+ community

The post Product release: How single sign on (SSO) protects your business appeared first on Sinch MessageMedia.