SMS vs. Email Follow-Up for Contractors: Which Actually Gets Responses?
By QuotePilot Team
Contractors often debate which follow-up channel works best: SMS or email. This post compares their effectiveness and reveals why SMS achieves 5–7 times better results across all key metrics.
Here are some of the statistics that compare the two.
SMS vs. Email
| Metric | SMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | 98% | 20–28% |
| Response rate | 45% | 6% |
| Time to read | 90% read within 3 minutes | 90 minutes average |
| Click-through | 19–28% | 1–4% |
| ROI | $71 return per $1 spent | $36–$42 per $1 spent |
The majority of customers prefer texting with businesses rather than phone calls. It is a much more efficient form of quick communication. For example, SMS could be used for scheduling appointments. 80% of customers do not answer phone calls from numbers they do not recognize. Millennials prefer receiving text messages from service providers; it’s quick, efficient, and they are more likely to respond compared to an email.
Don’t Discount Email
While there are many positives to using SMS, emails should not be discounted, as contractors will also benefit from this communication channel. When service providers need to send detailed information to their customers, such as proposals and attachments, emails are the best option. Along with the detailed proposals, email also plays a key role in following up with customers. It serves contractors best when they have multiple channels, such as SMS and email, to follow up. It is 2–4 times more effective compared to having a single channel of communication.
Using Both Channels Together
We’ve done a comparison between SMS and email; let’s take a look at how they can serve you, the contractor, and your customers. From the data above, we now know that the open rate and response time are much higher for SMS. Start with an SMS follow-up and then use email as a supporting channel for more detailed information. For high-value quotes, consider using phone calls for further engagement.
So, don’t let your emails go into the abyss. Consider using QuotePilot to assist you with the automated SMS first follow-up tool. The tool will also assist in orchestrating both channels automatically based on the sequence you configure. Let QuotePilot handle it, while you focus on the job at hand.