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How ShapeNet Software Uses TrueDialog’s SMS API to Boost Their Clients’ Success
Introduction
ShapeNet Software is a powerful success story of helping your customers be better at their jobs, and you will be successful. using the right technology, they empowered their client base. Implementing TrueDialog’s APIs has enabled them to help gyms and fitness centers grow their membership and provide better customer service. In the process, ShapeNet Software in the process, expanded its client roster and increased its revenue.
The story of ShapeNet Software began on Wall Street. Founder Larry King was designing banking applications for stock lending when, like millions of other people, his life was impacted by the traumatic events of 9/11. King’s office was just two blocks from the Twin Towers, and he found himself looking for a new career opportunity in the aftermath.
An analysis of different industries revealed that the fitness industry was underserved by current software applications. The available systems were limited in functionality and weren’t web-based, so health clubs were forced to cobble together multiple systems in an inefficient way that didn’t serve their members.
King designed ShapeNet Software with innovative technologies to fill these gaps, and it made a major impact in the fitness industry as the first comprehensive club management system that was exclusively web-based. Feature options include a scheduler, fitness assessments, member portal, membership management, EFT processing, billing management services, sales tools, retention resources, and SMS texting.
Texting is the most effective communication channel, so ShapeNet Software sought out partners to support their SMS offerings. But they continually hit roadblocks due to limitations and inconsistency from their SMS partners.
The Challenge
Due to its importance, providing SMS to clients was simply nonnegotiable for ShapeNet Software. Gyms leverage it for a wide range of use cases, including:
- Welcoming new members
- Sending reminders to members
- Following up on training sessions
- Sharing helpful tips and resources
- Providing exclusive offers
- Winning back members who have canceled
- Payment reminders and failed payment notifications
Other communication channels, such as email and phone calls, definitely have their place in the system. However members typically prefer text. And gym owners also prefer it, as they get unmatched engagement (the average text open rate is 98%, compared to just 20% for email). Even when a phone call is necessary, sending a text to the member ahead of time greatly increases the odds of them taking your call. In this way, SMS elevates all your other communication efforts.
“In today’s world of spam calls, having that text notification go out will increase your connection rates on telephones by 60%,” says King. That was one of the reasons behind us adding text as a communication channel. It’s simply the most effective way of getting a response, and I can’t preach it enough.”
The problem was that ShapeNet Software’s texting partners often failed to deliver. With more than 400 clients using their application, they needed a platform that could help them quickly onboard new clients and add texting to their accounts. With past partners, this process took a few days because carriers require businesses to register new phone numbers with a system called The Campaign Registry so that the member and use case can be linked with that number in the future.
In some cases, the member would receive their new number and decide they didn’t like it for one reason or another. This would require ShapeNet Software to go back to square one and begin the process all over again.
These delays, combined with their SMS partners’ unreliability in sending and receiving SMS, were slowing ShapeNet Software’s growth and hindering their ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Something had to change.
The Solution
King and his team began searching for an SMS partner that offered user-friendly APIs and could improve their onboarding processes. Most importantly, they’d need a better way to register members’ numbers with The Campaign Registry. Carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile all have their own requirements, so it would be much more effective if the platform allowed them to submit registrations directly to the carrier. That way ShapeNet Software wouldn’t be waiting around for their SMS partner to submit those registrations for them.
When ShapeNet Software tried out TrueDialog’s platform for the first time, they were impressed by how much it streamlined things.
“Number one positive with TrueDialog was that I was able to integrate to them,” says King. “Their APIs were easy to use and it was a really simple process to get numbers registered. We could hit all the legal requirements, set the codes into our system, and the client is off and running. That used to take two or three days with my other provider.”
ShapeNet Software now uses TrueDialog’s dashboard to complete registrations in a matter of minutes. Their clients are happier and ShapeNet Software’s internal teams have fewer hassles to deal with. What about those times when a client decides they don’t like their assigned number? No sweat! A new number is quickly generated and the client can move on.
The Result
Thanks to the ease of implementing TrueDialog’s APIs and setting up test beds, ShapeNet Software has been able to streamline their operations and access new features. With past platforms, it sometimes took longer than a month to implement APIs. Now they’re completing the process in just a few days.
They now have the scalability to send hundreds of thousands of messages in real time, which has enabled them to offer their clients a whole new level of service. Rather than taking up to three days, clients now get their numbers registered with The Campaign Registry in about 15-20 minutes. And because of TrueDialog’s delivery speed and reliability, clients are more than happy to pay for it.
“We give them 1,000-2,000 free texts, and we often go to their dashboards at the end of the month to find the clients have exceeded those limits and so we charge them additional fees,” says King. “Even the clients who are texting 20,000 a month never blink because they’re getting so much value with the texting. It’s almost like they’re thanking me for this bill because they’re getting results in their gym because of the texting.”
ShapeNet Software has built automated triggers in their software that makes it easier than ever for their clients to send targeted messages to the right members at the right times. For example, if a member hasn’t visited the gym for 10 days, a message is sent to inspire them to return. Or if a member’s credit card fails, a quick message will let them know they need to update their card.
By providing such targeted marketing throughout the entire lifecycle, with no effort required from their staff, gyms are seeing huge returns. And the fact that the messaging is two-way allows gyms to engage with their members when necessary, providing better customer experiences.
Speaking of customer experiences, TrueDialog’s US-based customer support has also been a game-changer. When ShapeNet Software’s programmers have questions or issues arise, they get fast responses. Strengthened by this robust support, they’re able to navigate challenges and continue delivering exceptional results for their clients.
Just as gym members focus on performance and often talk about results and personal bests, ShapeNet Software is vigilant when it comes to assessing how well they are serving their clients. Supported by the convenience and power of TrueDialog, they are helping their clients grow membership and build loyalty. And this positive momentum is driving ShapeNet Software’s own business results and success.
