Your Customers Are On Their Phones. Are You Texting Them?

WHEN OUR FAMILY opened Paw of the Family, we weren’t necessarily trying to build a large retail operation. We wanted to solve a problem we were experiencing ourselves: High-quality pet food was inaccessible — we either had to drive 30 minutes to find it or wait days for an online order. We knew other pet owners in our area were having the same issue.

We opened a 1,700-square-foot neighborhood pet store focused on helping people make the best choices for their pets. Over time, we’ve grown into a 4,000-square-foot destination with grooming services and continue to expand, but one thing has never changed: Our customer relationships are at the heart of everything we do.

As we’ve grown, I’ve found that just delivering great in-person service isn’t enough. We also have to communicate with customers in a way that’s convenient for them.

Meeting Pet Store Customers Where They Are

As we added new products and services to our store and online offerings, the number of customer touchpoints increased dramatically. Suddenly, we weren’t just helping someone choose the right pet food. We were coordinating appointments and sending grooming pick-up reminders, notifying customers when special-order food had arrived and more.

For a time, we relied on email and phone calls, just like many businesses do. The problem was that our customers weren’t always seeing our emails, and they often ignored the calls. At the same time, our website analytics told us the overwhelming majority of our customers were visiting our site from their phones.

This got me thinking: If our customers are trying to interact with us from their phones, why aren’t we communicating with them there?

Texting Changed the Conversation

We adopted SMS because we wanted to make it easier for customers to interact with us. Now we regularly send appointment reminders, let customers know when their special orders have arrived, answer questions and stay connected at whatever point they need us. They appreciate being able to communicate with us when it’s convenient for them. For our team, everything is documented in our POS platform instead of being scattered across voicemails, handwritten notes and email threads.

Adopting SMS hasn’t made our business less personal. If anything, it’s made it easier to provide the kind of personalized service people expect from their trusted pet retailer.

The Little Interactions Matter

I’ve always believed customer loyalty isn’t built through one big experience. It’s built through dozens of smaller moments. SMS has been game-changing for our routine communications because our staff can spend more time connecting with customers in the store or providing more personalized one-to-one guidance to a pet owner at home.

For example, when we send reminders about upcoming grooming appointments, and follow up when a pet is ready to be picked up after their service, there is no question about what time. Or when we send an automated text letting a customer know their pet’s special-order food has arrived, there is no question about when.

These interactions may seem small, but they tell pet owners we’re paying attention. They remove friction and save time while keeping our customers informed and engaged.

Communication Is Customer Service

Today, communication is a significant part of customer experience — and our customers expect us to communicate with them on their preferred channels.

For me, it’s not about sending more messages to keep Paw of the Family top of mind. It’s about making every interaction easier, more responsive and more convenient. The personal connection will always be what sets us apart, and technology is helping us preserve that connection as we continue to grow.