Effective communication with employees is key to running an efficient team. You must feel confident that you can collaborate and adjust in real-time. While most of us are aware of how smartphones improve our ability to communicate with each other via easy-to-use texting platforms and other communication apps, not every company can count on 100% smartphone adoption.
According to a 2024 report, 82.2% of people in the United States owned smartphones as of 2023. This data further varies by age group, with adoption rates of up to 97% of workers up to 49 yet lower rates for more experienced workers.
What does that mean for you?
While in-app messaging continues to be the most reliable and effective way of communicating with your team, we recognize the importance of being able to communicate with employees who cannot use the Orbital Shift app. Until recently, communication with these employees was too dependent on cell phone providers and their constantly changing technology.
As part of our mission to continually improve your experience, we’re excited to announce a major upgrade: Orbital Shift recently switched to Twilio’s SMS Messaging Platform. Seamless to users, this change addressed many common pain points of traditional email-to-SMS methods, making it easier, faster, and more reliable for you to connect with your team. Here’s why this transition is a game-changer for Orbital Shift users.
Why make this change? The Advantages of Texting Over Email for Team Communication
Email-to-text methods have long been used to reach employees, but they come with challenges. Many companies and employees reported issues with delayed messages, undelivered notifications, and complex (constantly changing) configurations. Orbital Shift now offers a better solution by providing a direct communication method that’s more efficient and streamlined – and not dependent on the cell phone provider’s technology to convert emails to text. Here are some specific benefits that Orbital Shift’s new platform brings over traditional email communications:
- Higher Open Rates: Text messages boast an impressive open rate of around 98%, compared to email’s average open rate of about 21%. With Orbital Shift, messages sent to employees are much more likely to be seen and read immediately, ensuring critical information is delivered with no delay.
- Immediate Delivery: Your messages are delivered instantly, making them ideal for urgent updates like schedule changes, shift reminders, or last-minute updates. Email can’t match this immediacy, where delays are common, especially when emails are sent to carrier-dependent gateways.
- Concise and Clear: Unlike emails, which can become lengthy and unclear, messages sent via text are short and to the point, delivering essential information without unnecessary clutter.
- Personal and Direct: Orbital Shift messages feel more personal, making them a powerful tool for connecting with your team. Studies show that employees feel more engaged and connected through direct text messages than through impersonal emails.
- Enhanced Security and Compliance: Incorporating Twilio’s messaging platform keeps your information secure through direct integration with Orbital Shift. Messages are transmitted safely within a carrier-independent network, which protects against data vulnerabilities associated with traditional email servers.
What were the pain points of our old communication platform?
Before switching to Twilio, Orbital Shift users relied on email-to-text message delivery services. For example, a Verizon text message would be converted to 5555555555@vtext.com, while an AT&T text message would be converted to 5555555555@txt.att.net. While this method did allow messages to be sent to employees’ phones, it came with a host of challenges:
- Complexity: While sending emails is relatively seamless to users, it requires knowing employees’ carrier information and setting up complex configurations for each provider. If employees change carriers, administrators need to stay up-to-date on those changes, making it a tedious process.
- Deliverability Issues: Messages sent via email-to-SMS weren’t always delivered reliably. Email providers may delay sending or even discard messages without notifying the sender. Carrier-specific issues, such as spam filters or high message volumes, also lead to undelivered notifications.
- Lack of Standardization: Different cell carriers use varying protocols for handling email-to-SMS, leading to unpredictable results for employees on different networks and locations.
- Orbital Shift’s switch to Twilio’s SMS platform means these issues are over. Twilio uses a standardized API to ensure messages are sent directly to employees’ phones, eliminating the need to work with each carrier individually.
Streamlining Communication with Orbital Shift
Orbital Shift has significantly invested in enhancing your team communication experience by upgrading to one of the top communication platforms. No more worrying about unreliable message delivery or the hassle of configuring carrier-specific settings. With Twilio’s robust API and Orbital Shift’s user-friendly interface, you can focus on what matters most—keeping your team informed and connected.
Ready to see the benefits firsthand? Log in to your Orbital Shift account today, try the new messaging platform, and experience the difference a dedicated SMS solution can make. Keep your eyes out for exciting changes coming in 2025 as we continue to push to provide users with a better, more secure user experience for everyone by investing in our Progressive Web Application (PWA). PWAs combine the best of technology: the seamless experience of a native app and the accessibility of a website. It’s fast, reliable, and works on any device with a web browser.
Remember: The more efficiently you communicate, your team's operations will be smoother. With Orbital Shift and Twilio, staying connected has never been easier or more reliable.
