Why CFOs Investing in Toll-Free SMS Over Short Codes Just Makes Sense
May 7, 2019
April 6, 2023
Managing the financial health of your company requires constantly looking for ways to improve the bottom line. New technologies have given companies new ways to streamline their operations without having to add to costs, but it’s an older technology, one that you probably already have, that can save you some serious money.
That technology? Your toll-free phone numbers.
That’s right toll-free numbers, the ones you already have setup to receive calls, can help you save money on something you’re already doing—sending high volume text messages. By moving to toll-free SMS and ditching your short codes, you can save your business time and money.
The Cost of a Short Code
Before even getting into the costs of actively running a campaign—the platform you’ll use, the cost per message, etc, you have to remember the cost to purchase a dedicated short code. And, for the record, we’re only going to mention dedicated short codes as a cost here, because shared short codes are in the process of sunsetting, as carriers decide that they’ll no longer accept traffic from them.
The cost to purchase a dedicated short code can be in the thousands. Before you’ve sent one message, engaged with one person, or settled on a platform, you’ll have spent more than $1,000 just to have a number to send messages from.
A Unified Number for Calling and Texting
Toll-free SMS, on the other hand, gives you a single number to purchase for both voice calling and text messaging. And that number comes in at a lot less than a short code. Toll-free numbers usually run around $1 a month to own, while short codes can cost you $500 or more per month. By unifying your voice and messaging under a single number, you can also unify your provider, helping you to cut costs on vendor management.
Cut Down Your Time to Market
Getting a short code takes time. Not only do you have to purchase the number, but you have to get your campaign approved by every single carrier that your messages will pass through. That takes time—as long as six weeks.
Toll-free numbers, on the other hand, take far less time to go from order to sending your first message, as they don’t have to go through the same approval process as short codes.
Ready to Cut Back on Time and Money?
You’re already sending text messages, so why not save money while doing it. Reach out today to find out how Bandwidth can text-enable your toll-free phone numbers, saving you time and money on your high-volume messaging campaigns.