Texting is the new talking. It’s how we check in with each other, coordinate activities, share, make up, break up and make up again.
With Americans sending an average of three text messages per hour around the clock, we’re using our thumbs as our main way of communicating with the world.
Except, that is, when we want to talk to a business down the street. That’s the problem father-and-son entrepreneurs David W. Morgan and David A. Morgan, along with longtime tech collaborator Binh Ly, set out to solve when they invented TalkShop. Coeur d’Alene resident Jeff Willis joined the group last year to head up sales.
TalkShop (TalksShopApp.com) transforms existing landlines so that they can send and receive texts. That means shoppers can inquire about available appointments at a local spa, order ahead from that new Greek restaurant or get this week’s class schedule from the gym.
“Texting is the easiest way to get information,” said Ly. “We knew that TalkShop had to be just as easy for consumers and for the businesses.” Because shoppers often already know a business’ main phone number, TalkShop works with phone carriers behind the scenes to route texts for that same number to its TalkShop mobile app or an online dashboard—whichever is most convenient for the business staff.
“All our technology is invisible to the business and its customers,” said Ly. “It might as well be magic because notifications come in on your phone and computer in real time—just like with a regular text but without having to share your personal number.”
Other features allow businesses to distribute texts among multiple staff members, blast out communications to all customers or set auto-responses.
One of TalkShop’s earliest success stories, Spring Valley Golf Course in Milpitas, California, has built its entire customer communications strategy around TalkShop. “Our customers love the ability to text with TalkShop for tee times,” said Spring Valley’s management. “It’s a huge convenience for them.”
TalkShop also comes in handy when Spring Valley coordinates large golf tournaments and has to share real-time information quickly. And the app enables them to upsell, say, an electric cart or a dozen balls when confirming a reservation by text.
“What I love about TalkShop is that we’re still figuring out all the things it can do,” said sales leader Willis. “Later this month, our company is attending a wedding expo to show brides how they can coordinate all their wedding planning and activities with TalkShop. When we first created the app, we never imagined it would be a way that Uncle Leo could send pictures and greetings to the bride and groom from his table at the reception.”
Willis says that diverse customers from chambers of commerce to plumbers and trampoline bounce businesses continue to find creative, new ways to drive revenue and customer satisfaction with the power of texting.
While the ‘thumbs up’ from more and more customers is exciting, it comes as no surprise to the Morgans. David W. Morgan spent 30 years building a global supply chain company from a spare-bedroom startup. More recently, he revolutionized the data side of supply chain with ChronosCloud, Inc., a venture that connects all the events and companies involved in the lifespan of a product, from raw materials to the final mile delivery.
“In all my businesses, we take advantage of opportunities to simplify a complicated world,” Morgan said. “That’s what I love about TalkShop. It lets the businesses talk to their interested customers immediately and easily. In a time where we all get too many voicemail phone trees and too much spam, those kinds of relationships add up to more sales and happier clients. It’s a better experience for all of us.”
If you want to TalkShop, you can find out more by calling texting 310.622.9125 or visiting TalkShopApp.com.
TalkShop
310.622.9125 (text)