Bliss SMS helpline emails parents text to whole support team

IT | 1 Mar 2009

Bliss has responded to in-house research highlighting text messaging as its beneficiaries’ preferred communication method by launching ‘Blisstext’ - a new text messaging helpline option.

The special care baby charity enlisted the help of web-based text messaging solutions company, Text Messaging Centre (TMC) to allow young parents and families looking after babies requiring special care to stay in touch with Bliss via text.

Carmel Bartley, family support manager at Bliss, said: "Text is now the first choice means of communication among the parents we help."

"Whenever an SMS is received, the TMC system sends an email to the whole support team to alert them to the message, ensuring that no enquiry is ever missed and the person with the most suitable skills always responds."

Blisstext allows for text messages containing crucial advice and support to be sent to multiple recipients at any one time. It also provides an option for parents to receive tips, advice and information on forthcoming events which has reduced the amount of repeatedly asked questions and allowed for better time management for staff.

TMC’s ‘no contract, no minimum term and no monthly fee’ has also proven cost-effective with Bliss paying 5p per sent text, enabling the charity to work to budget requirements.

Bartley added: “We believe the immediacy of text offers great comfort to those caring for sick babies as they know they can grab their mobile phone and get a quick answer to any worry they may have.”

The telephone helpline also remains open.

Images

Comments

[Cancel] | Reply to:

Name *

Email *

Organisation

Job Title

Comments *

Verification *

* Please read our Community Standards

Close »

Community Standards

The civilsociety.co.uk community and comments board is intended as a platform for informed and civilised debate.

We hope to encourage a broad range of views, however, there are standards that we expect commentators to uphold. We reserve the right to delete or amend any comments that do not adhere to these standards.

We welcome:

Robust but respectful debate
Strongly held opinions
Intelligent relevant discussion
The sharing of relevant experiences
New participants

We will not publish:

Rude, threatening, offensive, obscene or abusive language, or links to such material
Links to commercial organisations or spam postings. The comments board is not an advertising platform
The posting of contact details for yourself or others
Comments intended for malicious purpose or mindless abuse
Comments purporting to be from another person or organisation under false pretences
Gratuitous criticism, commentary or self-promotion
Any material which breaches copyright or privacy laws, or could be considered libellous
The use of the comments board for the pursuit or extension of personal disputes

Be aware:

Views expressed on the comments board are left at users’ discretion and are in no way views held or supported by Civil Society Media
Comments left by others may not be accurate, do not rely on them as fact
You may be misunderstood - sarcasm and humour can easily be taken out of context, try to be clear

Please:

Enjoy the opportunity to express your opinion and respect the right of others to express theirs
Confine your remarks to issues rather than personalities

Together we can keep our community a polite, respectful and intelligent platform for discussion.