Landline Texting is on the Rise Among Private Schools in the U.S.
The number of students who are studying in private schools in the US has steadily increased in the last few decades. Similarly, the number of private schools that are opening each year is always on the rise. According to a statistics report, there are 34,576 American private schools which forms a share of 10% of the total number of schools that are educating almost 5.7 million students.
The huge popularity of private schools and the increasing number of students enrolling in private educational institutions has made security a priority to ensure safe school procedures. The safety of the students is of paramount importance to these private institutions, to the parents, and to state officials. In order to ensure safe school operations, the directors of these private schools must ensure efficient and quick communication with the parents, students, and with the administration.
Consequently, it is highly encouraged that all private school operators deploy landline texting which is the latest form of establishing effective communication. Up to now, many schools (both private and public) have been using phone calls, email, snail mail letters, and scheduling meetings to deliver messages and school updates. However, landline texting has proven to be the latest and greatest form of delivering important updates and messages because it offers immediate message delivery. That’s why sending a short message (SMS) to the mobile device of all participants is becoming the preferred method of communication at schools.
Landline Texting is on the Rise
Landline texting services were first introduced in 1985 with the use of the Global System for Mobile Communication standard.
That being said, the top reasons that private schools are switching to landline texting is because:
You can use your school’s phone number to send and receive text messages.
Using two-way text messaging accomplishes a fully secured and enhanced method of exchanging data and sending important reminders and updates.
By using SMS, the schools can save on paper, printing services, labor, electricity and telephone bills.
You can centralize communication using an easy-to-manage web-based user admin panel.
The private school administrators can establish a security measure that would require a password that ensures safe pick-up and drop-off of the students.
For sending or receiving texts, no special software, data connection or any particular expertise is required. Basically, anyone who owns a mobile device can text.
Schools can send bulk text messages to parents to instantly deliver a message about any unforeseen incident.
Text messaging has a lower risk of hacking than email which makes it a safer way of communicating.
The above-mentioned SMS platform features have rendered landline texting as the most favorable form of communication among private schools. The popularity of texting has been increasing since its inception, and the appeal grew quickly among businesses and educational institutions because:
In 90% of cases, the receiver reads the text message within 3 minutes.
There are almost 6 billion mobile phones whereas the number of email accounts is just about 3.6 billion.
91% of people keep their phone handy all the time whereas 84% of emails land in the spam folder and are never read.
Only 2.95% of URL links sent through emails are clicked on whereas 36% of URL links sent via text are clicked on.
Recipients only open 22.5% of the emails they receive, whereas 99% of text messages are opened.
SMS texting has six to eight times more engagement than emails.
Consumers redeem discount offers sent by text 10 times more than the ones sent through email.
Why Private Schools are Switching to Landline Texting
The most valuable components of landline texting for private schools are the fact that it is so cost effective and results oriented. School authorities are able to perform various tasks and deliver information to the parents and students using the school’s phone number in a fast and secured method. Let’s review some of the other reasons private schools are using SMS.
Quick delivery of schedule changes, early dismissal due to inclement weather, and other events that may cause an unexpected change in the school day.
Instant notification of any unforeseen circumstances or emergencies.
Convenient way to remind parents and students about the submission of permission slips, projects, homework, returning signed report cards, and many more reminders.
Excellent way to notify subscribers about PTA meetings, fundraisers, events, trips, and other activities.
The school administration can instantly notify parents about the sudden absence of a student or any suspicious behavior.
Teachers can send notifications on new lesson plans or upcoming projects to keep parents and students informed of upcoming schoolwork ahead of time.
The school can promote any ongoing awareness campaigns to both the students and parents through text. For example, awareness against bullying or sexual harassment.
The school staff is able to inform parents about their child’s performance and progress through text message.
Teachers can notify parents via text about upcoming tests to help them manage the appropriate time for studying, especially for year-end state exams.
School authorities can inform parents about incidents that will cause disciplinary action and secure a day and time to meet with the parents if required.
These are only a few of the purposes that private schools are using landline texting to communicate with students and parents. Additionally, there are several other resolves that a texting service can provide for schools including advertising campaigns that would attract new admissions and increase revenue for the school. In some cases, with the consent of the parents, schools are also running various in-house campaigns through SMS to increase brand awareness and build a stronger reputation.
The beauty of the Text My Main Number landline texting platform is that it allows schools to filter messages into groups so that only specific recipients receive the text messages. With the use of the web-based platform, schools can send scheduled text messages at any time irrespective of the school’s working hours. Considering the minimal initial set-up and operating costs, the usage of a landline texting platform is economical, reasonable, and suitable. The best part is, you won’t have to hire an IT expert to comfortably operate the texting platform. Text My Main Number offers a free trial and free training after set-up and their customer support team is always readily available to assist with any questions you may have.