Podium is a customer relation management (CRM system) that is designed to help businesses get new customers as well as keep current ones. It provides tools for improving communication, streamlining processes, and tracking and managing leads. It provides email and SMS communications as well, but also analytics and contact profiles to each client.
Whether you're a business owner or an agency, Podium makes it easy to create a custom message that's optimized for the recipient. The service's inbox is a centralized communications hub that allows you to send and receive messages, reply to messages and manage your contacts. You can also send automated messages, respond to requests, and set up a web chat widget.
Podium does offer a free starter program, although some may find the pricing a bit high. Plus, there's a monthly subscription that lets you pay for the number of subscribers you need. The cost might be prohibitive for small businesses. There are other similar services on the market, such as Textedly, which offers a flexible monthly payment schedule.
The Podium dashboard has a clean, easy-to-use interface. You will receive basic instructions once you log in. A knowledge base is located at the top of the website's navigation bar. This is where you'll find tips and tricks to ensure your campaigns are effective.
Podium's review function is one of the best features. Customers can submit feedback instantly. After they submit their comments, they can select which platform they want to leave their opinion on. According to the company, two-thirds are generated via the web chat feature.
Podium provides review invitations in text format to encourage customers and employees to leave reviews. You will be redirected to the webpage with a short URL after clicking "Review invitation". Once the recipient clicks that URL, they will go to a review site with a button to submit a review.
Podium gives its users templates as well as other tools to aid them in creating a successful review program. These templates come in four different formats. The template can be customized with the name of the customer and the phone number. It is then sent to its recipient.
Podium is able to automatically generate reminder emails and SMS messages for customers about their appointments, which is unlike other messaging platforms. It also has a live chat function that can be accessed through the help centre.
You can also use the review feature to increase your customer base. It uses artificial intelligence to prioritize messages that come in based on customer history. Another feature you'll love is the "Review Invitation," where you can send out limited numbers of automated reviews invitations via text. Depending upon your requirements, you have the option to choose from Google review or Facebook.
Podium is a great platform to enhance your online presence and build relationships with customers. But while the company offers advanced features like an inbox that's tailored for customer engagement, the price might be too high for some businesses.