Originally posted on November 4th, 2021
Since originally posting about this in November last year, the news of the Zipwhip software being sunset has continued to materialize. Since then, the Marchex Sonar brand has been able to ensure organizations formerly using Zipwhip do not miss a beat with their communication strategy.
When Twilio acquired Zipwhip in May 2021, it was unclear how Zipwhip customers would be affected. If you’re a Zipwhip customer, you should be concerned, as it’s often the customer who loses out when these types of acquisitions happen. And it didn’t take long for Twilio to move quickly on some changes.
We’ve found that many previous ZipWhip customers were only scratching the surface when implementing a communication strategy meant to span throughout their customers’ lifetime journey.
The Facts
As of October 31st, 2021, Twilio announced that it would shut down the Zipwhip software completely, stating that all functionality, text history, and contacts will be removed and lost indefinitely if no action is taken. Also, Twilio has not changed the Zipwhip cancellation policy and expects customers to continue with this service until the end of their next renewal date.
This forces over 30,000 businesses to find a new texting platform if they plan to continue using one. While Twilio has not confirmed a Zipwhip sunset date, the company is asking Zipwhip customers to expect the platform to be deprecated sometime in 2022.
While no one likes to be forced to find a new provider, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on what was valuable about the system, and where the blind spots were.
The Opportunity
Consider the different types of communication that occur throughout your customer’s journey. From awareness to consideration of your product, to the actual purchase, then on to the continued support of service — including operations, building loyalty or nurturing continued sales. Customer engagement is NOT one-size-fits-all. There are several best practices to consider, and different departments in your organization may need to engage with your customers differently at different times.
Marchex Sonar is not a traditional texting company. We’re a software, analytics and A.I. company. We believe that your customers demand instant, interactive and personalized touchpoints.
The Marchex Sonar texting platform is also trusted by winning multi-location brands. Much like Zipwhip, Sonar allows you to:
- Text-enable your existing landline for texting
- Allow for individual or shared inboxes
- Integrate with top CRM systems
Zipwhip was a powerful tool with many out of the box, one-size-fits-all integrations, from CRMs to productivity tools. Zipwhip also did a good job at allowing multiple users to have access to an account under the same company umbrella.
Integrations, however, are not one-size-fits-all. Your communication strategy, like your organization, is unique.
Unlike Zipwhip or any other provider in the industry, Marchex Sonar allows you to improve engagement and communication across your entire business with unparalleled features such as:
- Natural language AI and AI-powered conversation flows
- Robust permission sets and detailed company hierarchy (over 70 customizable permissions)
- Highly customizable workflows
These features can be deployed with custom development options to fit seamlessly into your business environment.
Next Steps
Marchex’s Sonar texting platform is the most powerful and robust in the industry. Request a demo and let’s determine how our AI-powered solution can enable and improve:
- Sales Engagement & Client Support
- Targeted Marketing & Follow-up Response
- List Growth & Data Capture
- Operations, including Alerts & Reminders
To learn more about Marchex Sonar, request a demo.
Or call or text us here: (833) 459-2442.
