Lancaster University Students Union finds way to communicate with students in a cost-effective manner.
Lancaster University Students’ Union (LUSU) is a not-for-profit educational charity which is part of Lancaster University. They provide representation, services and activities for Lancaster University students on and off campus. They also look after all the sports clubs and societies for students and activities that go along with them.
Challenge
Lancaster University Students’ Union were interested in fast and effective communication with their student members for marketing, notifications and reminders. They wanted to use SMS messaging for this, since everyone usually has their phone on them and does actively check their messages. For an educational charity that meant they had to also look at their costs and spending. Instead of the traditional SMS messaging services that are provided through an SMS gateway, they wanted something that they had more control of, and effectively cheaper than the normal online service.
SMSJuice Solution
SMSJuice made a solution for them to make sure that all their requirements were met. The solution was an on-site service where they controlled the mobile network operator they used for sending messages. The do this through the software which is built to connect to a mobile broadband dongle, in which they put a SIM card with credit and allowances. So instead of sending messages through the available SMS gateways they now send and receive messages through the mobile broadband stick. The software that SMSJuice built for them enables them to send and receive messages like on a phone, add subscriptions & contacts through the broadband dongle and create auto-responders. It’s just like the online service but with a different method of sending messages.
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Solution Benefits
- Cost of messages drastically reduced to a fraction of a penny, the actual price depending on SIM deal and subscription with preferred mobile operator
- System doesn’t need internet, which means information and contact details are more secure on-site.
- No middle-man when sending/receiving messages, as compared to SMS gateways which might go through other providers before reaching the appropriate mobile network operator.