Newbie Question; texting

[jowilker]

Hello please be gentle, I'm over 60, and just got my first phone with data plan.

I just got Sprint Samsung Intercept with 2.2, the learning curve is steep.

I have 2 gmail accounts one for personal and one for business. My phone is set up with my personal account. I am considering texting customers using my business account.

If this is possible to do from my phone without adding a lot of steps, would someone kindly give instructions on how to pull this off. I don't mind adding another app if that would make it easier to separate the two accounts.


John

 

[cableguynoe]

Hello please be gentle, I'm over 60, and just got my first phone with data plan.

I just got Sprint Samsung Intercept with 2.2, the learning curve is steep.

I have 2 gmail accounts one for personal and one for business. My phone is set up with my personal account. I am considering texting customers using my business account.

If this is possible to do from my phone without adding a lot of steps, would someone kindly give instructions on how to pull this off. I don't mind adding another app if that would make it easier to separate the two accounts.


John

When you say

I am considering texting customers using my business account.

Do you actually mean texting, as in sending them text messages?

Or did you mean sending them emails from your phone, using your secondary gmail account?

 

[jowilker]

To tell you the truth I am not certain what I meant. This texting thing is new to me.

I have the customers phone number not email, thought I might text to say I could come by at xxxxxxxxxxx and get their response.



John

 

[No_u]

Texting costs money on your phone plan. E-mail is free as long as you have data on your plan.

 

[jowilker]

Texting costs money on your phone plan. E-mail is free as long as you have data on your plan.

Thanks, Unlimited texting is included in my plan.




John

 

[cableguynoe]

Thanks, Unlimited texting is included in my plan.




John

Well then, as long as you have the phone number, you can easily send them a text message right from your phone.
This is regardless of what gmail accounts you have set up on your phone.
Text messaging is different than email.
And if you get their email and add it to the contact, you can also send a text message to an email address, or both their phone number and email, to ensure they receive your message.

 

[jowilker]

Glad I stopped in and asked, I am learning something here.

Maybe I will text and ask for email address.

I can still remember when we used phones to make calls with. LOL




John

 

[Darkseas]

Glad I stopped in and asked, I am learning something here.

Maybe I will text and ask for email address.

I can still remember when we used phones to make calls with. LOL

It's not quite as simple as it was explained to you. Texting is done between cell phones and cell phones, or between cell phones and computers. In general, if the number of the business you call is a POTS (plain old telephone service), they won't be able to receive your text message.

OK, most small business people have cells. However, unless they've recently upgraded their phone or their phone plan, they many not have unlimited text, and may be very annoyed if they have to pay for each text received or you're burning up their limited number of text messages.

And sending text messages to people you don't know and have never done business with is considered by many to be worse than spamming them. If they get annoyed enough, they'll block texts and voice calls from your number.

So, best thing you can do is make a voice call and see how they'd like to be contacted IF they want to do business with you.

 

[jowilker]

Thanks, I didn't think about not having free text. Guess I need to stick with what I know works, talking not texting.

I had free texting on my Nextel for years although I never used it, screen & keyboard toooo dang small.

This new phone has many toys, guess I need to leave them for younger folks.



John

 

[veracosa]

Another thing to consider is that if you text a client, your only "record" of your conversation is on your own phone, where if you use email through Gmail, you have the conversation easily accessible by *any*internet-connected device.