As businesses grow, effective communication becomes increasingly challenging. Teams seek more efficient channels to connect with an increasing number of contacts, while reducing team workloads. Texting has emerged as a popular choice, with over half (52%) of professionals citing its efficiency as a key factor in their decision-making process.
Bloom Institute of Technology (BloomTech), a tech job training institution has steadily grown since its conception in 2017. In 2023, the enrollment team recognized their need for a channel that would let them seamlessly connect with more and more prospective learners. They were drawn to texting’s efficiency and proven 98% open rate.
The team searched for a business texting platform that would integrate with both their Salesforce CRM and Aircall, their go-to calling tool. After reviewing seven options, they found Heymarket, which offered robust integrations with both apps.
In this case study, we’ll delve into three Heymarket features the BloomTech team used to increase communication efficiency and, ultimately, scheduled admissions meetings: a Salesforce integration, Slack integration, and web widget.
The business: clearing the path to dream tech jobs
Bloom Institute of Technology has flexible tech training programs that are designed to help learners who haven’t had access to college or lucrative career paths access tech careers. Learners can choose one of three heavy-hitting tracks: full stack web, data science, and backend development.
One of many things that sets BloomTech apart is its powerful support system, which guides learners through enrollment, course completion, and job placement. This innovative program and outstanding support system has led to remarkable success stories. In 2022, 86% of job-seeking graduates were offered jobs.
Challenge #1: An existing Salesforce ecosystem
BloomTech’s processes are deeply embedded in Salesforce. When they were initially looking for a business texting tool, they knew it must thoroughly integrate with Salesforce. They needed the ability to create custom connections between the business texting software and their existing Salesforce ecosystem.
Solution #1: Amplifying business texting with a Salesforce integration
For the BloomTech team, Heymarket’s Salesforce SMS integration is crucial to their texting success. The Heymarket widget within Salesforce, complete with an administrative panel, is user-friendly. Accessing Salesforce within the Heymarket app is seamless. Setup was a breeze, thanks to Heymarket’s comprehensive documentation, which offers screenshots for clarity. Additionally, the app offers checkmarks to guide users through the process.
“I just felt really comfortable working within Heymarket.”
— Dee Knell, Salesforce Administrator
With the integration, the BloomTech team has set up Flows that send texts at key points during learners’ journeys. For example, they’re automating personalized messages to send when:
- Prospective learners sign up for BloomTech communications
- Team members decline incoming Aircall calls
- BloomTech sends important emails
- Live classes are about to start
- Contact records in Salesforce are updated
Heymarket is completely configurable with Salesforce. The integration creates a dedicated Message Object for each message sent and received via Heymarket’s inboxes. The team appreciated this deeper level of customization within the Salesforce environment, since most other apps default to using Activities to track messages.
They use the message object to check if the message is an automation, whether it’s from a Salesforce Flow, an automated response from the Heymarket site, or a Heymarket list send. They also use the it to verify which number is sending or receiving the message, which does not get communicated from the usename alone and helps with tracking their KPIs.
Ultimately, the Salesforce SMS integration has empowered BloomTech to expand their Salesforce ecosystem, connect with learners more reliably, and save time with comprehensive Flows.
Challenge #2: Low response rates and time-consuming strategies
Before Heymarket, the admissions team at BloomTech automated welcome emails for prospective learners who signed up to learn more about their programs. But response rates weren’t as high as they knew they could be.
They knew texting sparked engagement; they achieved high response rates by manually texting follow-ups after phone conversations. However, texting each contact individually was time-consuming, and resulted in inconsistencies in message content and send times.
Solution #2: Creating instant connections with business texting
With Heymarket, the admissions and learner assistance teams automate texts throughout their learners’ entire time at Bloomtech. When a prospective learner signs up to learn about BloomTech, they immediately receive a message from an enrollment coach. The coach welcomes them and provides a Calendly link with potential meeting times. Prospective learners also receive automated follow-up texts after calls.
The support team uses texts too. Current learners receive texts before lessons and meetings, giving them instructions on how to access their portals and sharing the link to instantly join a class. Each message can feature a different signature, so specific team members connect with specific learners. Ultimately, these messages increased lesson and meeting attendance.
“It was a game-changer to acknowledge people outside of emails.”
— Dee Knell, Salesforce Administrator
Instantaneously connecting with prospective learners has been a game changer. The admissions team has experienced a 104% increase in scheduled admissions meetings since implementing Heymarket.
Challenge #3: An existing collaboration tool
The BloomTech team relies on Slack for internal communication. Despite having other tabs open on their browsers, they check Slack more than any other app, and wanted the option to manage incoming texts from within it.
Solution #3: Improving teamwork with the Slack SMS integration
With Heymarket’s SMS for Slack integration, prospective and current learners’ questions are routed to a designated Slack channel. The support team easily accesses and collaborates on these messages right in that channel. Then, they can respond in a specific thread, ensuring learners receive quick responses while remaining in their favorite internal messaging app.
“The Slack integration has helped everyone in the entire company speak with learners.”
— Dee Knell, Salesforce Administrator
The Slack SMS integration has further streamlined BloomTech’s texting process. It has helped teams save time while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
Challenge #4: A seamless web chat experience
Prospective learners often visit BloomTech’s main website to learn more about their programs. While the website originally had a form learners could fill out to get help, this setup did not allow BloomTech to offer instant help. BloomTech’s teams wanted a seamless way to connect with prospective learners reaching out from their website so they could help them right away.
Solution #4: Streamlining the web experience with a widget
Now, BloomTech’s team uses Heymarket’s web widget on their main website. Prospective learners have a clear and easy way to chat with the BloomTech team. They simply click (or tap) on the widget, and open a chat. They enter their phone number, name, and email address. Then, they select a topic and click “Send SMS.” Shortly afterwards, they receive a text.
Responses arrive into the appropriate Heymarket inbox and in a designated Slack channel, where team members can easily answer. The team has created several automated responses so texters can receive responses as soon as possible.
“Heymarket made our initial contact go up quite a bit.”
— Dee Knell, Salesforce Administrator
Now, prospective learners are more likely to reach out than ever, and the BloomTech team is well-equipped to respond quickly.
Future lessons: a deeper dive into the Salesforce integration
BloomTech’s next goal is to further explore Heymarket’s more advanced features, like the Salesforce SMS integration.
In the near future, the team hopes to set up a Salesforce Flow that turns messages in their main Heymarket inbox into Salesforce cases. Each conversation—not each text—will become a case, further melding Salesforce with Heymarket.
As the BloomTech team continues to explore Heymarket’s business texting platform, they’re excited to continue doing what they do best: helping learners achieve their dreams.
