LONDON – September 21, 2010 –– Sybase 365 , a subsidiary of Sybase, Inc., the global leader in mobile messaging and mobile commerce services, today announced the deployment of SMS text alerts for Rite Aid, one of the United States’ leading drugstore chains. The new service is available to all Rite Aid patients and customers nationwide regardless of their mobile network. Not only does this service increase convenience for customers and maintain prescription compliance it also lays the groundwork for future enhancements to text alert capabilities that Rite Aid can use to further enrich the customer experience.
Rite Aid customers who “opt-in” to the pharmacy alerts system will receive SMS notifications when their prescriptions are ready to be collected, as well as refill and will-call reminders and other status changes. Patients now have the option to receive such messages by text, as well as email or automated phone call – whether they ordered their prescriptions in one of Rite Aid’s more than 4,700 stores or online at www.MyRiteAid.com.
“This new service greatly enhances our ability to communicate with our patients while using the communication method they prefer,” said Robert Thompson, Rite Aid Executive Vice President of Pharmacy. “In addition to convenience, these alerts also help our patients stay current with their prescriptions and improve patient compliance in taking medications as prescribed.”
An August 2010 report from Yankee Group, “4G Mobile Web: The New Face of Business”, calls out Sybase for their creation of dedicated, cross-channel software solutions that deliver proactive SMS text alerts and well as customer service technology, both of which contribute to a richer mobile experience. And as consumer demand for mobile interactivity and competitive pressures increase, businesses must adapt and change the way they work.
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“Our recent report shows consumer demand for mobile services is accelerating at a phenomenal rate. Creating a more active experience in real-time is becoming increasingly important for businesses to establish a strong mobile presence, and personalization and location-awareness are the key features that distinguish the mobile from the traditional online experience,” said Sheryl Kingstone, director of research at Yankee Group . “As consumers rely increasingly on their mobile phones, Sybase offers a complete platform to develop mobile experiences across different points of the customer life cycle from acquisition to payment to care.”
According to the Sybase 365 Global Consumer Acceptance and Usage Report released earlier this year, consumers are looking for more from their phones, with 70 percent reporting interest in additional mobile services.
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“Rite Aid’s new mobile messaging service is a great example of how innovative enterprises are leveraging the mobile channel to provide customers with a richer experience, thereby increasing their loyalty to the brand,” said Marty Beard, President of Sybase 365. “SMS alerts are a great entry point for enterprises from which they can evolve into more sophisticated mobile campaigns across the entire customer life cycle. Mobile solutions that create awareness, enable purchases, support the consumer post-purchase and drive customer retention.”
