SMS Benchmarks for Manufacturing

SMS benchmarks give manufacturing teams practical context for evaluating communication performance with suppliers, partners, and frontline staff. This overview highlights the SMS metrics that matter most for efficiency, reliability, and engagement across complex manufacturing workflows.

The following stats come from analyzing 183,708 engaged contacts.

Average Response Rate

The average response rate in manufacturing is 55.71%, reflecting how often workers, suppliers, and partners reply to SMS updates about schedules, orders, and production activity. This level of interaction often signals that critical information is reaching the right people at the right moment.

Response rate shows the proportion of recipients who send a reply, calculated by dividing the number of responses by all successfully delivered texts.

In manufacturing, it highlights how reliably teams communicate about machine downtime, shift changes, material arrivals, and quality issues. When this metric stays strong, information loops tend to close faster, which supports smoother coordination across the plant and along the supply chain.

Average Opt-Out Rate

The average opt-out rate for manufacturing is 0.08 percent, a notably low level for a sector that relies on precise coordination and time critical updates.

Opt-out rate is the proportion of contacts who reply STOP or otherwise unsubscribe from your SMS communications.

It is calculated by dividing the number of opt-outs by the number of messages successfully delivered, then expressing that figure as a percentage.

In manufacturing, this measure highlights whether production alerts, delivery notices, and shift updates are perceived as helpful or intrusive.

Keeping opt-out rate low supports reliable information flow across plants, suppliers, and logistics partners.

Average Click-Through Rate

The average click-through rate in manufacturing is 13–20% and shows how often recipients interact with links inside SMS updates that support production, logistics, and supplier coordination.

Click-through rate is the share of successfully delivered messages that generate at least one tap on a tracked link.

To calculate it, divide total link clicks by total messages delivered, then multiply by 100.

In manufacturing, a strong click-through rate signals that teams and partners find SMS content relevant for tasks like reviewing work orders, confirming shipments, accessing maintenance logs, or updating inventory details.

Average Conversion Rate

The average conversion rate for manufacturing is 21–30%, indicating how many people carry out a planned outcome after receiving and reading an SMS.

This metric reflects how effectively text messages guide customers or partners toward specific production related steps.

Conversion rate is calculated by dividing the number of completed actions such as confirmed purchase orders, approved quotes, or scheduled maintenance visits by the total number of delivered messages, then converting that figure into a percentage.

In manufacturing this percentage is crucial because it highlights how well messaging supports inventory planning, production scheduling, supplier coordination, and long term customer relationships.

Average Delivery Rate

The average delivery rate for manufacturing is 98–99%, which signals that text alerts almost always reach staff phones and connected devices as planned.

This reliability supports smoother production runs, faster incident responses, and better coordination between warehouses, production lines, and logistics teams.

Delivery rate describes the share of messages that successfully arrive compared with all attempted sends.

It is calculated by dividing delivered SMS by total sent, while excluding those rejected because of invalid numbers or carrier level filtering.

In manufacturing, a strong delivery rate is crucial because teams depend on instant texts for machine status updates, shift handovers, safety notifications, inventory movements, and shipment timing.

Average Open Rate

The average open rate is 98%, meaning workers almost always read text messages in manufacturing settings.

In this context, open rate is the percentage of delivered texts that recipients actually view.

It is found by taking the number of messages opened, dividing by the number successfully delivered, then multiplying by 100 to convert to a percentage.

For manufacturing, this metric is vital because safety notices, shift updates, equipment alerts, and quality notifications must be seen quickly.

Strong open rates make sure critical shop floor information reaches the right people at the right moment.

Average Time to Read

The average time to read an SMS in manufacturing is 3 minutes.

Time to read describes the period between when a text is delivered and when a worker or supervisor first opens it.

It is calculated by tracking delivery timestamps and first view timestamps across many messages, then averaging those gaps.

This matters in manufacturing because quick reading affects line changeovers, maintenance alerts, safety notifications, material arrivals, and shift coordination.

Faster reading helps teams react to issues before they disrupt production schedules and quality standards.

Average Response Time

The average response time for manufacturing is 90 seconds, showing how quickly teams usually reply after receiving a text message.

Response time is the gap between when a message lands on a device and when the first reply is sent.

It is calculated by averaging this interval across all text conversations within a given period.

In manufacturing, response time matters because production issues, maintenance alerts, and supply updates often need rapid attention.

A shorter response time signals that staff are actively engaged, which helps make sure lines keep moving and downtime stays limited.

Average Bounce Rate

The average bounce rate is 1–2% in manufacturing, which signals that only a tiny share of SMS notifications fail to reach their intended recipients.

This very small percentage points to reliable data quality and trustworthy routing across complex supplier and production networks.

Bounce rate is calculated by dividing undelivered text messages by the total volume sent and then converting that ratio into a percentage.

In manufacturing, this metric matters because dependable delivery supports order confirmations, shipment status alerts, shift updates, and maintenance notifications across plants and warehouses.

A persistently low bounce rate keeps contact data current so production planning, logistics coordination, and safety communication stay aligned.

Average Messages per Conversation

Manufacturing businesses see an average of 4.6 messages per conversation, which signals high engagement.

This figure reflects the typical number of back and forth messages that happen within a single customer thread.

It is calculated by taking the total count of messages exchanged and dividing it by the number of separate conversations.

In manufacturing, a higher average often shows that customers and partners are actively clarifying specs, timelines, and order details.

By tracking this metric, teams can spot where communication gets complicated, make sure instructions are clearer, and keep production and delivery running smoothly.

Overview of Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector depends on accurate, time critical communication to keep production, supply chains, and workforce coordination on track.

Information must travel quickly between teams, sites, and partners, often in fast moving environments where delays can cause costly disruptions.

SMS helps meet these demands through its immediacy, near universal reach, and very high engagement rates, making it ideal for reaching employees, contractors, and stakeholders wherever they are.

By delivering concise updates directly to mobile devices, SMS supports smoother daily operations, helps prevent misunderstandings, and reduces downtime.

As manufacturing becomes more data driven and distributed, SMS provides a reliable communication backbone that helps maintain efficiency and strengthens overall business performance.

SMS Use Cases in Manufacturing

SMS gives manufacturing teams instant, trackable communication to cut lead times, reduce downtime, and keep suppliers and customers aligned.

Plant operators get machine fault and maintenance alerts via text so technicians can respond fast to make sure small failures do not stop lines.

Procurement teams confirm inbound parts and trigger kanban releases by SMS to make sure inventory matches production demand and avoid excess stock.

Supervisors and sales use texts for shift changes, safety alerts, build status, and ETA updates to make sure staffing, service, and deliveries stay on schedule.

FAQs About SMS Benchmarks for Manufacturing

How can sms support production scheduling in manufacturing?

Sms can quickly alert teams about schedule changes, machine availability, or urgent job reprioritization. This helps supervisors coordinate shifts and reduce confusion on the factory floor.

By sending concise updates directly to operators, managers can make sure everyone is aligned without relying only on notice boards or emails.

What role does sms play in coordinating maintenance in manufacturing plants?

Maintenance teams can receive instant sms notifications about breakdowns or preventive maintenance tasks. This helps technicians respond faster and organize their workload more effectively.

Sms can also be used to confirm task completion and communicate parts availability so that equipment downtime is kept under control.

How can manufacturers use sms to improve worker safety communications?

Manufacturers can send sms alerts to warn staff about hazards, incidents, or required safety checks. This creates a direct line of communication that reaches employees even when they are away from desks or computers.

Safety drills, access restrictions, and protective equipment reminders can all be shared via sms to make sure procedures are followed.

In what ways can sms streamline communication with suppliers in manufacturing?

Sms can be used to confirm order status, delivery times, and pickup arrangements with suppliers. This supports smoother coordination, especially when rapid responses are needed for critical materials.

By keeping messages brief and focused, manufacturing teams and suppliers can resolve issues faster and reduce back-and-forth emails.