When your SMS platform can't keep up: How Ultra Events switched to ClickSend and scaled to 2 million messages

When you run one event, sending "just a few texts" is easy. When you scale to hundreds each year, with critical touchpoints at every step, you can’t afford for your SMS platform to be the weak link. That's what Ultra Events discovered as they scaled from a single white-collar boxing event in 2009 to the UK’s largest charity events business.

API headaches and a platform that couldn’t keep up

Ultra Events isn't running the occasional fundraiser. They hold over 450 boxing, MMA, and comedy events annually — each requiring eight weeks of participant communication leading up to event day.

But as Ultra Events rapidly expanded (adding 350+ events since 2022 alone), their previous SMS platform, started to buckle.

"We were facing challenges with API integrations and general functionality that didn't keep up with what we wanted to do," said Gary Taylor from Ultra Events.

For an operation this size, a failing platform isn't just frustrating — it's a business risk. They knew it was time to make the switch.

After researching suppliers, ClickSend stood out. "The interface, functionality, API and overall cost looked the best for our needs."

Automation that actually works

Now, Ultra Events uses ClickSend's API to power the entire participant experience. This goes far beyond simple event reminders or promos. Every participant goes through eight weeks of free training before stepping into the ring or onto the comedy stage. That's eight weeks of touchpoints, reminders, encouragement and logistics — all happening simultaneously for thousands of participants at different stages.

"We have an API integration which sends automated texts to our participants throughout their training journey," said Taylor. "It’s an easy to use platform and simple to integrate with our website and CRM system. Plus, it’s cost effective."

At 2 million messages in 2025 alone, that cost-savings adds up fast.

This means Ultra Events can maintain personal touchpoints with hundreds of thousands of participants without manual intervention. Each participant gets the right message at the right time, whether they're in week one of training in Manchester or week eight in London.

What growth looks like with the right tools

Ultra Events didn’t just need another SMS provider. They needed something that could reliably handle millions of messages — and integrate cleanly with the systems they already used. ClickSend did exactly that.

Since switching:

• Admin time has dropped

• Manual sends have disappeared

• Automation runs the participant journey end-to-end

• Signup rates have improved

Instead of troubleshooting tech, the team can focus on the needle-moving stuff: running great events and raising more money for charity.

Today, Ultra Events runs 450+ events annually across the UK and Australia — with the US next on their roadmap. Along the way, they've trained 250,000+ participants and raised £43 million for charities.

With a platform that finally scales with them, messaging is no longer the bottleneck — it's key to their growth.