Our Unified Inbox two-way texting lets you have live text conversations with leads and customers, view the full conversation history, and multitask across multiple threads while continuing your CRM workflows. This feature enables you to reach customers with one of the primary communication channels across sales and customer service interactions.
Quick Start:
Open Inbox.
Select a conversation from New or Open.
Type your reply and select Send.
Use Join or End conversation as needed.
Prerequisites:
Feature Opt-in: This feature is available for accounts with Contact Connect. To opt in, please contact CRM Support.
User Access: Two-way texting is currently supported in the CRM Web App. This means that any team member tasked with handling two-way texting will need login access to the CRM Web app via their username and password. Note: Two-way texting is not currently supported in the CRM Location App.
Setup: See the Getting Started guide.
Notes:
Data collected from text message conversations within CRM is displayed on the Dashboard.
Only regular text with Short Message Service (SMS) messaging is supported; Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and images are not supported.
Toll-free numbers are not supported.
Currently, if a lead or customer has opted out of SMS, two-way texting is restricted. To opt in for text messaging, the lead or customer needs to text in START.
Video walkthrough
For a quick overview of Two-Way Texting, watch this video walkthrough:
Managing your two-way text message conversations
Find a conversation to join
In CRM, click Inbox to load the conversation workspace.
The red number next to Inbox includes all New and Open conversations (see below for more details).
The Two-Way Texting interface appears. The screen includes 3 lists for text message conversations:
Left-side: Quick overview of New, Open, and Closed conversations.
Middle: The conversation history.
Right-side: Information panel with search functions to quickly access a Lead or Customer.
New conversations include messages that haven't been addressed.
Open conversations include messages that still require a resolution.
Closed conversations include previous text message threads that have been closed.
Review the New conversation list to find the conversation you need. Select a conversation to open the thread and review inbound and outbound message history.
Note: Any number next to New indicates a conversation that requires your attention.
If you would like to filter your New conversations based on a location or a subset of locations, click Filter and enter the location name.
Join a conversation
Once you've located your conversation that requires your attention, click Join Conversation to reply.
Add your reply in the Messages field and click Send. After you click Send, the message moves from the New tab to the Open tab.
If needed, you can click Insert Paylink on the right-side panel to send a secure Paylink to your customer. Once the URL appears in the Messages field, click Send.
The secure Paylink appears in the conversation thread. Once your customer click on the link, they can make any required payments.
Note: Paylinks should only be sent with Two-Way Texting, not regular text messages from your phone.
For additional details on the customer, click View Customer to open the Customer Card.
Once you click View Customer, the Customer Card appears. On the Customer Card, click Inbox History to view the conversation thread.
Close a conversation
To close the conversation, click the X in the upper-right corner of the conversation thread.
Confirm you'd like to close the conversation by selecting Yes.
Once you end the conversation, it is moved to the Closed tab. When the lead or customer contacts you again, it moves back to the New tab.
Once you end the conversation, it is moved to the Closed tab. When the lead or customer contacts you again, it moves back to the New tab.