How messages to customers work
When BytePhase messages your customers and staff, which message types it uses, and who decides what goes out.
notifications, notify customer, customer message, send alert, SMS, WhatsApp, email, push, in-app, app message, message type, job update message, tell customer, inform customer, automatic message, Send & close, who gets messagesBytePhase can tell your customer about their repair as it happens: when you book the job, when the status changes, when the invoice is ready, and when they pay. It can also alert your staff, for example when a job is assigned to them.
You choose each time whether a message goes out, and by which message type.
The four message types
Section titled “The four message types”| Message type | What the customer gets | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mail (email) | An email from your shop | Goes out from a shared BytePhase address until you connect your own email |
| SMS | A text message | In India it uses SMS credits. Outside India you need your own SMS provider. See SMS credits and providers |
| A WhatsApp message with the same details | WhatsApp opens with the message ready and your staff press send, or BytePhase sends it on its own. See the 3 ways to send | |
| In-app | A notification inside BytePhase and on the phone app | Reaches people who sign in to BytePhase: your staff, and customers who have a customer login |
How a message goes out
Section titled “How a message goes out”- A staff member saves something, for example a new job for a phone with a cracked screen.
- A panel called Notify customer (or Send alert) shows the four message types as buttons.
- Some buttons are already ticked. Your shop owner picks these in Default notification settings.
- The staff member ticks or unticks types, then clicks Send & close. If nothing is ticked, the button just says Close and nothing is sent.
A Sent badge on a button means that message type already went out for this record.
The words in each message come from your notification templates. Each business adds its own signature at the end.
When a button is greyed out or shows a warning
Section titled “When a button is greyed out or shows a warning”- No mobile number on file: SMS and WhatsApp need a mobile number. Add one to the customer, and the buttons turn on.
- No email on file: add an email address to the customer.
- You’re out of SMS credits (India): SMS is switched off until you top up. Email, in-app and WhatsApp keep working.
- Connect an SMS gateway (outside India): SMS stays off until you connect Twilio or BulkGate.
- Email not set up: emails still go out, from a shared address. The warning suggests you connect your own.
- No WhatsApp button at all? Your shop owner must let you see customers’ contact details (Customers › Contact details).
Messages that go out on a schedule
Section titled “Messages that go out on a schedule”Some messages don’t need anyone to click. You turn them on in settings:
- due-date alerts to the staff member a job or task is assigned to
- invoice due reminders to customers (Standard and Enterprise)
- the review link after a job is closed
- daily, weekly and monthly report emails to admins
See Reminder and default notification settings, Ask customers for a review and Report emails.
People can say no to messages
Section titled “People can say no to messages”- A customer can turn off message types they don’t want. On Basic and above, you see this on the customer’s Notification preferences tab. Their choice is respected, and the message shows as Skipped in the log.
- Each staff member can choose their own alerts. They open their profile menu and pick Notification preferences.
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Last checked 9 Oct 2026