Send SMS to customers

Use this to start texting customers about their repairs, or to check how many SMS you have left. How SMS works depends on the country your BytePhase account is set up in.

Before you start

• To open the SMS page and integrations, your shop owner must let you view business settings.
• Customers need a mobile number saved, with the right country code.

In India: SMS credits

BytePhase sends your SMS for you. Each SMS uses credits: 1 credit for every 160 characters.

1. Open your profile menu. SMS credits shows how many credits you have left.

2. To buy more, click SMS credits. Pick an SMS pack and pay. See Buy an SMS pack.

3. To see every SMS you sent, go to Settings › Customers & messaging › SMS.

   The list shows the Mobile number, Message, Credits, Sent status and SMS sent on for each SMS.

• Credits don’t expire.
• When credits run low, the SMS button shows a warning. At zero, SMS is switched off until you top up. Email, in-app and WhatsApp keep working.
• In the iPhone app, you can see your credits, but you buy SMS packs on a computer or Android phone.

SMS in India uses approved templates

Every SMS uses a fixed, pre-approved template. You can’t change the wording, and each SMS ends with “-BytePhase”. This is what lets the SMS reach your customers’ phones.

Outside India: connect your own SMS provider

BytePhase sends SMS through your own account with Twilio or BulkGate. You pay the provider for each SMS. Until you connect one, the SMS button is greyed out with “Connect an SMS gateway”.

1. Go to Settings › Integrations. On a phone, tap More › System › Integrations.

2. On the Twilio or BulkGate card, click Set up.

3. Add your account details and sender ID from the provider, then save.

   SMS turns on straight away. For the details of each provider, see SMS providers.

   

   Desktop

4. Send a test: save a job for a customer, tick SMS, and click Send & close.

You can write your own SMS wording and signature outside India. See Change the words in your customer messages and Notification signatures.

Done!

Your staff can now tick SMS when they save a job, invoice or payment.

Good to know

• Every SMS, sent or not, is listed in Message logs.
• A customer can turn off SMS for themselves. Their SMS then shows as Skipped.
• Outside India, your provider account must be able to send: a BulkGate balance above zero, or an SMS-enabled Twilio number. SMS providers shows where to find each detail.

Something not right?

• Customers aren’t getting SMS