SMS Inbox

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Use the SMS Inbox for Two-Way Text Messaging

The SMS Inbox feature within Messaging allows for real-time, two-way text messaging between businesses and their customers. This feature is crucial as it enables organizations to engage with their clientele meaningfully, responding to inquiries, providing assistance, and resolving issues directly via SMS. By leveraging this functionality, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and streamline communication processes.

How to Access the SMS Inbox

To access the SMS Inbox, you must have Admin permissions within ActiveCampaign. The inbox can be found in the left menu of your ActiveCampaign dashboard. Clicking on the SMS Inbox icon will take you to the SMS Inbox page where you can view, manage, and respond to incoming messages from your customers.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. **Navigate to the SMS Inbox:**

  - Open your ActiveCampaign dashboard.
  - Click on the SMS Inbox icon located in the left menu. The number of unread messages will be indicated on the icon.

2. **Viewing Messages:**

  - Upon accessing the SMS Inbox page, you will see replies from customers on the left side, categorized as read or unread.
  - Click on any message to open the detailed conversation in the center of the screen, which includes:
    - Type of message (SMS campaign or Automated SMS)
    - Time of message sent
    - Customer's response text
    - Time of customer's response

3. **Replying to Messages:**

  - To respond, type your message in the message composer at the bottom of the screen.
  - Alternatively, click the Draft reply button to have AI draft a response for you. Make sure the draft reply functionality is enabled in the Inbox settings.

4. **Managing Conversations:**

  - If conversations extend beyond a few exchanges, you can enable the AI to provide conversation summaries every tenth message, making it easier for you and your team to catch up.

5. **Using AI for Drafting Replies:**

  - Ensure that you have configured the AI options by navigating to the Inbox settings and enabling the features.
  - For drafting replies, ensure that you've supplied any necessary information AI may need, such as customer FAQs and relevant URLs.

Configuration Options and Settings

To get the most out of your SMS Inbox, you can adjust several configuration settings:

- **Draft reply**: Enable this setting to allow AI to assist you in composing replies based on previous interactions and context. - **Conversation summary**: Activate this option for automatic summaries provided by AI after every ten messages, helping to keep the communication concise and readable.

To enable these options:

1. Click on the Inbox settings button located at the top right corner of your SMS Inbox. 2. Toggle the settings you wish to activate. 3. Don't forget to click the Save button to apply changes.

Best Practices and Tips

- Always monitor your SMS Inbox for incoming messages to ensure timely responses. - If you anticipate a large volume of replies, enabling both AI functionalities is recommended to streamline the communication process. - Regularly review the conversation history to maintain context in discussions and improve customer engagement. - Use tags to organize contacts based on their behavior or previous interactions, enhancing the personalization of your responses.

Common Use Cases with Examples

1. **Customer Support**: When a customer responds to a support SMS, you can provide them with instant assistance, resolving their queries in real-time. 2. **Order Updates**: After sending an SMS regarding order status, customers can reply with questions about their order which you can answer promptly. 3. **Feedback Collection**: Following a service interaction, you may send an SMS soliciting feedback; responses can be efficiently managed through the SMS Inbox.

Troubleshooting Section

If you encounter issues while using the SMS Inbox, consider the following:

- **No messages appearing**: Ensure that your phone number is registered correctly and that you are looking under the correct account with Admin rights. - **AI not drafting replies**: Verify that you have enabled the Draft reply option in your Inbox settings. - **Messages not sending**: Check your account SMS credits, as each outgoing message consumes one credit.

FAQ Section

• What types of phone numbers work with SMS Inbox?

Only dedicated, registered phone numbers from the United States, United Kingdom, or Australia are supported.

• Who can access the SMS Inbox?

Only users with Admin permissions can access and respond to incoming SMS messages.

• What happens if I delete a contact?

If a contact is deleted and later restored, the SMS conversation history associated with that contact will be lost.

• How are character limits calculated in SMS?

Each outbound SMS message is limited to 160 characters; if you exceed this, it will count as multiple messages.

• Can I add tags through the SMS Inbox?

Yes, you can add tags directly from the right pane of the SMS Inbox interface.

• What is Active Intelligence (AI) in SMS Inbox?

AI functionalities allow you to use tools like 'Draft reply' and 'Conversation summary' to enhance your messaging efficiency.

• How can I improve AI draft accuracy?

You can improve AI’s reply generation accuracy by providing a brand kit, customer FAQs, and relevant URLs in the Draft reply settings.

For more information, revisit the respective sections within the Messaging and SMS categories in ActiveCampaign documentation. ```