SMS Voice

Overview The ProfitSystem offers two different SMS messaging services:

SMS via Email: This method will sends text messages using email. The recipient will receive a text message containing the body of the email. To use email for SMS, you must have an active support agreement and also select the correct mobile carrier for each customer, prospect, or appointment in the SMS Alerts field. The SMS message originates from the shop contact email in the SMTP server settings.

SMS/Voice/Short Code Service: Sends the text message or voice call via an SMS gateway. This is the traditional way to send text messages, and is the preferred method. To use the SMS/Voice/Short Code Service, you must have an active support agreement, and request an SMS phone number be added to your account. The SMS/Voice/Short code message originates from a special SMS phone number assigned to the shop.

Either method can be used to send text messages to customers.

Types of communication

SMS and Voice is used for Transactional alerts that are specific to the customer the message is being sent to and Short codes texts are used for generic Marketing blasts.

Transactional alerts are targeted to a specific customer or prospect, and contain information specific to them. Transactional alerts could be telling a groom that his rental tuxedo is ready for pickup, or to notify a bride that one of the bridesmaids has purchased their dress, or that a customer has an upcoming appointment.

Marketing is used when a large number of messages is sent to a group of customers or prospects. Notifying prospects of an upcoming trunk show, for example.

Contact phone numbers

The message is always sent to the Primary phone number for contact, which can be a Customer, Prospect, or Appointment. Only contacts with a primary phone number can receive these messages. Each contact has an SMS Alerts? field. Select No SMS for the SMS Alerts if the contact does not want to receive these messages. Leaving the field BLANK, or optionally selecting SMS OK will let the customer receive these messages.

SMS, Voice, and Short code compared SMS (Text Messages) is used to send a short text message to a specific phone number. Voice reads the a SMS message to the recipient using a synthesized computer voice. The voice message can be delivered directly to the recipient, or it can be left as a voice mail.

The SMS and Voice service can be used by the Automation system in the ProfitSystem to send automated messages, and also from the Customer, Prospect, Appointment, and Member tab of the Event to send On-demand messages.

If a customer calls the SMS/Voice number, the call will be transferred to the main shop phone number.

If a customer sends an SMS message to the SMS/Voice number, and the shop using ProfitSystem SMS, the message will be converted to an email and sent to the contact email on-file for the shop as set up in the BBL Customer Portal. The message can be reviewed in the shop's email reading client and copied to a ProfitSystem Todo via Cut/Paste.

If the shop is using SMS via email, the reply will be sent to the contact email set up on the SMTP server settings. in the ProfitSystem Store's Form-> Integration tab.

Short code also is used to send a short text message, but to a group of phone numbers. The short code service consists of a five digit short code number and a keyword. For a customer to receive message from a short code number, they need to opt-in to to that service by sending a specific keyword to the short code number.

The Short code service is used from the Marketing function to send bulk messages to groups of prospects or customers.

To get started with the SMS, Voice Short code marketing service, contact the BBL Systems support department via your Customer Portal login, or call customer support at 1-800-587-7277