2-Way SMS

Overview: What are we talking about?

This article will describe the benefits of the 2-Way SMS feature in Gingr, how to set it up, and how to use 2-Way SMS to communicate effectively with customers. With 2-Way SMS, your customers can reply to text messages sent from Gingr and you can respond with a custom message. You can also select any customer at any time to send them a custom text message. Incoming text notifications are visible from anywhere in the app, and you can type up a custom response to send immediately.

Related Articles:

• System SMS
• Setting Up Your Custom Toll-Free SMS Number
• SMS Marketing Campaigns

Helpful Hints: Before you begin.

• In Gingr, automated messages like emails and SMS can help keep the customer engaged with your business. However, some situations call for direct, 2-way communication with your customers. 2-Way SMS is an efficient and personal way to communicate with your customers.
  
  
• In Gingr, you can have 2-way SMS conversations with your customers right from with your app. This allows you to efficiently coordinate all of the information you need about the customer, their pets, and their reservations while also having a personal conversation with them — all within one app. You can even book the customer a new reservation right from the 2-way SMS page.
  
  
• This feature is only available in the US at this time.

Pricing: 2-Way SMS is a subscription add-on in Gingr.

• $100/location/year
• $0.00/outgoing SMS (automated or customized messages sent from the business)
• Includes 1000 incoming SMS per month. After 1000 incoming messages, you'll be charged $0.02/SMS received

Set it Up: Let's get started.  

1. Navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » Manage Gingr Subscription.
   
   
2. Find the Two-Way Texting (SMS) subscription add-on and click Enable.
   
   
3. If you haven't already, configure your custom toll-free SMS number:
   
   • Navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » System SMS. Under the 'SMS Number' section, choose a new phone number for each location in your app. You can learn more information here: Setting Up Your Custom Toll-Free SMS Number
     
     
4. Configure your permissions to allow users in your app to send SMS:
   • Navigate to the Left-hand Navigation Menu: Book Icon » Groups.
   • For users to send Custom SMS, the "Can Send SMS" user permission must be turned on for at least one group they are in. It is turned on for all groups by default.
   • For users to receive in-app notifications for incoming text messages, they must have the "Notification: Incoming SMS" user permission turned on. It is turned off for all groups by default.

Using 2-Way SMS: Sending SMS Messages.  

To send an SMS, you will access the 'Conversations' area from the Top Right Chat Bubble Icon:

Important: you must have 2-way SMS set up in order to use this feature.

From here, you will see the entire SMS history log for Sent and Received text messages, as well as any unread messages.

In the top left you will see a search bar and a +New Message blue bubble.

• The '+ New Message' blue bubble is what you will click to compose and send a new message.
• If you would like to search for an existing number or owner name you've already been in contact with, you will use the search tool.

To send a new message, click the '+ New Message' blue bubble and a pop-up will appear:

Note: If an owner does not have a Mobile number, they will not populate in the Owner search bar. Text input field is capped at 160 characters.

Once you click send, the SMS will be sent immediately and the new message will appear in the history of the Conversations page.

You can then directly respond to your customers from the messaging box:

From the same messaging box, you can create a new reservation for the animal/owner you're sending a message to:

 If you click the red 'x' in the top right-hand corner, it will close the Conversations page.