SMS Text Messaging

Owned by Daniel Hein
Last updated: Jul 10, 2024 by Travis Laine
7 min read

With AgencyRoot, agencies can easily send and receive SMS text messages to their customers individually or in bulk. This feature is designed to simplify communication and enhance customer experience.

Overview

AgencyRoot Default Number

Send individual messages to your customers using the default number included in your AgencyRoot account. This allows you to communicate with your customers more efficiently. However, it's important to note that while you can send messages from the default number, your agency will not receive any responses. See pricing details below.

Dedicated SMS Phone Line

Purchase dedicated phone lines for your agency and send texts to multiple customers at once. Their replies will go directly to your AgencyRoot account.

 

SMS Management

The AgencyRoot SMS Management screen provides all the necessary tools for the Agency Admin to purchase dedicated phone lines and control which team members can send and receive messages from each line.

SMS Management can be accessed from the Agency Admin screen.

Add SMS Number

Agency Admin users can purchase a dedicated phone line from the SMS Management screen.

  1. Click the ‘Add SMS Number’ button.

  1. Enter the area code you want to use for your number into the ‘Preferred Area Code’ field.

  2. Click the ‘Search’ button.

    1. Clicking ‘Search’ again will refresh the results.

  3. Select a number from the results by clicking the ‘Select’ button to the right of it.

  1. Enter a title for the selected number.

  2. Click the ‘Purchase’ button.

  1. Grant members of your agency access to the new number, allowing them to send messages from it and receive related notifications.

    1. Start typing the person’s name in the search box.

    2. Select the applicable person from the dropdown.

    3. Click the ‘Grant Access’ button.

Manage SMS Number

Agency Admin users can manage phone number titles, agent access, and delete phone lines.

  1. Click the edit icon for the number you want to edit.

  1. Click the edit icon to the right of the title to edit the SMS number title.

    1. Click the ‘Save’ button to save the title change.

  1. Grant additional members of your agency access to the SMS number.

    1. Start typing the person’s name in the search box.

    2. Select the applicable person from the dropdown.

    3. Click the ‘Grant Access’ button.

  1. Remove a team member’s access by clicking the delete icon to the right of their name.

  1. Delete a phone line by clicking the delete icon for the applicable number.

    1. Confirm that you want to delete the number by clicking the ‘Delete’ button on the popup message.

  1. Use the ‘Show Terminated Lines’ toggle to view phone lines that have been deleted.

Sending & Receiving

Sending a Bulk SMS / Text Message

  • Requires dedicated phone line

  • Requires contacts to have a primary mobile phone set on their contact account

Customers may be texted without approval by you. They have consented to communications through their business transaction with you. Prospects should provide you written consent to send them text messages.

  1. Navigate to your Contacts Dashboard.

  2. Select any appropriate filters to adjust your list from all Contact, Prospects, Customers, to just the group you wish to send the Bulk SMS / Text Message to.

    • This is a great example of how Segments work. If I wanted to send a Bulk SMS / Text message to just my PRF Customers; I could select the Status Filter = Customers & the Segments Filter = PRF.

    • Please refer to the Segments portion of the Contacts User Guide Page.

  3. Once your Contact List contains who will be receiving the Bulk SMS / Text Message Select the “Send Bulk SMS” option under BATCH ACTIONS

  4. Confirm the Agency Phone Line you will be using to send the Bulk SMS / Text Message from.

    1. If you only have access to one line - only that one line will appear.

    2. If you have access to multiple lines - use the drop-down to select the appropriate line.

  5. Key in your Message in the message box.

    1. Please note one text message = 160 characters. See the pricing section for details on messages longer than 160 characters.

  6. Confirm the recipients of your text message by checking or unchecking the Selected Box

  7. Select Send to send your Bulk SMS / Text Message to the selected contacts.

  8. Select Close if you do not wish to send the Bulk SMS / Text message

Sending a Single SMS / Text Message

Single text messages can also be sent directly from the communications tab of the contact’s page.

Please note you do not have to purchase a Dedicated Phone line to send Single Texts messages using the AgencyRoot Default Phone Line, however, you will not receive replies.

  1. Navigate to your Contact & Select their Communications tab

  2. Select the Green “Add” button

  3. Select the Text icon & the Button for “Send text from AgencyRoot ($0.10)”

  4. You can choose to send the Text from your new Dedicated Phone Line or the AgencyRoot Default.

    1. Please note if you choose the Dedicated Phone Line your recipient can reply. If you choose the Default they cannot.

    2. Iff you select a Dedicated Phone Line you’ve purchased your individual text messages are included up to 5000 messages in a year. You will only be charged the $0.10 if you go over your 5000 messages/year or send them from AgencyRoot Default.

  5. Select the button for the Phone Line you will be sending to:

  6. Type in your Message into the Text Message: Box

  7. Select Send Text or Send Text & Follow up (Follow-up will open a task after the message is sent)

Viewing a recently Sent Bulk SMS / Text Message or Single SMS / Text Message

You can see all the Bulk SMS / Text Messages or Single Sends you or another user sends on the Contact’s Communications tab.

Receiving a reply from a recipient of a Bulk SMS / Text Message or a Single SMS / Text Message

If you send a text message (either Bulk SMS or Single Send) using your Dedicated Phone Line your recipient has the opportunity to reply directly to you from their phone. This reply will be automatically captured in AgencyRoot on your contact page as well as generate an email notifying you of the reply.

  1. You will get an email notification that a recipient sent back a reply that will include a link back to the system.

    1. Select Log In and you will be brought to the AgencyRoot Platform.

  2. You will also see the recipient’s response on the Communication Feed as well as the Contact’s Communication tab.

Pricing & Guidelines

Texting from AgencyRoot Generic Line

  1. Price: $0.10 (10 cents) per text

  2. 1 text means up to 160 characters

    1. Any additional characters will incur extra text expense per 160 characters. e.g. a 200 character text counts as 2 messages ($0.20).

Dedicated Lines

  1. Price: $200 Per Year / Per Dedicated Phone Line

    1. You are not charged for each additional user that has access to the line.

  2. Includes 5000 Text Messages Per Year

    1. Any additional Text Messages will be charged at $0.10 per Text

  3. Text can include up to 160 characters

    1. Any additional characters will incur extra text expense per 160 characters. e.g. a 200 character text counts as 2 messages (2 towards your allocation, or $0.20 if your allocation has been exceeded for the year)

  4. Example Bulk Text:

    1. A text is sent to 40 customers. The text is 200 characters in length. Since the text is over 160 characters, each text counts as 2. The account is charged for 80 texts (either against the 5000-text yearly allocation, or $8.00 if the 5000 messages for the year have already been exceeded).