SMS Workflows
SMS workflows send text messages automatically in response to calls. They are effective and they are regulated — the compliance requirements are not optional.
Common Patterns
- Missed-call text-back — a call arrives outside hours, the caller gets an immediate acknowledgement
- Appointment confirmation — booking details sent straight after the call
- Quote follow-up — a message the day after an enquiry that did not convert
- Reminder — sent ahead of a scheduled appointment
Missed-call text-back is usually the highest-value one to build first. A caller who reaches an agent after hours and then receives a text within seconds is substantially more likely to still be there in the morning.
Compliance Requirements
Customer-facing SMS is governed by the SMS and Calling Policy. In practice:
- You need a lawful basis to message the recipient
- Opt-out requests must be honoured, and suppression is handled automatically once a request is classified
- Messages must identify your business
- Quiet-hours expectations apply — an automated 3am text is both bad practice and a complaint risk
⚠ Note: Suppression is enforced platform-side, but building a workflow that repeatedly attempts to message someone who has opted out is still a problem worth avoiding in your conditions.
Writing the Message
Short, identified, and actionable:
- Name your business in the first few words
- Reference the specific call so it does not read as spam
- Give one clear next step
- Keep to a single segment where possible — each outbound message is billed at $0.08
💡 Tip: Send every draft message to your own phone first. Templated fields that look fine in the editor can render awkwardly on a real handset, particularly when a name was transcribed unusually.
Testing
- Build the workflow as a draft
- Run it manually against a real call, targeting your own number
- Check the rendered message, not just the template
- Confirm the opt-out path behaves correctly
- Activate