Getting Started with Integrated Texting

Text messaging is a preferred method of communication for many people and is a convenient, efficient way for you to keep in touch with clients and prospects. You can communicate via text in Applied Epic by initiating an SMS conversation or by sending partially or fully automated messages.

This document provides details about Applied Epic’s messaging options to help you prepare to use integrated texting (conversational, bulk, or both) in your agency.

• Conversational SMS: Manually send SMS messages and receive SMS and MMS messages from contacts who have opted in to receive conversational text messages.
• Bulk SMS: Send bulk texts as part of a marketing campaign. Additionally, you can specify events that automatically trigger the sending of a text message to an SMS-enabled contact. All bulk texts use SMS templates, which can insert merge variables into text messages that populate information specific to each recipient. The primary contact on an account must opt in to receive these messages.

Content Regulations

Messages containing illicit or abusive content are grounds for immediate suspension of SMS use. At no time should SMS be used to send content that is considered vulgar or adult in nature; that promotes sex, illegal or illicit drugs, violence, or guns; or that contains profanity or hate speech. For this reason, limit SMS template configuration to administrators.

For information on compliance, see the CTIA Handbook.

Your organization is responsible for ensuring that the content of your texts adheres to these guidelines. To help you ensure compliance, users cannot edit template text during bulk SMS workflows.

Time of Day Regulations

Government bodies and cellular carrier organizations enforce time-of-day restrictions to prevent text messages from being sent to contacts outside of acceptable hours. To ensure compliance with these restrictions, Applied Epic queues SMS messages when necessary and sends them only within acceptable hours for the recipient’s location (as determined by their SMS-enabled number’s country code and area code).

Conversational SMS

Applied recommends determining your organization’s overall strategy for conversational SMS use before implementing this functionality. Conversational SMS messaging requires your organization to assign registered phone numbers to structures, employees, or some combination thereof. A single number can be assigned by only one method, but you can assign it to multiple employees if necessary. You can also assign multiple phone numbers to the same employee. For detailed instructions on assigning numbers, see Registered Number Configuration.

You may want to send automatic replies to incoming conversational messages at certain times (for example, outside of normal business hours). For instructions on scheduling automatic replies, see SMS System Settings.

Bulk SMS

Guidelines for bulk SMS texting are especially strict. Familiarize yourself with national and state laws governing bulk SMS texting before implementing this functionality.

If your organization uses bulk SMS messaging, you must publish a Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions for your SMS program. This step is especially critical if you publish any advertisement for the SMS program or mention the program in print or on your website.

Preparing for Integrated Texting

1. Obtain an Integrated Texting subscription from Applied Systems. Contact your Applied sales representative for information on this capability.

2. Once you purchase your subscription, you must to enable the option(s) you have purchased in your system in SMS System Settings (conversational, bulk, or both).

Bulk SMS Messaging

1. Review national and state compliance requirements. Understand the implications of these requirements for your organization’s planned implementation of bulk SMS messaging and the consequences of noncompliance. Refer to the Bulk SMS section above for more information and additional resources.
2. Enable Bulk SMS Messaging. See SMS System Settings for detailed instructions.
3. Enter your organization's Contract Info in SMS Template Configuration before you begin sending bulk text messages (including invites).
4. Create the SMS Templates that you will use to send messages. Because bulk SMS communications are strictly regulated and penalties for noncompliance are severe, grant access to the Templates area only to Enterprise Admins. See Security Options – Configure for more information.
5. Set up the SMS System Events that will trigger the sending of a text message (for example, when a change is made to an account or an invoice is generated).
6. To configure specific activities to send text messages as further actions, update them in Activity Code Configuration.
7. Create new reports for marketing campaigns to send text messages to SMS-enabled contacts in the reports. See Create a New Report or Launch a Marketing Campaign for details.
8. Grant appropriate security access to employees who will launch marketing campaigns that send texts, servicing personnel who will notify clients of account changes via text, and accounting personnel who will alert clients of billed items via text.
9. Any contacts to whom you want to send texts must opt in to receive them. Bulk messages are sent to a client account’s Primary Contact by default. See Contact Detail for instructions on managing opt-ins and contact method preferences.
10. When you send SMS messages to a client, all messages that they have received or sent display in their SMS History area. See SMS History for details.

Conversational SMS Messaging

1. Enable Conversational SMS Messaging and set inbound and outbound message criteria, including the times that your organization sends an automatic reply to inbound conversational messages. See SMS System Settings for details.
2. Determine whether to assign phone numbers for conversational texting to individual employees, entire structures, or a combination thereof, and then assign these numbers. See Registered Number Configuration for more information.
3. Grant appropriate security access to employees who will use conversational texting to communicate with clients. See the SMS section of Security Options – General for more information.
4. Although SMS Templates are not required for conversational SMS texting, you can use templates to ensure consistency in your conversational messages. See Security Options – Configure for information on considerations to make before granting this right.
5. Update Contact Detail for any contacts to whom you want to send texts. If you have received a contact’s verbal consent to text them, select the SMS checkbox beside their mobile number and then select the Conversational SMS checkbox. See Contact Detail for detailed instructions.
6. All incoming SMS messages are sent to the Unrouted Messages area, where you can review and route them to the appropriate client accounts for follow-up, based on their senders. See Security Options – Procedures for information on granting rights to route different types of messages.
7. When you send SMS messages to a client, all messages that they have received or sent display in their SMS History area (once you have routed them as described in the previous step). See SMS History for details.

Contact Consent

You must obtain a contact’s permission before sending text messages. After receiving permission from the contact, you must make some selections on the Contact Info tab in Contact Detail to reflect their preferences.

For Conversational SMS

1. Select the SMS checkbox beside the phone number where the contact will receive SMS messages. Confirm your selection when prompted.
2. In the SMS Opt-Ins frame, select the Conversational SMS checkbox. If the contact opts out at any time by responding STOP, STOPALL, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, or QUIT to a conversational text, conversational SMS is disabled on the contact’s record and your organization’s messages are no longer sent to them.

For Bulk SMS

1. Select the SMS checkbox beside the phone number where the contact will receive SMS messages. Confirm your selection when prompted.
2. Click the Bulk SMS Opt-In Status link. In the Bulk SMS Opt-In Status pop-up window, click the Send Invite link for each type of bulk text message the contact wants to receive. This action sends a message to the contact requesting permission to send that type of bulk text. The contact must reply with one of the opt-in keywords listed in the section below to begin receiving messages. Clients can opt in to receive Account messages (notifications of changes to their accounts), Marketing messages (special offers from your organization), or both.
   
   Bulk messages are sent to the account’s primary contact by default.
   
   Note: If a contact replies STOP, STOPALL, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, or QUIT to a bulk text message, messages of that type will no longer be sent to them.

Opt-in/Opt-out Keywords

Contacts can use the following keywords to opt in or out of text messaging or to request assistance. Opt-in/opt-out replies are sent to the Unrouted SMS Messages area.

If a contact replies HELP to a text, they receive a message containing the phone number and website entered on the Contact Info tab in SMS Template Configuration.