SMS Workflows
Automate SMS responses and follow-up messages — triggered by inbound texts, conversation events, or time-based delays.
What SMS workflows do
SMS Workflows (at Conversations > SMS Workflows) work the same way as Email Workflows, but for your SMS channel. They let you automate responses and actions based on what happens in your text message conversations.
Common uses include:
- Sending an instant acknowledgment when a new text arrives
- Following up with a customer who hasn't responded in 24 hours
- Routing texts that contain specific keywords to the right team
- Sending appointment reminders or confirmation messages
How SMS workflows are structured
Like email workflows, every SMS workflow has three parts:
- Trigger — The event that starts the workflow
- Conditions (optional) — Filters that narrow down when it should run
- Actions — What happens when the trigger fires
Triggers
| Trigger | When it fires |
|---|---|
| New SMS received | An inbound text message arrives |
| Conversation resolved | An SMS conversation is marked as resolved |
| Tag applied | A specific tag is added to the conversation |
| No response after X hours | The conversation has been open without a reply for a set time |
| Keyword detected | The customer's message contains a specific word or phrase |
Conditions
Conditions let you target specific scenarios. For example, only run the workflow if the message arrives after business hours, or only if the customer is tagged as a "VIP."
Actions
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Send SMS | Send a text message to the customer |
| Apply tag | Add a label to the conversation |
| Assign conversation | Route to a specific agent or team |
| Add internal note | Leave a private note on the conversation |
| Wait | Pause before the next action |
SMS-specific considerations
Message length
SMS messages have a 160-character limit per segment. Longer messages are automatically split into multiple segments, which increases cost. Keep your automated messages concise.
Opt-out handling
Autoch.at automatically handles STOP/UNSTOP commands from customers. If a customer replies STOP, they will be opted out of all outbound SMS from your workspace and no further automated messages will be sent to them. This is a legal requirement in most jurisdictions.
Timing
Be mindful of when your automated SMS messages are sent. Sending texts in the middle of the night is not only annoying — it may violate regulations in some regions. Use the Wait action combined with a business hours condition to ensure messages only go out at appropriate times.
Always comply with local SMS regulations, including obtaining proper consent before sending marketing messages. Autoch.at handles opt-out mechanics automatically, but obtaining initial consent is your responsibility.
Creating an SMS workflow
- Go to Conversations > SMS Workflows.
- Click Create Workflow.
- Name it clearly (e.g., "After-Hours Auto-Reply").
- Set your trigger, conditions, and actions.
- Toggle it to Active and save.
The workflow will run automatically from that point forward for all matching SMS conversations.
Last updated 3 weeks ago
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