People text business numbers
Plenty of customers would rather send a quick text than call: to check opening hours, ask about a service or report a problem. If the business number can't receive texts, or nobody reads them, those messages go unanswered.
How it works in RingMind
- Turn on messaging on the assistant's page by choosing Answer SMS & WhatsApp.
- Turn on SMS for the number in Phone Numbers. You choose this per number, so you decide which numbers answer texts.
- The assistant replies to each text from your business details and approved Knowledge Base items, keeping replies short.
- Texts land in Conversations, in one timeline per contact next to their calls and any messages taken. Picture messages that customers send are shown in the conversation.
Your team stays in control
- Reply by text yourself from the inbox at any time. Delivery receipts update on your team's own messages.
- Choose Take over to stop the assistant replying to that contact, and Hand back when you're done. RingMind notifies you when texts arrive in a conversation you've taken over.
- RingMind creates a contact for each new number that texts you. Names and notes your team adds are never overwritten.
What the assistant will and won't do
- It answers questions, takes messages and, with a connected calendar, books appointments, just as it does on calls.
- It says it's an AI when asked.
- It won't accept card numbers, bank details or passwords by text.
- It won't make up prices or availability that aren't in its knowledge.
- It isn't a bulk texting tool. It answers conversations that customers start.
US texting registration (10DLC)
US carriers require businesses to register before their texts are reliably delivered: 10DLC registration for local numbers and verification for toll-free numbers. Until a number is registered, replies to US phones may not arrive. RingMind doesn't run this registration in the dashboard yet, so contact support and we'll help you get registered.
Limits to know
- SMS works on RingMind numbers, which are US and Canada numbers.
- Your team can't send pictures from the inbox yet; incoming pictures are shown.
- The assistant doesn't send a text automatically after a phone call.
- If a contact texts at the exact moment you take over, one assistant reply can occasionally get through.
- Messaging spend is capped per day.
Want the same thing on WhatsApp? See the WhatsApp AI assistant.