> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.closethecall.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SMS & Text Messaging Setup

> How to enable SMS auto-reply, send booking confirmations, and manage customer text conversations

## How SMS Works

Your AI phone number can send and receive text messages through Twilio. When a customer texts your AI number, the AI reads the message and replies using the same Knowledge Base it uses for phone calls.

This means your AI gives consistent answers whether someone calls or texts.

***

## Enabling SMS Auto-Reply

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Conversations">
    Click **Conversations** in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Toggle SMS Auto-Reply ON">
    In the page header, you'll see the **"SMS Auto-Reply"** toggle. Turn it **ON** (green).
  </Step>

  <Step title="That's it">
    Your AI number will now automatically reply to incoming text messages. No further configuration needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  SMS auto-reply uses the same AI knowledge as your phone receptionist. If you've set up your Knowledge Base for calls, SMS replies are ready to go.
</Info>

***

## What Happens When a Customer Texts

1. Customer sends a text to your AI phone number
2. The AI reads the message and generates a reply based on your Knowledge Base
3. The reply is sent back as an SMS from your AI number
4. The full conversation appears on your **Conversations** page
5. You can **take over** the conversation at any time by typing a manual reply

***

## Automatic SMS Confirmations

When the AI books an appointment during a phone call, an SMS confirmation is sent automatically to the customer. This includes:

* Business name
* Appointment date and time
* Service booked

**No setup needed** — this happens automatically when "Book Appointments" is enabled in Receptionist Settings.

The confirmation SMS is sent from your AI phone number (not a generic number), so the customer sees a consistent sender.

***

## SMS Opt-Out

Customers can opt out of SMS at any time:

* Customer texts **STOP** to your AI number
* They're immediately removed from all future SMS messages
* An **"Opted Out"** badge appears on their conversation
* The customer can text **START** to re-subscribe at any time

<Warning>
  You cannot manually override an opt-out. This is required by law (TCPA in the US, PECR in the UK). The customer must text START themselves to re-subscribe.
</Warning>

***

## Checking Opt-Out Status

1. Go to **Conversations** in the sidebar
2. Look for the **"Opted Out"** badge next to the customer's conversation
3. Opted-out customers still appear in your Leads list — you can see their info and call history, but SMS won't be sent to them

***

## Troubleshooting SMS

### SMS not sending

| Possible Cause              | Solution                                                                                                              |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| SMS Auto-Reply is OFF       | Go to **Conversations** → toggle it ON                                                                                |
| Customer opted out          | Check for "Opted Out" badge — customer needs to text START                                                            |
| Wrong number format         | Numbers must be in international format: **+44** for UK, **+1** for US (not 044 or 01)                                |
| Carrier blocking            | Some carriers block automated messages. Ask the customer to text your AI number first to "whitelist" the conversation |
| No phone number provisioned | Go to **Phone** page — make sure you have an active AI number                                                         |

### Customer says they didn't receive the text

1. Check the **Conversations** page — does the message show as sent?
2. Ask the customer to check their spam/junk folder (some phones filter unknown senders)
3. Verify the customer's phone number is correct on their lead card
4. If the message shows as sent but wasn't received, the carrier may be filtering it — contact support with the customer's number

***

## International Numbers

| Country | Format                    | Example       |
| ------- | ------------------------- | ------------- |
| UK      | +44 followed by 10 digits | +447700900123 |
| US      | +1 followed by 10 digits  | +12025551234  |
| AU      | +61 followed by 9 digits  | +61412345678  |

SMS works with UK, US, and AU numbers. Messages are sent in the local format for the customer's country.

***

## Character Limits

* A single SMS segment is **160 characters**
* Longer messages are automatically split into multiple segments and reassembled on the customer's phone
* The AI keeps replies concise, but detailed answers may span 2-3 segments
* There's no extra charge for multi-segment messages — SMS is included in your plan

***

## Cost

SMS is **included in your plan** at no extra charge. There are no per-message fees, no setup costs, and no limits on the number of texts sent or received.

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