To configure SMS Chat, start by reviewing the global and SMS chat settings in the CCAI Platform portal.
Configuring global chat settings
Go to Settings > Chat and review the Global Chat Settings, which apply to all chat channels (Mobile, Web, and SMS):
Dismissed chat auto response
If you turn on the Inactive Chats dismissal feature, a default Dismissed Chat Auto Response is provided. This response is sent only when a consumer replies to a dismissed SMS chat.
Chat shortcuts
In order to help agents comply with consumer privacy regulations, create at least one chat shortcut that covers the requirements of an opt-in message. Agents should use this shortcut as their first message when sending an Outbound SMS chat.
Navigate to the Chat Shortcuts section and click View all shortcuts:
Click Add Shortcut:
Optionally enter a Category if you want to group this shortcut with others.
Enter a Shortcut Keyword.
Enter your Message text and click Save.
For more information on chat shortcuts, see Chat settings.
Turning on SMS chat
Go to Settings > Chat.
From the left navigation, click SMS.
Toggle Use SMS Chat to On:
If you want agents to have the ability to initiate SMS chat sessions, navigate to Outbound SMS and toggle On:
Configuring SMS expiration and timeout settings
SMS Chat has its own expiration and timeout settings:
Chat expiration applies to only incoming SMS chats. These global settings are overridden if you set them on the queue level.
Configuring SMS Commands
In order to comply with consumer privacy laws, certain SMS command words are preconfigured and cannot be changed, as shown in the first three rows of this table:
| Consumer command | Behavior |
| STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT | Turn off all messages and be placed on a don't contact list |
| START, YES, UNSTOP | Opt in to receiving messages. If previously placed on a don't contact list, be removed from that list |
| HELP, INFO | Receive support contact information |
| BACK (configurable) | Go back to the previous menu selection |
| EXIT (configurable) | End the chat. If "exit" is the first message sent by the consumer, no chat is created |
Two default command words, BACK and EXIT, are provided to help consumers navigate SMS queues. Administrators can change or add to these keywords:
Go to Settings > Chat.
From the left navigation, click SMS.
Go to SMS End User Commands.
Enter command words then click SET COMMANDS:
Use any combination of characters as long as they don't conflict with queue names or protected words, as listed in the previous table.
Adding SMS phone numbers
Add and verify the numbers on the Phone Number Management page.
Upon your first-time activating a valid US (+1) phone number, the following section displays. Enter your number in the field and click Activate. This section does not display if you have already enabled SMS messaging and entered a valid number.
Keep these points in mind:
If you are using the In Call SMS feature, you cannot reuse those phone numbers for SMS Chat.
Each incoming number can be assigned to one queue only. Each queue can have multiple incoming numbers, as long as each number is unique.
Incoming numbers can be used as outbound numbers but outbound numbers cannot be used for incoming numbers.
Outbound numbers can be assigned to multiple queues and each queue can have multiple outbound numbers.
SMS numbers can have different sending limits.
To add the SMS phone numbers:
Go to Chat > Settings.
From the left navigation, click SMS.
Go to SMS Phone Number Settings and click Phone Number Management:
On the Phone Number Management page, click Add a Number:
Add the unique phone number including country code:
Leave Set as the global outbound number unchecked.
Add a Label that helps you identify the number.
Repeat for each phone number.
Select all of your new phone numbers and click Verify. A number must be verified before you can assign it to a queue.
Once the system has verified a phone number, the status is displayed as, Verified for Only SMS Messaging.