PartsDue can text your customers at the same moments it emails them. Texts go from your own business number through your own Twilio account. You pay Twilio directly, usually about a cent a text. PartsDue adds nothing on top.
What you need
- A Twilio account (twilio.com). Sign-up is free; you add a little credit.
- A phone number bought in Twilio that can send texts. Pick a local number in your area code.
- In the US, register your business for texting in Twilio (called A2P 10DLC). Carriers block or delay texts from unregistered numbers. Twilio walks you through it; it usually takes a few days.
Turn texts on
- In Twilio, open your console home page and copy the Account SID and Auth Token.
- In PartsDue, open Settings then Text messages.
- Tick Send text messages to customers.
- Paste the Account SID and Auth Token, and type Your Twilio number.
- Click Save settings.
- Type your own mobile number under Send a test text to and click Send test text. It should arrive in a few seconds.
Only the WordPress administrator can change these settings. The Auth Token is stored on your website and never shown again; type a new one to replace it.
Which texts are sent
Tick the ones you want:
- Visit booked, with the date and arrival window, when you book a visit and choose to notify the customer.
- Reminder the day before, sent in the afternoon.
- On my way, with the technician's first name and the minutes until arrival. This also works for customers who have no email address.
- Part delayed, with the new date, when you mark a part back-ordered.
- Parts arrived, so they expect your call to book the repair.
- Review request after payment (off at first).
Every text starts with your business name. Each one is noted on the job, so you can see what the customer was told.
Customer replies
When a customer replies, PartsDue saves the reply on their newest open job and emails it to your office alert address.
To turn this on, copy the address shown under Replies on the Text messages settings page. In Twilio, open your phone number, find A message comes in, choose Webhook and paste the address. PartsDue only accepts messages that Twilio has signed with your Auth Token.
Stopping texts
If a customer replies STOP, Twilio stops texting them automatically. To stop all texts, untick Send text messages to customers.
When a text doesn't arrive
- "No mobile number" on the job: the customer's phone number is missing or not a full 10-digit number.
- Texts not delivered in the US: check that your business is registered for A2P 10DLC in Twilio.
- The test text fails: check the Account SID, Auth Token and that the number is a Twilio number with SMS. The error message from Twilio is shown.
- Site health (in Settings) warns you if texts are switched on but the Twilio details are incomplete.