What Is the SMS Responder Bot?
The SMS Responder Bot allows you to program automatic replies to incoming SMS messages based on keywords. When the bot receives a message with a recognized keyword, it replies with a pre-configured response. If no keyword matches, the bot may attempt to match the message to a name in your company’s phone directory and connect the sender to that person. The bot also lets you view message history and send messages from within the interface.
Step 1: Route a DID to the Responder Bot
- In the Manage DID portal, select the DID you want to use and manage its SMS service.
- If SMS has not been enabled, click the control to enable it. Note that SMS provisioning can take up to one hour. The status will show as “pending” while it is being set up. SMS-enabled DIDs are charged as outlined in your agreement.
- Route the SMS to the SMS Responder application by selecting the Directory Bot option from the dropdown under the Assignment section, choosing the appropriate domain, and clicking Save.
Managing the SMS Responder Bot
Dashboard
When you open the SMS Responder interface, the Dashboard shows usage statistics across all phone numbers in your account. Use the left navigation items to view stats for Today, Last 7 Days, or Last 30 Days.
Responder Configuration
- Click the shop icon in the left menu to see your list of domains.
- Click the Eye icon next to the domain you want to manage. Use the search box to narrow down the list if needed.
- In the list of phone numbers under the domain, click the Eye icon next to the number you want to manage. This brings you to the Details page.
Details Page: Settings
- Default Response: The reply sent when an incoming message does not match any keyword or directory name. Edit this to suit your business. Keep it helpful but generic.
- Send Default Response checkbox: Checked by default. Uncheck to disable the default response entirely.
- PBX Directory toggle: Enabled by default. When disabled, the bot will not search the phone directory after failing to match a keyword.
Keywords Tab
The Keywords tab is where you define the words or phrases the bot will respond to. Click Add Keyword to create a new one, enter the keyword and the response text, and save. Keywords can include letters, numbers, and the following special characters: colon, semicolon, underscore, hyphen, parentheses, square brackets, percent sign, hash, and forward or back slashes.
Existing keywords can be edited or deleted using the buttons on the right side of each row. Use the search box to filter keywords by content.
History Tab
The History tab shows all incoming and outgoing messages for the managed phone number. Set a date range using the From and To fields and click Filter to narrow results. Use the Refresh button to load the latest messages. Click the Reply button next to any message to open the Send SMS chat box and respond directly. Use the Export button to download the message history as a CSV or Excel file.
Send SMS Tab
The Send SMS tab shows all conversations organized by sender phone number in the left pane. Click a number to view the full conversation on the right. To send a new message, click New Message and choose either Mobile Numbers to enter phone numbers manually (up to 50 recipients, separated by commas), or Linked Accounts to select from your PBX contacts. Type the message in the lower input box and press Send.
New Message Notifications
The owner of a phone number assigned to the bot will receive in-portal notifications when new messages arrive. Notifications appear at least 2 minutes after the message is received. The notification bell shows the total number of unread messages. Clicking it shows which numbers received messages and from whom. Click Mark as Read (All) to clear all notifications at once.
Testing the Bot
Send an SMS from your mobile phone to the DID you configured. You should receive the default response you set up. This confirms the bot is active and routing correctly.