Getting started with Text


Text allows you to support customers using SMS. You can respond to inbound text messages, automate alerts, or send proactive messages. For example, you can send an automated text response when a customer submits a request, or alert an agent by text when a ticket needs attention.


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Text allows you to support customers using SMS. You can respond to inbound text messages,
automate alerts, or send proactive messages. For example, you can send an automated text
response when a customer submits a request, or alert an agent by text when a ticket needs
attention.
Incoming text messages automatically create tickets, so you can take advantage of
automated workflows, centralized reporting, and full customer history.


Note: Text messaging isn't available for trial accounts or sandbox
environments. Due to a change in US telecom
regulations, businesses that want to text with consumers in the US must first
register for A2P 10DLC, otherwise all texts will be blocked (see Registering to use A2P 10DLC for text
messaging).

Text capabilities and limits:


You can send text messages of up to 160 characters in length at a time.
If you type a longer message, it will be split into multiple messages, each 153
characters in length. For example, if you type a message of 161 characters, it
will be split into two messages; one of 153 characters, and one of 8 characters.
You can send up to 250 simultaneous text messages from the same number. If you
exceed this amount, messages will no longer be sent, and you'll get a warning
that the message was rejected by the provider.
Text doesn't support shortcodes or alphanumeric sender IDs.
You can't switch the reply channel to SMS on tickets that aren't created from an
SMS message. For more information, see About channel switching logic in the ticket
composer. To send SMS messages on non-SMS tickets, see How to send a text to customers on a ticket
that originated in a non-SMS channel.
You can receive inbound MMS messages on US local numbers, but Text doesn't
support outbound MMS messages.


To learn about the supported countries and prices, see Zendesk Text number availability and pricing.
This article covers the following topics:



Choosing a text number
Sending an inbound text
Automating an outbound text
Next steps





Choosing a text number

You set up a new Text number in Admin Center.
To choose a text number


In Admin
Center,
click Channels > Messaging and social .
Click Text, then follow the instructions in Adding and managing Text numbers.






If your team uses another SMS provider and you want to use that number for Text, you
can port over your existing phone number from the other provider. For more
information see, Porting phone numbers.



Sending an inbound text

After you've chosen and set up a text number, send a test text from a mobile phone to
your new text number. You’ll notice that your text automatically creates a ticket in
Zendesk. Public replies in the ticket will send a text back to you.

The following example shows the texts the customer sees on their phone.



Note: To take advantage of user identification for inbound texts, add phone numbers
to end-user profiles. Unique numbers are used to identify users as they are
direct line numbers. For more information, see Understanding how calls become
tickets.




Automating an outbound text

When you’ve received and responded to an inbound text, you can set up an automated
outbound text using a trigger. For more information, see Automating SMS support with ticket triggers that send texts.
The following example shows a trigger that responds to text messages with a standard
message.

Here is a corresponding example text message that a customer receives on their
phone:




Next steps


Adding and managing text numbers
Automating SMS support with ticket triggers
that send texts
Registering to use A2P 10DLC for text
messaging
Zendesk Text number availability and
pricing
Phone number FAQs for voice and
text



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