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Introduction to SMS notifications using Twilio

Read this introduction to our Twilio integration, including how to use SMS notifications to contact your Customers and Staff and how to create an account in Twilio.

To learn more about the functionality of the Twilio integration, please read the full series of articles accessed at the side and bottom of this page.

 

Which plans include this feature?

Legacy:  Soho, Pro, Plus, Enterprise, Flex
New:  Growth (Subscription), Growth (Online Booking Fee), Managed
→ Learn more about our new plans or how to change your plan.


Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

Manage > Integrations > Communication

What more do I need to use this feature?

  • Admin permissions to manage Integrations.
  • You must have a Twilio account before enabling this integration.

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - classic, new or both?

  • This feature is available in both our classic version using items (Inventory > Items) and our newest version using products (Inventory > Products).  → Learn more about products

 

Learn More

The purpose of this guide is to look at our Twilio SMS Notifications. Learn more about our other types of Notifications here:

 

About Twilio

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Twilio is a Customer engagement platform that we integrate with to deliver SMS notifications, allowing you to personalize the communication experience between you and your Guests.

The SMS text can include dynamic details using booking variables, for example:

Hello! This is just a reminder that your booking for {$BOOKING_ITEMS} is on {$BOOKING_DATE}.

 

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Check the status of Twilio's services here:

 

Integration Overview

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SMS notifications in Checkfront work similarly to email notifications. With our integration, you can:

  • Send short text messages to Customers and Staff with SMS notifications.
  • Remind Customers about a booking date, follow up with a quick thank you post-booking, and update Staff on the booking status.
  • Select Staff and/or Customers as recipients and trigger an SMS based on the booking status.
  • Schedule your notifications based on the booking start or end date.
  • Choose to have the sender of your message be your telephone number in Twilio or use Twilio's Messaging Services to manage multiple types of senders (Alphanumeric Sender IDs, phone numbers, What's App...).

 

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Action required to comply with upcoming regulations


As of 00:00 GMT, June 1, 2023, network operators in the UK will block SMS messages submitted from International long codes. 

As of 00:00 GMT, July 5, 2023, all SMS and MMS messages sent to US phone numbers using 10DLC (10-digit long codes/phone numbers) must be sent via a registered application-to-person (A2P) campaign. Messages using unregistered phone numbers will be subject to a gradual increase in message blocking by Twilio, leading up to a full block of all unregistered US-bound messages sent after August 31, 2023.


How can I comply with these regulations?


Sending to UK Customers
To prevent your SMS notifications to UK Customers sent through Twilio from being blocked, please ensure that messages sent to UK phone numbers use Alphanumeric Sender IDs. Alphanumeric Sender IDs are not supported in the US.

Sending to US Customers
To prevent your SMS and MMS notifications to US Customers sent through Twilio from being blocked, please ensure that messages sent to UK phone numbers using 10DLC (10-digit long codes/phone numbers) are sent via a registered application-to-person (A2P) campaign. 

 

Creating a Twilio account

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To enable the Twilio integration, you must first create a Twilio account.

In the following article in the series, we help you find your account credentials in Twilio. You need these to connect the Checkfront integration to Twilio.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can a Customer respond to a Twilio text?

    No, Customers cannot reply to SMS messages sent by Twilio.

  • Can you add URL links to your Twilio messages?

    No, you can only send plain text messages using Twilio. You cannot create links, the full URL must be sent.

  • Why was my SMS notification not sent?

    SMS notifications may not be sent for several reasons. 

    • Ensure that all intended inventory is selected in the notification's Apply To area. If a booking includes inventory that is not selected, notifications are not sent.

    • Sometimes, Twilio may send back an error message about a problem that needs to be fixed, e.g. if an SMS message is too long, and needs to be shortened in Checkfront.

      Error messages are found in the booking's Log (Booking Invoice > Log tab) or in the Account Activity report (Reports > Account Activity).

 

 

Finding your account credentials in Twilio >

 

 

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