Text Messaging Setup |
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This section describes setup functions related to Text Messaging. Messaging Service Setup must be done first to enable basic texting functionality, then you will be able to send single text messages and receipts to manually entered numbers. Then you would need to enable the "Opt-in" fields for Customers in order to send texts to the phone numbers on the Customer records and do bulk texting of notices, invoices and other forms.
Here are the basic steps required for setup:
Select a Messaging Service and open an account
Before you consider sending text messages from Campground Master, there re a few things you should consider. Sending SMS text messages from a computer cannot be done for free like E-mailing -- a 3rd-party service with a software interface must be used to get from the internet to the cellular phone service, and these all charge for their service.
We have chosen a few of the more popular ones to interface with, so you have some options. Each of the services will have different pricing models, and various pros and cons of their service. Since all of the details are subject to change, we leave it mostly up to you to research each one and make a choice. Note that they generally have a low cost of entry (requiring about $20 for a starting balance or monthly minimum for instance, and pay-as-you-go rates), so you might want to set up an account with more than one of them and try them out. Campground Master will remember your settings for each one, so it's easy to switch back and forth as often as you like until you settle on one you like (it's also not a bad idea to have a backup service ready to go in case one has technical issues).
Note that the messaging services generally use a special phone number assigned to you for your account -- the messages you send will be coming from that special number, not from your own phone. Also be aware that the messaging functions in Campground Master are 1-way (Campground Master will only send the texts, not receive texts). Assuming the service supports receiving responses to your messages via text, you will need to access those responses through the service's web site directly, not in Campground Master.
For links and a short description of each service option, see Messaging Service Setup.
Data Field definitions for "Opting in" customer phone numbers
You should make sure the following Customer fields are enabled, through Data Field Definitions, in order to do more than send texts to manually-entered phone numbers:
1. Go to Maintenance / Data Field Definitions / Customer Fields. 2. Locate the 3 fields associated with Enable Texting -- Cust_Enable_Texting_1, Cust_Enable_Texting_2, and Cust_Enable_Texting_3. 3. Assuming you do use all 2 "Phone" fields for entering phone numbers that could be mobile phones, change the status to Enabled for all 3 of these fields (click on "Disabled" under Status and select "Enabled"). If you don't use all 3 phone fields for mobile phone entry, you can just enable the appropriate fields.
Messaging Service Setup
Go to Messaging Service Setup to Enable the text messaging functions, configure a few basic options, select the Messaging Service you signed up with, and enter the necessary account credentials for your service.
Access Levels
There are various Access Levels available to control which level of operator is required to do functions like the texting setup, batch texting, texting receipts to a manually-entered phone number, and change the Opt-in status for a customer's phone number. The defaults may be sufficient, but you should review them for your needs -- look for the entries in Access Level Setup that start with "Texting".
Forms
As with E-mails, you can send either a free-form text or use a Form definition to create the text message. The first time you enable Text Messaging, a set of default Forms will be imported automatically. This includes a few simple examples you might send to your guests when they make a reservation, when they arrive, and confirming a payment, as well a simple Text Receipt.
You're encouraged to make copies of these and modify them with your own special messages when needed, through Forms Setup. Be sure to make a "Copy" of them before changing the form -- we don't recommend ever changing an original imported form in case you make a mistake that causes it not to work. However if you do need to re-import them, or if you don't see them for some reason, then you can manually import them through Forms Setup. Use "Import Form(s)", locate the Samples folder and look for the file "Default text forms.csv".
A number of Advanced Customization functions are available to find the latest payment or refund made for a reservation or customer (ResvLastPayment, CustLastPayment, ResvLastRefund, CustLastRefund), in case you want to show that in a text message.
"Opting in" phone numbers for texting forms and batch-texting
Once the above steps are done, then when you go to Customer Details for any customer you will see a "T" checkbox next to each phone number (or at least the ones you enabled above). This checkbox must be selected to "Opt in" that number for texting functions. If no phone numbers for the customer are opted in, or if you didn't enable those fields, then you will still be able to send Text Receipts from Transactions or Point of Sale, but will need to type the phone number manually (assuming you have the sufficient Access Level). Likewise you will be able to send a Text Form to a single customer by typing in the number each time.
Why is this required? We did not want to make it too easy to randomly send texts to every phone number in your database, both for privacy/spamming reasons, and also because it generally costs money to send each message. So you will need to check a box next to each phone number in Customer Details that you want to be able to use for texting (and of course we recommend that you ask the customer for permission to send text messages to that number). In addition, some services may have requirements that there be some steps that the customer should take to opt in, which would be outside of Campground Master's scope. Campground Master assumes that if you check the box to "opt in" a phone number, that means you have done the due diligence to get the customer's permission to do so.
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