SMS¶
Why this matters¶
SMS is still the most reliable channel for reaching a customer: it doesn't require Internet, doesn't go to the spam folder, everyone receives it. For short reminders ("your appointment is tomorrow"), urgent notices ("your payment is due today"), or confirmations, an SMS arrives faster and is read with higher probability than an email.
ZaazCRM sends SMS from your company's number through an SMS provider (Twilio, MessageBird, etc., configured by your administrator). Every SMS is logged in the relevant contact or case.
Send an SMS¶
Two paths:
- From a contact: open the contact → SMS tab → Send new.
- From the SMS module: sidebar → SMS → New.
In the form:
- To — recipient's phone, with country code (
+15145551234). - Message — max 160 characters per standard SMS. If you go over, you're billed for several.
- Template (optional).
- Send.
Receive SMS¶
If the customer replies:
- It arrives in your ZaazCRM inbox.
- It's automatically linked to the contact if their phone is recognized.
- You get a notification.
SMS history¶
Every contact has an SMS tab showing every sent and received message, in chronological order.
Cost¶
SMS costs money — your company pays the provider per message:
- SMS within US/Canada: a few cents per message.
- International SMS: can be 10× more expensive.
Your administrator decides whether all users can send SMS or only certain roles.
When SMS vs. email¶
| For… | Use |
|---|---|
| Short urgent reminder | SMS |
| Detailed information or attachments | |
| Appointment notice or reschedule | SMS |
| Confirmation of payment received | SMS or email (formal) |
Watch out for¶
- 160 characters is the per-SMS limit. If you type 200, it goes out as two messages.
- Don't send sensitive info by SMS. SMS is not encrypted.
- Respect the time of day. Sending an SMS at 11pm is rude. ZaazCRM may be configured with a time-window limit.
- It's not WhatsApp. SMS goes to the phone regardless of whether the customer uses WhatsApp.