3cx SMS active conversations?

[ZacSC]

Hello!

I am testing out 3cx sms and I am a little confused on how active conversations works. I can't seem to find any documentation on this (I realize its in beta) so I am trying to figure out what makes the best sense for the way we want to use sms.

It seems to me like there are 3 ways to setup texting.

1: One to one: Users get their own sms number, with incoming and outgoing sms goes to the same user
2: Operator: One main number, that goes to a single user who responds to incoming messages or transfers them, other users can send outgoing messages using the same number
3: Call Queues: sms number goes to a call queue to manage incoming messages, users use the same number for outgoing sms

Are there others I am missing?

I have a few questions in terms of how that shakes out though, specifically how conversations are handled even if you have multiple numbers.

1: It seems like regardless of how you have this setup even if you have several sms numbers only 1 users can have an active conversation with an outside number at a time, is that accurate? It seems like if you have multiple sms numbers each of them should be able to have ongoing conversations with the same outside number but maybe thats not how this system works?

2: I am trying to figure out the best way to set up a system that supports texting with several users, it seems like marking conversations as dealt with becomes super important because otherwise conversations get abandoned and others can't text the same number?

Any thoughts or best practices around this?

Thanks

 

[VasilisV_3CX]

Hi @ZacSC,

Are there others I am missing?

No, you've summarised it very well.

1: It seems like regardless of how you have this setup even if you have several sms numbers only 1 users can have an active conversation with an outside number at a time, is that accurate? It seems like if you have multiple sms numbers each of them should be able to have ongoing conversations with the same outside number but maybe thats not how this system works?

If the conversation isn't dealt with, it will continue on with the extension that started the conversation even if the changes are made.

2: I am trying to figure out the best way to set up a system that supports texting with several users, it seems like marking conversations as dealt with becomes super important because otherwise conversations get abandoned and others can't text the same number?

Yes if the conversation isn't marked, you'll need to send another text to it to reopen the chat and then mark it as dealt with.

 

[ZacSC]

Thanks for the response @VasilisV_3CX

That kind of makes it seem like there is not a ton of good reasons to have multiple numbers unless you need to manage a bunch of incoming messages?

 

[VasilisV_3CX]

Hi @ZacSC,

Yes the use case you've mentioned above most accurately sums it up for now.

 

[ZacSC]

@VasilisV_3CX Right on thanks! Related but different is there any way to generate email notifications when texts come in? I looked but did not see that.

 

[VasilisV_3CX]

Hi @ZacSC,

For now this isn't an option. You will receive the standard notification on your Web Client / Mobile device / Windows Client etc but you won't receive an email regarding an incoming chat.

 

[myrich33]

Hi, I have a situation today where user #1 has a active conversation with a customer. User #1 is off today and user #2 wants to send a SMS to same number but is getting the active conversation error. As it stands, not sure what we can do other than purge the whole (all users) chat history. It would be nice if a "Monitor" option was setup where a manager could take over an SMS chat not just a direct-chat. I was able to manually send out a sms via my sms provider directly but not a great work around.

 

[Evolute IT]

Hi, I have a situation today where user #1 has a active conversation with a customer. User #1 is off today and user #2 wants to send a SMS to same number but is getting the active conversation error. As it stands, not sure what we can do other than purge the whole (all users) chat history. It would be nice if a "Monitor" option was setup where a manager could take over an SMS chat not just a direct-chat. I was able to manually send out a sms via my sms provider directly but not a great work around.

The manager can transfer the chat to another agent from the Monitor tab. Just like the assigned agent can.

 

[VasilisV_3CX]

Hi @myrich33,

To add to what @Frederick Marcoux has mentioned, in V18 there will be an option to Auto-Close (close and archive active queue chats) which exceed the amount of days you've specified

 

[myrich33]

RE Auto-Close - AWESOME!
But, regarding manager - I know how to monitor chats tied to a sms message queue. But, this example is the 3CX CSR initialed the chat. It seems like only chats that are initiated externally via live chat show up in monitor. In other words, when I monitor the from the 3CX web client, i don't see any of the SMS messages our 3cx users sent out not in response to a live-chat.

 

[VasilisV_3CX]

Hi @myrich33,

This is correct, when an SMS enters the queue only then can the queue manager have access to the chat. If the agents close the chat as soon as they've sent it, the response will follow whatever routing is set up on the system, meaning that the replies could then enter the queue and be monitored straight after the initial SMS is sent. However, this does rely on the agents closing the SMS chats straight after sending the first message.