Hi all,
(I know it's still only an alpha build. I'm testing it internally only at this stage. These are my observations).
I have two numbers routed into the business via 3CX. One is a local landline number for voice calls only and the other is for SMS and calls. Customers may have one or both numbers stored in their contact list. Traditionally some customers text work through, some call and some do both so it makes sense to have both numbers associated with WhatsApp too.
Earlier in the week I registered and set up the first number between WA and 3CX. Initially I could only receive WA messages but replies I sent were not received by the sending account. This sorted itself out overnight and I now have two way messaging on that account. Last night I decided to register and set up the second number between WA and 3CX, creating a new app at dev.facebook and a new trunk in 3CX. This morning I have only one way messaging on that trunk so will see whether it sorts itself out overnight.
The WA routing doesn't seem to be working for me. I set up the routing so WA messages arrive at the reception desk in the same way as I have FB and SMS routed. Outside of normal office hours (reception phone goes to DND following global office hours) the WA messages are not delivered to the extension and the sender receives a reply stating 'There are no agents available at the moment'. FB and SMS are still delivered to this extension when the business is closed and can be dealt with the following day but the WA messages are not and there's no indication a message has been received so no way to know a customer has made contact when we are closed.
I changed the destination for calls outside office hours on this WA trunk to an extension not set as DND and excluded from the office hours setting but messages are not being received at that extension. It doesn't seem to be obeying the destination for calls outside office hours setting. When I manually change the reception extension to available messages are once again received.
In the future are we going to be able to initiate WA messages to customers? It would be nice to be able to send customers a 'free' WA message rather than a charged SMS message.
Other than that, the concept of having as many of the customer contact methods (calls, FB, SMS, WA and voicemail) routed into a single system is brilliant. We now only have one place to go to respond to these messages; a massive time saver.
(I know it's still only an alpha build. I'm testing it internally only at this stage. These are my observations).
I have two numbers routed into the business via 3CX. One is a local landline number for voice calls only and the other is for SMS and calls. Customers may have one or both numbers stored in their contact list. Traditionally some customers text work through, some call and some do both so it makes sense to have both numbers associated with WhatsApp too.
Earlier in the week I registered and set up the first number between WA and 3CX. Initially I could only receive WA messages but replies I sent were not received by the sending account. This sorted itself out overnight and I now have two way messaging on that account. Last night I decided to register and set up the second number between WA and 3CX, creating a new app at dev.facebook and a new trunk in 3CX. This morning I have only one way messaging on that trunk so will see whether it sorts itself out overnight.
The WA routing doesn't seem to be working for me. I set up the routing so WA messages arrive at the reception desk in the same way as I have FB and SMS routed. Outside of normal office hours (reception phone goes to DND following global office hours) the WA messages are not delivered to the extension and the sender receives a reply stating 'There are no agents available at the moment'. FB and SMS are still delivered to this extension when the business is closed and can be dealt with the following day but the WA messages are not and there's no indication a message has been received so no way to know a customer has made contact when we are closed.
I changed the destination for calls outside office hours on this WA trunk to an extension not set as DND and excluded from the office hours setting but messages are not being received at that extension. It doesn't seem to be obeying the destination for calls outside office hours setting. When I manually change the reception extension to available messages are once again received.
In the future are we going to be able to initiate WA messages to customers? It would be nice to be able to send customers a 'free' WA message rather than a charged SMS message.
Other than that, the concept of having as many of the customer contact methods (calls, FB, SMS, WA and voicemail) routed into a single system is brilliant. We now only have one place to go to respond to these messages; a massive time saver.
