# SMS & Text Communications

**Category:** Admin Settings
**Audience:** Store Managers / Admin Users
**Last Updated:** 2026-02-11

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## Overview

BuyerKiosk uses SMS text messaging to keep customers informed throughout the buy process and to enable two-way conversations between your team and customers. Messages are sent through either Twilio or Vonage depending on your store's configuration. This article covers the text log, store-wide text reporting, the chat panel in the Workbook, and how to manage chat templates.

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## How SMS Works in BuyerKiosk

When a buy is completed and paid out, BuyerKiosk automatically sends a notification text to the customer letting them know their offer is ready for pickup. The system also sends survey links (if enabled) and supports two-way chat conversations from the Workbook.

### Types of SMS Messages

| Message Type | When It Is Sent | Trigger |
|-------------|----------------|---------|
| **Buy Completion** | After a buy is paid out | Automatic |
| **Service Completion** | After an equipment service is finished | Automatic |
| **Survey** | After buy payout (if surveys are enabled) | Automatic |
| **Chat / Interactive** | Staff sends from the Workbook chat panel | Manual |
| **Custom** | One-off messages sent by staff | Manual |

### Safety Features

BuyerKiosk includes several protections to prevent over-messaging:

- **Do Not Text List** -- Customers who reply "STOP" are automatically added to the Do Not Text list. No further messages will be sent to them.
- **Flood Protection** -- A maximum of 5 messages per phone number per day prevents accidental spam.
- **Phone Validation** -- Only valid 10-digit phone numbers receive messages.
- **Segment Counter** -- The chat composer shows how many SMS segments a message will use, helping staff keep messages concise.

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## Workbook Chat Panel

The chat panel is a collapsible right-side panel available on the Queue, Workbook, and Completed Buys screens. It lets your team have two-way SMS conversations with customers directly from the workspace.

![Chat Panel in Workbook](/images/support/articles/sms_chat_panel_open.png)

*The chat panel opens on the right side of the Workbook when you click the chat toggle button.*

### Opening the Chat Panel

1. Look for the chat toggle button (speech bubble icon) in the bottom-right area of the workspace.
2. Click the button to expand the panel.
3. A badge count appears on the button when there are unread messages.

### Conversation Feed

When the panel opens, you see a list of all active conversations. Each conversation card shows:

- Customer name and phone number
- The most recent message preview
- Unread message count (if any)
- The associated buy number

Click any conversation to open the full thread view.

### Sending a Message

1. Open a conversation from the feed.
2. Type your message in the text box at the bottom.
3. The segment counter below the text box shows the character count and how many SMS segments the message will use (e.g., "85/160 | 1 SMS").
4. Click `Send` or press Enter to send.

> **Tip:** Keep messages under 160 characters when possible to use only 1 SMS segment. Messages over 160 characters are split into multiple segments, each billed separately.

### Using Templates

Instead of typing from scratch, you can use pre-built message templates:

1. Click the `Templates` button above the message input.
2. Browse available templates by category.
3. Click a template to insert it into the message box.
4. Wildcards like `{customerName}` and `{buyNumber}` are automatically replaced with the actual customer and buy details.

### Freetext Locking

For new conversations where the customer has not yet replied, freetext may be locked. In this state:

- You can only send messages using a template (not freeform text).
- Once the customer replies, freetext is unlocked and you can type freely.
- A lock icon and message appear: "Freetext unlocks after the customer replies."

### Do Not Text Customers

If a customer is on the Do Not Text list, a red banner appears at the top of their conversation: "This customer is on the Do Not Text list. Messaging is disabled." You will not be able to send them any messages.

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## Chat Templates (Admin)

Admins can create and manage standardized message templates that staff use when communicating with customers. Navigate to **Admin** > **Store Settings** > **Chat Templates** to manage them.

### Template List

The templates page shows a table of all message templates with these columns:

| Column | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Name** | The short, descriptive name (e.g., "Ready for Pickup") |
| **Content** | A preview of the message text |
| **Category** | Transactional, Initial Contact, or Follow-up |
| **Segments** | How many SMS segments the template uses |
| **Type** | System (locked, cannot delete) or Custom |
| **Status** | Active or Inactive |
| **Actions** | Edit and Delete buttons |

### Creating a Template

1. Click `Add Template` in the top-right corner.
2. Fill in the **Template Name** (e.g., "Ready for Pickup").
3. Select a **Category**:
   - **Transactional** -- For buy-related notifications
   - **Initial Contact** -- For first outreach to a customer
   - **Follow-up** -- For subsequent messages
4. Write the **Message Content** in the text area. Use the wildcard buttons to insert dynamic placeholders:
   - `{customerName}` -- The customer's first name
   - `{buyNumber}` -- The buy transaction number
   - `{storeName}` -- Your store's name
   - `{storePhone}` -- Your store's phone number
   - `{buyTotal}` -- The buy offer total
   - `{employeeName}` -- The name of the staff member sending the message
5. Review the **Preview** section below, which shows how the message will look with sample data.
6. Toggle the **Active** switch to control whether staff can see this template.
7. Click `Save Template`.

> **Tip:** The character counter shows your current count out of 1,600 maximum, along with the number of SMS segments. Try to keep templates under 160 characters for single-segment messages.

### Editing and Deleting Templates

- Click the pencil icon on any template row to edit it.
- Click the trash icon to delete a custom template.
- **System templates** cannot be deleted, but you can edit their content and toggle them active/inactive.

---

## Chat Usage Dashboard (Admin)

The Chat Usage page provides analytics on your store's SMS messaging activity. Navigate to **Admin** > **Store Settings** > **Chat Usage**.

### Stats Overview

Five stat cards show key metrics for the selected date range:

| Metric | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Total Sent** | Number of outbound messages sent |
| **Total Received** | Number of inbound messages from customers |
| **Transactional** | Automated messages (buy notifications, surveys) |
| **Interactive** | Two-way chat messages sent by staff |
| **Delivery Rate** | Percentage of messages successfully delivered |

### Date Filtering

Use the date pickers or quick-filter buttons to adjust the reporting period:

- `Last 7 Days`, `Last 30 Days`, `Last 90 Days`, or `This Month`
- Custom date range using the Start Date and End Date fields

### Charts

- **Daily Message Volume** -- A line chart showing sent and received messages over time.
- **Message Types** -- A doughnut chart breaking down transactional vs. interactive messages.

### Daily Breakdown Table

Below the charts, a detailed table shows daily totals for sent, received, transactional, interactive, delivery rate, and segment counts. Use the `Export CSV` button to download this data for external analysis.

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## Store Text Log

The Text Log page shows all texts sent from your store for the current month. Navigate to this page from your store's admin area.

### What You See

- **Monthly Summary** at the top shows:
  - Number of texts sent this month
  - Price per text ($0.03)
  - Estimated cost for the month
- **Message Table** below lists every text sent, including:
  - Time sent
  - Customer ID (linked to the customer profile)
  - Phone number
  - Customer name

Use the pagination controls to browse through large lists, or change the page size to view 10 or 100 entries at a time.

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## All Store Texts (Multi-Store Admin)

If you manage multiple stores, the All Store Texts page provides a consolidated view of text message counts across all your locations. Use the `Pick Date` button to filter by:

- This Month
- Last Month

The table shows each store's city, store number, and total text count, with a grand total at the bottom.

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## Resending a Text

If a customer did not receive their buy notification text, staff can resend it:

1. Find the buy in the Queue or Completed Buys view.
2. The system uses the buy details to reconstruct the notification message.
3. The resend goes through the same Twilio or Vonage provider configured for your store.

> **Note:** Resending is subject to the same flood protection limits (5 messages per phone number per day).

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## Inbound Message Handling

When a customer texts your store's number, BuyerKiosk processes the message automatically:

- **"STOP"** -- Adds the customer to the Do Not Text list and sends an opt-out confirmation.
- **"HELP"** -- Sends a default help message with store information.
- **Store code or number** -- If the customer texts your store code, the system looks up or creates their loyalty profile.
- **Any other message** -- Routes to the chat panel in the Workbook for staff to see and respond.

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## Troubleshooting

### Customer says they did not receive a text
- Check the Text Log to confirm the message was sent.
- Verify the customer's phone number is correct (must be 10 digits).
- Check if the customer is on the Do Not Text list.
- The flood protector may have blocked the message if 5 texts were already sent to that number today.

### Chat panel shows "Do Not Text" banner
- The customer previously replied "STOP" and was added to the opt-out list.
- To remove them, contact your system administrator. Customers can also text back to opt in again.

### Template wildcards not replacing
- Make sure the wildcard syntax is exact: `{customerName}` not `{ customerName }` or `{{customerName}}`.
- Wildcards only work when sending from a conversation linked to a specific buy.

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## Related Articles

- [Workbook Overview](/support/articles/01-workbook-overview) -- Includes information about the chat panel in the Workbook context
- [Chat/SMS Panel](/support/articles/04-chat-sms-panel) -- Detailed guide to the Workbook chat panel for store employees
- [Survey Results & Settings](/support/articles/survey-results-settings) -- Surveys are sent via SMS after buy completion