Key takeaways
- Replies need a number that can receive messages, not an alphanumeric sender.
- Keywords such as STOP, HELP and YES give people simple controls; accept spelling variations and local words.
- Route each reply to the right system with the context of the message it answers.
- Hand over to a person when the automation cannot help.
Start with a number that can receive
People cannot normally reply to an alphanumeric sender name. For two-way messaging you need a number that can receive texts, such as a long number or, in some countries, a short code. The choice and the availability differ by country, as our article on sender types explains.
Keywords people actually type
- STOP to opt out, handled at once and for every system
- HELP for contact information
- YES, NO or a number such as 1 and 2 for confirmations
- Accept lower case, extra spaces and punctuation
- Accept local words too, for example STOP, STOPP, AFMELD, JA and NEJ in Danish
Route replies with context
A reply is only useful if you know what it answers. Match the reply to the latest message you sent to that number, and pass both to the right system: a booking system for confirmations, a support inbox for questions, a bot for simple requests.
Your provider normally delivers inbound messages to a webhook or an API. Design that endpoint like any other: respond quickly, process in the background and expect duplicates.
Hand over to a person
- Offer a clear way to reach a human
- Tell people what to expect, for example office hours
- Pass the conversation history on to the person who takes over
- Keep automated replies short and honest about being automated
Common mistakes
- Asking for a reply from a sender that cannot receive
- Ignoring spelling variations and local-language keywords
- Handling STOP in one system but not in the others
- Letting replies pile up in an inbox nobody reads
How ZafeConnect fits
ZafeConnect offers 2-Way Messaging and phone numbers as products, with webhooks for events. Tell us your countries and use cases and we will confirm which numbers and keywords apply.