What is a Texting Number?
The ability to add a texting number is available on all plans once you complete the registration process. It allows you to select a custom, randomly generated phone number within the area code you choose. This phone number will be the number that your text messages to customers come from.
Setting your texting number gives your customers the ability to reply to your automated and direct messages! Their responses will go straight to the Customer Inbox. If your customer calls that number, it will forward to the business number you have set in your company settings.
While your registration is under review, you can familiarize yourself with our SMS features in the Custom SMS Number collection of our Help Center.
Register for Text Messaging
Register for Text Messaging to send and receive customer communications via text. After your registration is approved, you will be able to send important job-related communications like invoices and estimates through text and receive customer replies directly in your HCP account. To register for Text Messaging, follow these steps.
For new users:
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your HCP account to go to Settings.
Select Communications from the Settings menu on the left.
Click the Text Messaging tab in the Communications settings page.
If you have the previous version of Settings:
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your HCP account to go to Settings.
Next, select Text Messages from the menu on the left.
In your Text Messages settings:
You’ll then see instructions on how to prepare for registration. We recommend having your CP-575 letter on hand prior to beginning. Once you’re ready, click the Begin registration button to proceed.
You will then be prompted to select your business structure. If you have any questions, please consult the Help Articles linked in the registration flow or reach out via the Blue Chat Bubble.
Set Up a Texting Number
Your texting number is the number your manual and automated texts will come from, and it gives you the ability to send your customers invoices and estimates via text.
Once your texting registration has been approved, you will be prompted to select your Texting Number > enter your area code > click the arrow > and Save Number.
📌 Note: Remember that once you've selected a number, it cannot be changed.
Your texting number has now been set!
🔎 To read more about the notifications your customers can receive, click here.
Customize SMS Notifications
Create and edit Schedule, On my way, and Finish job text notifications.
First, be sure to register and select your texting number. This number is what customers will see when they receive notifications from you or your business.
When a customer responds to a text notification, the response will be sent to the Customer Inbox within the Housecall Pro mobile and web applications.
To customize your Job scheduled, On my way, and Job finished SMS notifications, follow the steps below.
📌 Note: Keep in mind that these messages will go to every customer and cannot be edited from job to job, so you should not include a customer's actual name or any other specific information by typing it in.
For new users:
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your HCP account to go to Settings.
Select Communications from the Settings menu on the left.
Click the Text Messaging tab in the Communications settings page.
If you have the previous version of Settings:
Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your HCP account to go to Settings.
Next, select Text Messages from the Settings menu on the left.
In your Text Message settings:
Check or uncheck the box next to Show technician picture in the On My Way text settings to control whether your technician’s photo is included in the message sent to customers.
Use the toggles to turn each message on or off, or click the pencil icon to customize the content of any of the following messages below:
Job scheduled text
On my way text
Job finished text
Within the edit window, click the Add variable dropdown to add the following available variables to your text notifications:
Job scheduled text: Customer first name, Company name, Technician first name, Technician last name, Invoice number, Job date, and Job time.
On my way text: Customer first name, Company name, Technician first name, Technician last name, and Invoice number.
Job finished text: Customer first name, Company name, Technician first name, Technician last name, and Invoice number.
When a notification is sent to a customer, the smart variable will determine the correct information for that particular job and send a text message to the customer with the appropriate information.
When typing the custom message into the edit text area, the smart variables will display a preview with a sample message on the right side of the page. This represents exactly what a customer will see when they receive the text notification.
To remove a variable, click the X icon next to the added variable.
Click the blue Save button to save your changes.
📌 Note: A picture must be uploaded to the employee's profile to be shown in the On my way text.
Need help or have questions?
We're here for you! Chat with us using the Blue Chat Bubble in your Housecall Pro account, or give us a call at (858) 842-5746.