Reply to a customer by text

Open the text composer from an Inbox conversation, check the contact's texting permission, and send a one-to-one reply.

You can text a customer from their conversation in the Inbox. The Message action in the right toolbar starts selected and the composer opens at the bottom. Select Message again to hide or restore it.

Before you begin

The contact needs Information & reminders permission before you can send an SMS. RankLadder may already have recorded it because:

The customer asked for or accepted a text during a recorded call.
The customer texted your business first.
The customer selected informational-text permission on a form.
A team member recorded the customer's direct agreement on their contact card.

If the permission is off, Message is unavailable. Open the Contact panel, find Texting, and review Information & reminders. Only turn it on if the customer directly agreed; RankLadder asks you to record where and when that happened.

Review requests is a separate permission. Turning on Information & reminders does not give permission to send a Google review invitation.

See examples of what each texting permission covers.

Send the text

Open Inbox and select the conversation.
Type your message in the composer. Use the smile button to search the complete emoji catalog, browse categories, choose skin tones, or reuse recent choices. Use the paperclip to attach a JPG, PNG, GIF, or PDF.
Choose Send.

What happens next

The text goes out from your RankLadder number, the same number your customers call.
RankLadder identifies your business in the message.
Your message appears in the conversation right away, and the customer's reply lands in the same thread.
Sent texts count toward your plan's monthly text allowance.

SMS and website chat stay separate

This guide is for SMS sent to the customer's phone number. A conversation started in your website chat stays on the Website chat channel unless the visitor separately chooses to continue by SMS. RankLadder labels the channel so your team can see which kind of conversation they are answering.

If it does not work

Message is unavailable. Open the Contact panel and check Information & reminders. If the customer has not agreed, use another channel or wait for them to text you first.
The customer replied STOP. Both texting permissions are off. They can text START to opt back in, or you can use the guarded reactivation flow after they give new valid permission.
You've reached your texting limit for this period. Your plan's text allowance is used up. Upgrade or wait for your next billing cycle.
The text couldn't be sent. Wait a moment and try again.