SMS Messaging
Overview
The SMS / Conversations page turns AgentTech Dialer into a two-way texting platform. You can send and receive text messages directly from your browser, keep a full conversation history with every contact, and manage all threads in one place. Whether you are confirming an appointment, following up after a call, or responding to an inbound question, SMS messaging gives you a fast, personal channel right alongside your calling workflow.
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Page Layout
The Conversations page is split into two main panels:
- Left panel — The thread list. Shows every SMS conversation in reverse-chronological order (most recent message on top).
- Right panel — The active conversation. Displays the full message history with the selected contact or phone number, plus the message input area at the bottom.
At the top of the page is a header bar containing:
- Agent Selector (visible to admins and supervisors) — A dropdown that lets you view conversations belonging to a specific agent. This is useful for supervisors monitoring team communication.
- New Message button — Opens the New Message modal to start a conversation with a new number.
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Thread List (Left Panel)
Search
A search input at the top of the thread list lets you filter threads by contact name, phone number, or message content. Results update instantly as you type.
Filter Tabs
Below the search input are four tabs that control which threads are shown:
| Tab | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| All | Every conversation, regardless of read status or contact linkage. |
| Unread | Only threads that have unread inbound messages. |
| Contacts | Threads linked to a contact in your contact list. |
| Unknown | Threads from phone numbers that are not linked to any contact. |
Thread Items
Each thread in the list displays:
- Avatar — A circular icon showing the contact's initials or a generic phone icon for unknown numbers.
- Name or Number — The contact's name if linked; otherwise the raw phone number.
- Last Message Preview — A truncated preview of the most recent message in the thread.
- Timestamp — When the last message was sent or received (e.g., "2 min ago," "Yesterday," "Jan 15").
- Unread Badge — A colored badge showing the number of unread messages in the thread.
- Contact Linked Indicator — A small icon or label that tells you whether this thread is associated with a saved contact.
- Delete Button — Appears on hover. Click it to delete the entire thread after confirming.
Click a thread to load the full conversation in the right panel.
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Conversation View (Right Panel)
Conversation Header
At the top of the right panel, the conversation header shows:
- Avatar — The contact's initials or a generic icon.
- Name — The contact's full name (or phone number if unknown).
- Phone Number — Always displayed beneath the name for reference.
- Contact Linked Badge — Indicates whether this number is linked to a contact record.
- Metadata — Additional details such as the contact's company or tags, if available.
Below the contact information are three action buttons:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Call | Initiates a call to this contact's phone number directly from the conversation view. |
| View Contact | Opens the contact's full profile in the Contacts page (only visible if the number is linked to a contact). |
| Add to Contacts | Creates a new contact pre-filled with this phone number (only visible if the number is not yet linked). |
Message Bubbles
Messages are displayed as chat bubbles in chronological order (oldest at top, newest at bottom):
- Inbound messages (received from the contact) appear on the left side with a white background.
- Outbound messages (sent by you) appear on the right side with a blue background.
Each message bubble includes:
- Timestamp — The exact date and time the message was sent or received.
- Read / Delivered Status — Outbound messages show delivery and read indicators so you know if the recipient has seen your text.
Message Input Area
At the bottom of the right panel is the message composition area:
- Auto-resize textarea — The text field grows as you type, up to a maximum height of 120 pixels, then scrolls. This keeps the input area compact for short messages but gives you room for longer ones.
- Character Counter — Displayed beneath the textarea. It shows:
- The number of segments the message will be split into. A standard SMS segment is 160 characters; messages longer than 160 characters are automatically divided into multiple segments.
- The cost per segment, so you can estimate the total cost before sending.
- Send Button — A circular button to the right of the textarea. Click it (or press Enter) to send your message.
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Sending a New Message
To start a conversation with a number you have not texted before:
- Click the New Message button in the header.
- The New Message Modal opens with the following fields:
- Contacts Toggle button — Click this to slide out a contacts panel on the right side of the modal. The panel includes:
- A search input to filter contacts and agents by name, phone, or company.
- A scrollable list of contacts and agents, each showing Name, Phone, Company, and an Agent badge (if the entry is an internal agent rather than an external contact).
- Click a contact or agent to populate the To field with their number.
- Message textarea — Compose your message here. Maximum 480 characters (4 rows visible).
- Character Counter — Same counter as in the conversation view, showing character count, segment count, and cost.
- Send button — Sends the message and creates a new conversation thread.
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Contact Linking
The platform automatically links SMS threads to contacts based on phone number matching. If a contact exists in your database with the same phone number, the thread displays the contact's name and shows the Contact Linked badge and the View Contact button. If no contact matches, the thread shows the raw phone number and the Add to Contacts button, allowing you to create a contact record in one click.
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Agent Selector (Admins & Supervisors)
Admins and supervisors see an Agent Selector dropdown in the page header. Selecting an agent loads that agent's SMS conversations in the thread list, allowing supervisors to:
- Monitor communication quality and responsiveness.
- Pick up conversations when an agent is unavailable.
- Review threads for compliance or training purposes.
By default, the selector shows your own conversations.
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Notifications
Navbar Badge
When you receive a new inbound SMS, a badge appears on the SMS icon in the top navigation bar showing the total number of unread messages across all threads. The badge updates in real time as messages arrive.
Sound Notification
An audible notification plays when a new message arrives, ensuring you notice it even when you are focused on another page.
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Configuring Phone Numbers for SMS
To send and receive text messages, your agency must have at least one phone number with SMS capability assigned. Phone number configuration is managed in Agency Settings by an admin. Once a number is enabled for SMS, it becomes the default sender ID for outbound messages from agents in that agency.
If your agency uses multiple numbers, the system assigns the appropriate number based on the agent's configuration. Contact your agency admin if you are unsure which number is associated with your account.
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Tips & Best Practices
- Respond quickly. SMS is an instant medium—recipients expect timely replies. Aim to respond to inbound messages within a few minutes during business hours.
- Watch the character counter. Keeping messages under 160 characters means they fit in a single segment, reducing cost and ensuring they arrive as one bubble on the recipient's phone.
- Use the Contacts toggle in the New Message modal. Instead of manually typing phone numbers, search your contact list. This prevents typos and ensures the thread is linked to the correct contact from the start.
- Link unknown numbers. When you see a thread under the Unknown tab, click Add to Contacts to create a contact record. This keeps your CRM data complete and makes future lookups easier.
- Leverage filter tabs. Use the Unread tab at the start of your shift to quickly catch up on messages that came in overnight. Use the Contacts tab when you only want to see threads with known leads.
- Confirm appointments via SMS. Send a quick text the day before or morning of an appointment: "Hi [Name], just confirming your appointment today at 2 PM. Reply YES to confirm or call us to reschedule." This reduces no-shows significantly.
- Avoid sensitive information. Do not send personal health information, Social Security numbers, or financial details via SMS. Use secure channels for sensitive data.
- Use the agent selector for team oversight. Supervisors should periodically review agent conversations for quality and compliance, and to make sure no lead is left waiting.
Last updated: February 24, 2026