SMS Functionality Within Eclipse
Introduction
This page is dedicated to detailing the costs, how to set-up & the variaty of different fuctions SMSing from Eclipse has.
What Does The SMS Function Cost?
SMS Costings
- Set-up: $110.00 inc GST
- Service 1: SMS Messaging (one way) 0.17c inc GST
or
Service 2: SMS Messaging (two way (i.e. with reply)) 0.25c inc GST - Minimum spend: $22.00 per month
What is a two-way SMS?
This is used so that the customer can reply to your text. For example, “…please reply Y if you wish to confirm…..”
The reply is sent from the recipient via email (not text) to an email address, as nominated by you.
*** One SMS message is 160 characters. This includes the actual length of the data merged into the SMS.***
Where in Eclipse can we use the SMS functionality?
- Stock & Accounting
If you view a Client, located in the top right-hand corner you will see the Record Communication button.
From here you can choose to send text messages and any/all communication for the particular client can be viewed.
Also within Stock & Accounting, under Stock and Sales there is an SMS History button listing all SMS’s sent/failed etc.
- Service
Within Service, you can have an auto text message set-up and/or manual text messaging set up, as illustrated below.
Within Service, users will be prompted as to whether they wish to send a text to the person. For instance, after they have prepared the Service invoice.
Looking at the boxes 1, 2 and 3 in the above illustration, the first text box is an auto message and therefore automatically sends an SMS one or more day(s) before a customer’s vehicle is due for servicing.
Boxes two and three on the other hand, are manual text messages. This means your staff will be prompted to send any message contained in either box when they save a booking (box two) and/or invoice a repair order (box 3).
Can I change the service text messages?
Yes, providing you have the adequate permissions set against your user, you can make changes in Service’s system options. You can choose whether to have a text message sent from 1, 2 or all 3 boxes.
- Parts
There is the ability to send an SMS to someone who has placed a special order whereby you can notify them that their order has arrived in store ready for pickup. This is done by right clicking the order and selecting Record Communication.
Alternatively, in Parts view a Client in the client list, and then located in the top right-hand corner, you will see the Record Communication button.
- LetterGen and CRM
Based on the criteria you select, the search results provided in LetterGen allow you to send SMS’ to certain customers. Similarly if you have a valid CRM license, you can bulk SMS customers based on criteria you set and ultimately assist you in effectively marketing to your clients.
Example SMS Messages
You don’t necessarily need to use any merge fields. You could simply have the following:
- Example 1 (Service) Auto Send Message: 1 Day Before Date In:
Please be reminded that your vehicle is booked in tomorrow for servicing at:
Great Vehicle Company
123 Great Lane
Great Town
Please contact us on 0000 0000 should you wish to change your booking.
- Example 2 (Service) Standard Booking Message (Manually sent when booking saved):
Thank you for booking your vehicle in for service.
Please contact us on 0000 0000 should you wish to change your booking.
- Example 3 (Service) Standard Pickup Message (Manually sent from invoice when completion date entered):
Please be advised that your vehicle has been serviced and is now ready for collection.
On behalf of Great Vehicle Company, thank you for your commitment.
Great Vehicle Company
123 Great Lane Great Town
Phone: 0000 0000
Using Data Merge Fields To Customise Your SMS
If you wish to customise SMS messages, you can use merge fields.
Company merge fields:
- Some of the available fields for company details are:
[Company Name]
[Business Name]
[Branch Name]
[Branch Street]
[Branch Suburb]
[Branch Phone]
Customer merge fields:
- For customer merge fields the best way to see what fields are available is to go into an existing RO and click the send SMS button.Then, click on the insert merge fields button.
Please note:
All fields in that screen can be used in the system option service SMS as long as they are surrounded by [ ] (square brackets).
It’s not recommended to add all the information into the SMS as you are billed per 160 characters. This includes the actual length of the data merged into the SMS.
Here is a some short example SMS messages – using merge fields to customise SMS messages sent:
- Example 1
Confirming your vehicle is booked in with us on [date_in] at [Branch Street].
Please confirm your booking by replying YES to this message.
Regards Great Vehicle Company, ph(00) 0000 0000..
- Example 2
Your vehicle service/repair has been completed and is ready for collection.
With compliments Great Vehicle Company.Please do not reply to this message.
Security Feature SMS Alerts
In both Service and Parts, (System Options, Security) there is a security feature available to alert a designated mobile number(s) (usually the business owner) if a cash sale is reduced by a specified amount. More than one person/number can be entered and therefore, notified.
Note the merge fields surrounded by [ ] (square brackets).
Service System Options
Parts System Options
What phone number does it send SMS out to if there are multiple customer numbers in the system?
- Service
It is the driver of the vehicle that will receive the auto/manual text message(s).
- Stock and Accounting
You choose the particular individual from the Client List and so long as they have a valid/correct mobile number within their record, the text message will be sent to that number.
- Parts
It will be whichever customer you choose to make the sale out to and/or make the customer order out to. Again, so long as they have a valid/correct mobile number within their record, the text message will be sent to that number.
As always, it is important that the client/customer’s contact details are up-to-date. It is good practice to tell customers not to rely solely on a text message, due to reasons out of your (our) control (such as an incorrect mobile number being mistyped, the telecommunications company experiencing difficulties etc.
Is the SMS functionality feature added to the complete database for all users in all branches to access?
Yes.This is for the entire business, no matter how many branches. If you have more than one database, please contact us.
Whoever books the vehicle in, whichever branch they’re logged into (i.e. when they log into Eclipse), will be the branch that appears in [Branch Street].
The words [Branch Street] will be replaced with whatever the address is that’s listed in Eclipse’s System Options.
How long does it take to set up the SMS functionality?
Should you wish to go ahead, please send a request in writing to [email protected] nominating which service selection you would like (either one-way or two-way SMSing).
Downloadable Document
Please feel free to download the above information in the downloadable PDF document below: