Set up SMS messaging for support communications

Connect an SMS channel to help desk to receive and respond to customer inquiries via text message. For example, you can include your SMS number on your website or in onboarding materials so customers can text your team with questions. Support reps can then reply directly to provide quick updates on high-priority tickets or confirm service appointments.

Please note: if you're a Super Admin, you can opt your account into the Service SMS beta.

Before you get started

• You can only send SMS messages from US-based numbers.
• Each HubSpot account can only generate a single number for SMS communications.
• SMS messaging in HubSpot is not currently supported for sole proprietors.
• Certain types of messages and business categories are not allowed on SMS platforms in the United States and Canada. Review the forbidden message categories in the documentation of Hubspot's SMS provider, Twilio, to verify they don't apply to your business or message content.

• Customers are able to send incoming images (MMS), but outgoing images from reps are not supported at this time.

Register your business and get an SMS number

Before you can connect an SMS channel to help desk, you need to set up an SMS number and register your business and get a long code (10DLC) SMS number.

This process includes:

• Completing business registration in-app.
• Submitting your details to Twilio, which coordinates with mobile carriers for approval.
• Waiting for carrier approval, which typically takes 6-8 working days.

Once approved, you can generate your SMS number in HubSpot and connect it to help desk. Learn more about registering your business and getting an SMS number in HubSpot. 

Connect an SMS channel to help desk

Once you’ve generated your SMS number, you can connect it to help desk.

1. In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
2. In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk > Help Desk .

1. In the top right, click Connect a channel > Connect a new channel.
2. Click SMS.
3. Select the SMS number. If the SMS number shown is not eligible to connect, learn more about registering your SMS number.
4. In the bottom right, click Set up ticket automation.
5. To set properties for new incoming tickets created from the channel, click Set ticket properties for this channel.
6. To assign tickets automatically, toggle the Automatically assign tickets switch on.
   
   • Specific users and teams: assign incoming tickets to the users or teams selected. Select the users or teams from the Specific users and teams dropdown menu.
   • Team only: assign incoming tickets to teams without assigning a ticket owner. Tickets will be routed to the selected team and will appear in team-based views, including My Team's Unassigned and My Team's Open. Only teams with at least one user who has a Service Seat can be selected for team routing.
   • Use skill-based routing: automatically route incoming tickets to reps based on their assigned skills. This helps ensure tickets are handled by the most qualified team members. Learn more about skill-based routing.
   • Use assignment workflow: route incoming tickets using workflows based on criteria you define, such as ticket properties or contact data. Learn more about assigning tickets with workflows.
   • Contact owner: assign incoming tickets to a contact owner. The contact must have an owner assigned to their record and be tracked with a cookie.

7. To choose how you want to distribute tickets, click the Distribution dropdown menu and select an option:

   • Load Balanced: distribute tickets to users with the fewest open tickets assigned.
   • Round Robin: distribute to users in rotating, sequential order.

8. In the bottom right, click Connect number.

Respond to SMS messages in help desk

Once connected, any SMS messages sent to or from the number will appear in help desk. You will be notified when you receive a new SMS message, but you can turn off these notifications in your settings.

Please note: it's not possible to initiate SMS messages from help desk or the CRM record.

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to Service > Help Desk. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to Service > Help Desk directly.

2. Click the search search icon in the top left and enter a search term to look up a conversation generated via text, and apply filters to narrow your search. For example, you can apply filters that segment out messages that originated from your connected SMS number. Learn more about creating custom views.
   
   
   
3. In the left panel, click a conversation to open it. A messages message icon will appear beside conversations generated from SMS messages.
   
   
4. In the right sidebar, use the contextual information about the associated ticket, contact, and past conversations to inform your response to the contact's inquiry.
5. To reassign the message, in the top right click the Ticket Owner dropdown menu and select a different user. Learn more about routing tickets in help desk. 
6. By default, your reply will be in response to the most recent message in the thread. To reply to a specific message, click the reply icon in the top right of the message.

7. In the reply editor, write your response:

   Please note: SMS messages are plain text only. It's not possible to send images or files from help desk via SMS. 

   • Use the icons across the bottom of the editor to add an emoji or insert a link. 

   • To add a document, snippet, meeting link, knowledge base article, quote, or video in your response, click Insert.

   • During the conversation, you may need to switch to email or call the contact. Click the Channel dropdown menu above the reply editor and select a different channel.
8. To send the reply, click Send. You can also reply and update the ticket status in a single action:

1. • In the bottom right, click the dropdown arrow next to the Send button and select a ticket status. The ticket statuses of the ticket's current pipeline will show here.
   • If the selected ticket status is conditional, you'll be prompted to enter the required properties.
   • Once you've selected an option, the reply will be sent and the ticket status will be updated.

Learn more about responding to tickets in help desk.

Understand SMS consent and response windows

• Subject to applicable law, carrier requirements, and Twilio’s policies, when a customer texts your registered SMS number first, that may be treated as implied consent for you to respond as part of the same service conversation. The customer does not need to provide explicit consent, such as texting START for that response. This only applies to Service SMS use cases and does not apply to marketing or promotional messages.
• Customers can opt out at any time by texting STOP or another supported keyword. After a customer opts out, you can’t send further messages unless they send a new message, which re-establishes consent.
• The following response windows apply:
  • A support rep must respond within 48 hours of the customer’s first message. After this window, you can no longer respond.
  • After the initial reply, you can continue responding as long as you reply within 30 days of the customer’s latest message and the related ticket remains open.
  • The time remaining to reply is shown in the conversation.
    
    

Manage SMS channel settings

To edit, delete or turn off an SMS messaging channel in help desk:

1. In your HubSpot account, click the settings icon in the top navigation bar.
2. In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Inbox & Help Desk, then click Help Desk.
3. In the Ticket sources and routing section, click Channels.
4. Hover over the channel, then do one of the following:

• • To edit the channel, click Edit.
  • Toggle the Automatically assign tickets switch on/off to edit ticket routing and configuration. Then, click Save.
  • To delete the channel, click Delete. In the dialog box, click Delete account.
  • To turn off the channel, click to toggle the Status switch off. In the dialog box, click Turn off.