Answer texts to your Freesbe number

Texts to your business number can land in a channel, one thread per customer, where anyone on the team can pick them up. You need to be a Freesbe owner or admin.

1. Add the number

1. Open Workspace settings → Phone → Messaging and click Add number.
2. Pick the channel texts go to, like #support, and the Number customers text.
3. Click Add number. It starts in test mode.

2. Try it in test mode

1. Under the number, type a message in Send a test text, like “Are you open on Saturday?”, and click Send.
2. Open the channel: a card shows the text from a made-up number, with the text in its thread.
3. Reply in the thread. Your reply is marked Test mode: not sent: nothing goes to the phone network in test mode.

Hand the conversation to someone, write an internal note, use a saved reply or Suggest a reply, the same way as for web chat and email.

3. Go live

1. Under the number, click Go live and confirm. The number has to be one of your workspace’s own phone numbers.
2. Text the number from your own phone. The text lands in the channel, in its own thread.
3. Reply in the thread. The reply is texted back, and shows Delivered once it reaches the phone.

If a reply shows Failed, its reason says why: the customer texted STOP, or in the US the number’s business texting registration (A2P 10DLC) isn’t done yet. To stop texting for real, choose Back to test mode in the number’s ⋯ menu.

Texting for real is opening up gradually: until it’s on for your workspace, the number stays in test mode and says it’s coming.

See Customer inbox for everything the inbox does.