Skip to main content
All CollectionsTeam Inbox
How to Configure Inbound Messaging Modes on SMS and WhatsApp
How to Configure Inbound Messaging Modes on SMS and WhatsApp

SMS, WhatsApp, Inbound Messages, Chatbots, Live-chat, Autoreply

D
Written by Diviniah Mbaire
Updated over a week ago

The team inbox shows all interactions running over SMS, WhatsApp and Calls. The feature is equipped with the Inbound Messaging Modes which refers to customer-initiated conversations that the team inbox can facilitate. The available messaging modes are:

  • Auto-reply; users can set up an auto-response message anytime a customer chats you, to acknowledge the receipt of their message.

  • Manual messaging; the feature allows users to engage in one-on-one conversations, and,

  • Chatbots; set up conversational bots through flows to automate your interactions.

How to set up the Messaging Modes.

Click on Channels from the APP menu, and click on the WhatsApp Numbers or the shortcode button. The set-up sequence is similar for both WhatsApp and SMS. Click on the SETTINGS button on the right-hand side of the number you want to set up.

You will land on the setup page, allowing you to configure the inbox

Select the Inbound Messaging Mode


1. How to set up the Auto reply Inbound Messaging Mode

Click on the Auto reply on the option

Input the automated message that should be sent out once the message has been received.

Set up the time when the auto-reply message should be sent out every time a message is received.

Click on the SAVE button to complete setting up the Team Inbox.


2. How to set up the Manual Messaging Inbound Messaging Mode

Select the Manual Messaging options

Click on the SAVE button to complete setting up the Team Inbox.


3. How to set up the Chatbot Inbound Messaging Mode

Select the Chatbot option

Select the WhatsApp Survey Campaign previously created. See how to do that here. Select how long it will take the chatbot session to time out once a respondent starts on the survey. This is measured in hours.

Click on the COPY FROM WHATSAPP FLOW button

On the dialogue box, click on Select WhatsApp Flow, and select the flow you would like to set up, that is already created here:

Click on the Copy & Replace button to complete the set-up.


Other settings:

Edit Flow Settings: this will allow you to edit the WhatsApp Flow that is in use.

You can edit the steps in the WhatsApp Flow from the Steps menu.

Under the START option, you can set up the following:

Opt-in Keywords, you can set up the options, the following options are available:

  • Use Keywords, which will initiate the chatbot when the customer sends a specific word is used to start a conversation. For instance; START, HELP etc.

  • Use Any word, this will initiate the chatbot regardless of any word the customer uses to start a conversation.

  • Disable Opt-in, this will disable the chatbot.

Click on the SAVE button to complete the changes.

You can also select whether the customer would be able to interact with the Chatbot more than once, by checking the Allow recipients to participate in the survey multiple times option.

Under Notifications settings, you can also configure:

  • Callback URL sends notifications of the responses received on the Chatbot to a third-party application of your choice.

Click on the SAVE button located at the top right-hand side of the screen to set up the ChatBot.

The service is now ready, your customers can engage with you over WhatsApp.


- Please note that for you to send a manual messaging mode while a Survey campaign (whether inbound) is ongoing, you will need to see the internal notification for 'Survey Ended or Survey Timed Out' on the team inbox interaction thread to send a manual message to the customer.

If you have any queries about the service, please reach out to us at support@mteja.io.

Did this answer your question?