Texting Guide for Customer Support

Customer support succeeds when answers are fast, simple, and visible. Customers want clear next steps and an easy way to continue the conversation. TextUs can centralize support texting so teams can resolve issues quickly and measure impact.

How TextUs Fits Customer Support Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can reach precise customer segments from your CRM or ticketing system with short prompts tied to one action. You can attach PDFs or images like setup cards, return instructions, or outage maps so customers can act without opening an email.

Keywords such as HELP, TRACK, RETURN, or STATUS can route replies into Sequences that confirm intent and can send links or instructions automatically.

Replies land in the Shared Inbox, where support and success can assign owners and respond with templates. Integrations can sync messages and outcomes back to your system of record so history and SLAs stay accurate.

Inside TextUs, you can view deliveries, replies, and clicks, and you can export CSVs to match texting with resolution times and CSAT.

Set Up Support Foundations in TextUs

Connect your CRM or ticketing platform so contacts, segments, and conversations can sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Align with compliance on which topics can live in SMS and which must move to secure links.

Create templates for your most common intents. Examples include password reset guidance, shipping or tracking, warranty requests, returns, outage updates, and scheduling callbacks.

Assign Shared Inbox coverage by queue and time zone so someone can own replies during each support window.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment from your CRM or help desk, such as “Open Tickets Older Than 48 Hours.” This can make sure your message reaches the right customers.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and specific. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, I can help with your [Issue]. Want a quick fix link or a call? Reply LINK or CALL.”
3. Attach media: Add a PDF or image if helpful, such as a step card or return label guide. Attachments can reduce back-and-forth.
4. Set up an A/B test: Create a second version that changes one element, like the opener or the call to action. You can compare reply or click rates to keep the winner.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during local support hours. You can set recurrence for daily follow-ups on aging tickets or weekly updates during long fixes.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as HELP, TRACK, or RETURN and reference it in your message. When a customer replies with that word, TextUs can recognize it automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the fix or tracking link. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no response.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, watch reply rates, and assign edge cases quickly from the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks for the quick reply. Here is your tracking link: [short URL]. Text AGENT if you want a call.”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Checking in on your issue. Do you still need help? Reply YES and I can connect you.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by issue type, stage, and urgency so each text can drive a single action. Useful dimensions include shipping, billing, login, outage region, plan tier, and aging status. Exclude opt-outs and resolved tickets so messages can stay relevant.

Personalize lightly with first name and one safe context field such as order number suffix, product, or region. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, I can resend your [Product] setup steps. Reply GUIDE to get them.” Set fallbacks so no message can look broken.

Refresh segments daily for standard queues and hourly for outages or shipping delays. Clean data can protect deliverability and improve first response time.

Template Library for Customer Support Scenarios

Keep a compact library your team can send without rewriting. One goal per message, one clear action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, I can text the steps to fix [Issue]. Reply GUIDE.”
• “Your order ending in [XXXX] shipped. Reply TRACK for the link or HELP with questions.”
• “Return window is open. Reply RETURN for a label link or INFO for policy details.”
• “Outage update for [Region]: teams are working now. Reply STATUS for the timeline.”
• “Want a quick call to resolve this? Reply CALL and I can text a booking link.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. You can retire low performers, note which tones lift CSAT, and keep attachments small so they can open quickly on mobile.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs weekly. Join that data with help desk metrics like first response time, time to resolution, reopen rate, and CSAT. Preserve campaign name, segment, keyword, and variant so you can run cohort analysis.

Track reply-to-resolution and click-to-self-serve rates by queue. Include attachment and link usage so you can see whether step cards or labels can reduce handle time. Publish a one-page summary with delivery rate, reply rate, resolution rate, and CSAT lift.

Triage, Deflection, and Escalation Playbooks

Use TextUs to route simple issues to self-serve and keep complex cases human. A HELP or GUIDE keyword can return a one-pager that solves common errors. If the customer replies AGENT, you can assign an owner and move the case to a call.

During incidents, send targeted alerts to affected regions with a STATUS keyword. Step 1 can return the timeline and a link to details. Step 2 can check back when service is restored so customers can confirm.

For returns and exchanges, a RETURN keyword can send the policy and a portal link. A follow-up can confirm receipt so the thread can close cleanly in your system.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies appear in the Shared Inbox so support, success, and billing can see context. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so the customer can have one point of contact. Templates keep answers consistent while one personal line can maintain rapport.

Use tags like Shipping, Billing, Login, Outage, and Returns to organize threads. Add notes before forwarding to another team so context can stay intact. If someone goes quiet, you can move them into a brief re-engagement Sequence that offers one clear option.

Keep notifications on during support hours. Fast replies can reduce escalations and improve satisfaction.

Compliance and Deliverability for Customer Support

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all business messaging. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Include a short line in the first message such as “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid spam triggers by limiting links, punctuation, and all caps. Do not place credentials, tokens, or full payment data in SMS. Use secure links for portals, payments, and identity checks.

Keep attachments lightweight and relevant so files can load quickly on mobile. Send during local hours and match cadence to the support journey so messages can feel helpful.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Customer Support

Can I attach troubleshooting guides or labels to my texts?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Support teams often attach step cards, return label guides, or outage maps so customers can act immediately.

Can I automate follow-ups on open tickets?

Yes. You can schedule and repeat campaigns or connect Keywords and Sequences to automate these steps. A reply with HELP or TRACK can trigger links, and a timed follow-up can check for completion.

How do Keywords and Sequences improve resolution speed?

When customers reply with a keyword like RETURN or STATUS, TextUs can enroll them in a Sequence. The first step can deliver the exact link, and the second can confirm completion so agents can close the loop.

How does the Shared Inbox help cross-team coordination?

All replies appear in one shared view so support, success, and billing can collaborate. You can assign owners, use templates for consistent answers, and forward threads with notes so handoffs can stay smooth.

What metrics should I track to prove support impact?

Start with delivery, reply, and click rates inside TextUs. Export CSVs and match them to FRT, time to resolution, reopen rate, and CSAT. Weekly reviews can show which messages and send windows can improve outcomes.