Texting Guide for Status Updates

Status updates work when messages are timely, specific, and easy to act on. Customers want quick visibility into progress without opening an email. TextUs helps teams automate concise updates that keep people informed at every step.

How TextUs Fits Status Update Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can send short progress alerts from your CRM, ERP, ticketing, or project system. You can attach PDFs or images such as receipts, work orders, or progress screenshots so people can confirm details in the thread.

Keywords like STATUS, INFO, ETA, or HELP can enroll contacts in Sequences that return links or next steps automatically.

Replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so operations, support, and account teams see the same context. Integrations can sync message history, identifiers, and outcomes back to your system of record.

You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs to match updates with completion rates.

What to Set Up First

Connect your source systems so IDs, stages, and contact fields can sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically.

Define which milestones will trigger texts, such as created, in progress, waiting on customer, completed, and closed.

Create templates for each stage and for exceptions. Useful sets include acknowledgment, in-progress note, waiting on input, completed, and delay notice. Assign Shared Inbox coverage by team and hours so responses stay fast during peak windows.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment from your system, such as “In Progress Today.” This can make sure updates reach the right people.
2. Write your message: Keep it short and clear. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, your request [#] is in progress today. Reply STATUS for the live page or HELP with a question.”
3. Attach media: Add a receipt, work order, or summary image when helpful. Attachments can reduce questions and save time.
4. Set up an A/B test: Create a second version that changes one element, like the opener or call to action. Keep the version that earns higher replies or clicks.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send at key milestones and business-hour windows. You can add a same-day completion confirmation where relevant.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as STATUS, INFO, or ETA and reference it in your message. TextUs can recognize the reply automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the status link or summary. Step 2: Follow up after 24 hours if there is no resolution.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, watch replies and exceptions, and route edge cases to an owner in the Shared Inbox.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Here is your live status page: [short URL]. I will check back if anything changes.”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Checking on request [#]. Do you need anything else from us, or should we close this out?”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by stage, priority, and customer tier so each text drives one action. Useful dimensions include region, product line, SLA, and assigned owner. Exclude closed items and anyone who opted out.

Personalize with first name and one context field such as ID, location, or window. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, your order [#] is scheduled for today. Reply ETA for the time window.” Set fallbacks so no message looks broken.

Template Library for Status Update Scenarios

Maintain a compact library your team can reuse without rewriting. One update per message and one clear action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, we received request [#]. Reply STATUS for the live page.”
• “Update on [#]: work started. Need anything before we proceed? Reply HELP.”
• “We are waiting on your approval for [#]. Reply YES to approve or INFO for details.”
• “Completed: [#]. Want the receipt or summary PDF? Reply RECEIPT.”
• “Delay on [#]. Want the new estimate? Reply ETA and I will text it.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Retire low performers, refine phrasing, and keep files small so they open quickly on mobile.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, and clicks from TextUs each week. Join that data with outcomes such as on-time completion, reopen rate, and ticket deflection. Preserve campaign name, stage, keyword, variant, and send time so you can run cohort analysis.

Track reply-to-resolution and click-to-self-serve rates by stage and priority. Include attachment and link usage to see whether summaries or receipts reduce follow-up. Publish a one-page summary showing delivery rate, reply rate, resolution rate, and best-performing opener.

Milestones, Exceptions, and Escalations

Map texts to the milestones that matter for your customers. Send an acknowledgment on creation, a short in-progress note, and a completion confirmation with a receipt link. For multi-day work, add a daily or stage-based update.

Handle exceptions with a plain update and one next step. Address issues and waiting-on-customer states should explain what is needed and how to provide it. If a situation persists, escalate to an owner and offer a call option.

Keep sensitive details out of SMS. Use secure links for invoices, identity checks, or private files.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so operations and support see the full thread. The first responder assigns the conversation to themselves so ownership is clear. Templates can standardize answers, while one personal line can keep the tone helpful.

Use tags like New, In Progress, Waiting, Completed, and Exception to organize threads. Add a short note before forwarding to another team so context travels with the conversation.

Tracking Results and Improving Performance

Check delivery and reply metrics a few hours after each send. Delivery below 95 percent can indicate data or registration issues that you should fix before the next batch. Compare A and B variants weekly and standardize on the stronger performer.

If your text included a link or attachment, review clicks as a readiness signal. Reconcile TextUs data with completion and ticket metrics to prove impact. Small changes to opener length, send time, and keyword choice can lift reply rate by 15%.

Compliance and Deliverability for Status Updates

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

Avoid spam triggers by limiting links, punctuation, and all caps. Do not include payment or personal security data in SMS. Keep attachments relevant and lightweight so they open quickly on mobile.

FAQs About Texting Guide for Status Updates

Can I attach summaries or receipts to my status texts?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Many teams attach receipts, work orders, or summary screenshots so customers can confirm progress.

Can I automate updates at each milestone?

Yes. You can schedule messages or trigger Sequences from system events. A reply with STATUS or ETA can send the live page and a timed follow-up.

How do Keywords and Sequences speed resolution?

When someone replies with a keyword like INFO or HELP, TextUs can enroll them in a Sequence. The first step can return the link or instructions, and the second can check whether the issue is resolved.

How does the Shared Inbox help teams coordinate?

All replies appear in one shared view so teams can assign owners, tag threads, and add notes. This setup prevents duplicate outreach and speeds handoffs.

What metrics should I track to prove value?

Start with delivery, reply, and click rates. Export TextUs data and match it to completion time, reopen rate, and ticket deflection. Weekly reviews can show which messages and stages perform best.