This article will show you, step-by-step, how to quickly set up your smrtPhone and get dialing.
To have a system that's ready to go, you'll need to fulfill some basic requirements: from purchasing a phone number to creating an SMS Flow, all basic knowledge is covered in this article.
Whether you are still in the Free Trial period or have activated a subscription, your first step is to buy a number. Use the given $7 on your balance to do so.
Learn more about free trial limitations β’
How to Purchase a Number
To purchase your first number, go to your smrtPhone Dashboard > Admin > Phone Numbers.
Click the green Get a Number button, and a new window opens where you can choose a number, based on the criteria you set.
There are multiple Filters for searching available phone numbers: Choose between Local, Mobile, or Toll-Free Numbers, and search capabilities for them. Look among the available phone numbers and hit Buy Number.
You're now the proud owner of a smrtPhone number! π
How to Configure Your New Number
Next, you have a few steps to complete the setup of your number:
1. Set a Friendly Name (or nickname)
You can set a nickname for your newly purchased number by simply clicking the pen, entering a Friendly Name, and clicking Save. This will make it easier to manage the phone number in your smrtPhone system. Your leads will not see this nickname that you set.
If you want a certain name to be displayed when you call, you might want to register for CNAM β’
You have to create a Call Flow for your new number! A Call Flow establishes where the system should route calls and texts coming to your phone number.
Set a Call Flow by dragging and dropping the applets you need
From here:
To here:
You have lots of options to customize the Call Flow:
π Dial - Dial a user with the option to record that call and redirect the caller if the user can't be reached.
π©π»βπ€βπ§πΏ Round Robin - Distributes the call to a team
π² IVR Menu - Builds customizable options
βΏ Voicemail- Allows the caller to leave a voicemail
π Greeting- Sends a greeting to your caller before answering
β³ Business Hours - Redirects your messages to pre-determined Applets depending on the time of receiving (open Applets and closed Applets selected by you)
π΄ Hangup - ends the call
π΅ DNC- add a specific number to the Do not call ist
Pay attention to laws related to recording calls - in some states, the caller needs to be informed about this process!
Learn more about Voicemail Setup β’
Create whatever structure works best for your business strategy and organization, and then press Save Flow.
If you already created a flow without assigning it a number, simply go to that particular flow and select from the drop-down menu the number you want to be associated with it.
π¨ Without a Call Flow attributed to a phone number, incoming calls will not reach you.
3. Set up an SMS/Text Flow, too!
In the Call Flow menu, you will see the newly created Call Flow for your number and the option to create an SMS Flow.
By simply clicking the red button, you can customize what happens with incoming SMS messages.
Choose from the Applet setting what happens when an SMS message is received, letting the system know what it should do:
By dropping the Applet, you can decide:
β³ Business Hours - This option redirects your messages to pre-selected Applets depending on the time of receiving (open applets and closed Applets selected by you)
π€ Save and Reply - Stores SMS messages in your inbox and replies to the sender a customized message of your choice
π¨ SMS Inbox - Stores SMS messages in your inbox
π§Ύ Menu - Offers a keyboard-based matching response system
Be aware that if you do not have a Flow set up for your phone number, incoming communications will not get to you.
Now, you can make your first call within smrtPhone! π₯³
Happy Phoning!