Introduction
The first release is to send a single SMS message from a booking.
PMS Options
Access to this feature will be controlled through a new PMS option. The option is labelled “SMS Messaging” if you need help accessing it please contact Seekom support.
User Permissions
A new permission will be added, so operators can control which users have access to the system.
Billing
Charging of SMS:
All SMS messages will be logged for billing purposes. The amount charged will be in your normal monthly invoice for SMS charges incurred during the previous period. For those on quarterly on annual billing cycles, you will receive a separate monthly invoice for SMS charges.
Send Plan Only
The ability to reply to a text message requires a dedicated number from the service.
Without a dedicated number, an account can send a message but cannot receive a direct reply.
The send plan allows an operator to send a text message to one or more customers. Replies are not kept.
Sending Messages
Similar to how a specific email can be sent from a booking, a specific text message can as well.
Country Code - Country code will default to your property account set up. You will then have the ability to select a country which will automatically add the country code
Mobile Number - this field will pre populate to the number which is set in the lead guest page of the booking. The field will also validate the passed in number and display an error if the number isn't correct.
Message - a text area for writing the body of the sms. As you type a progress bar will appear at the bottom of the text box indicating how much space you have left in your message.
This will also display the number of characters used and the number of characters left.
As you type over the number of characters left the message gets split into two messages. The number of characters left resets (to 140 - only the first message is 160 all proceeding messages will have 140 characters).
The number of messages that it will take to send the message then appears between characters typed and characters left.
The more messages that you require to send a message will reset the progress bar back (but it depends on how many messages you're using) As you hit two messages you'll go back half way, as you hit 3 messages you'll go back to two thirds etc.
Clear - button will clear the text you've typed in the message text area
Send - this button is disabled by default. Only once you have a valid phone number and some valid txt in the message text area will the button enable you to send.
SMS Message Report
To open the SMS Message report, select it from the Reports submenu. You have the ability to create multiple filters, set a default and save them by clicking on the “Save Filter” button.
Dates - This is where you have the ability to select your ‘to” and “from” date or click on the setting symbol to use the advance date search options
SMS Status - see table below on what each status means
| Delivered | The message has been received to the customers handset |
| Sent | The message has been sent to the customers carrier provider (eg Spark, Vodafone ect.) and the provider is awaiting for confirmation of message delivery form the carrier |
| Undelivered | The provider has tried to send the message for a period of time. The carrier has failed to deliver the message to the customers handset |
| Invalid Number | The provider can not recognise the customers number. This may be caused if the number is not in the correct international format or was entered incorrectly. |
| Rejected | Message has been refused by the provider |
| Expired | SMS has tried to send the message to the customer, however the customers number was unavailable |
| No Credits | No Credit available to send messages |
| Accepted | Message has been accepted at the carriers end |
| Deleted | Message has been deleted by the provider |
| Enroute | The message is currently being delivered but waiting for the carrier for confirmation |
| Failed | Message could not be sent from iBex |
| Unknown | This is when the provider can not recognise the status from iBex |
| Draft | Message has been typed in iBex but not sent |
Booking Reference - When searching a booking reference number it will ignore the date picker