When customers text your ZippyAssist number trying to describe an issue, those inbound messages are logged so your team can see exactly what customers are saying — even when they're talking to the automated responder rather than submitting a request.
What gets logged
ZippyAssist logs inbound messages when the customer appears to be trying to communicate — that is, when they send more than a single word. A one-word text, like a machine's asset ID, is the system working as intended and isn't logged, since capturing every normal request-start would be redundant. Anything longer — a question, a description of a problem, a reply to the auto-responder — is captured in the SMS Log so you can see what the customer was trying to say and follow up directly when needed.
Viewing the SMS Log
Go to Settings → SMS Logs. At the top of the page you can switch between two views:
View | What it shows |
Message Threads | Messages grouped into conversations by phone number, so you can read the full back-and-forth with one customer in order. This is the default view. |
Message Log | Every message as an individual row, newest first. Useful when you want to scan across all customers rather than follow one conversation. |
In either view, expand a row to read the messages in full.
Messages on the customer record
You don't have to go to the SMS Log to see what a customer has sent. Wherever a customer's details appear — on a request, or in the Customers view — a Messages tab shows their recent conversation inline.
The tab shows the most recent messages at a glance. If there are more, use the option to view the whole conversation, which opens the full thread in a side panel without navigating away from what you were doing.
The Messages tab appears when your organization has a phone number configured and the customer has a phone number on record. It's hidden in places where the conversation is already on screen, such as the SMS Log itself.
Who can see the SMS Log
Users with the standard User role can view SMS logs, alongside Admin and Owner roles. See Are there different roles for users? for more on roles.
How the automated responder replies
The first time a customer texts your number, ZippyAssist replies with a welcome message containing a link to submit a request.
If the customer keeps texting the number, ZippyAssist no longer re-sends the full welcome message each time. Instead, the customer receives a short reply letting them know the text line isn't monitored and pointing them to the request link so they can submit a request for service. This reduces confusion for customers who are expecting a person to reply, and cuts down on repeated messages.
If you have any questions, use the chat widget at the bottom of the screen or email us at [email protected]!