SMS Notifications

[mvasquez]

Has anyone worked with or implemented an SMS order notification, for shipping updates? Was curious what is out there and might be easily plugged into Miva and the new workflows / order queues.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

We've done front side SMS integrations (Order Confirmation). Could easily be extended to include shipping. Cost varies with actual scope of project, but it's fairly reasonable.

Pretty much any developer/integrator could facilitate this if you want it done. (It's a little complicated for just posting to the forum). So if you're serious about this, i'd post a message on the work for hire boards. Oh, if you add a budget you can live with, you're likely to get a faster/better response.

[mvasquez]

Thanks Bruce! Wasn't sure if there was a semi-easy way to implement into Miva. Didn't know what kind of 3rd party fees and vendors are involved also. Was mainly curious to see how many people may have done it, or use it, and what that looked like for their store in terms of both implementation and possible sales increase / customer satisfaction.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Here's one implementation that's 'in the wild'

https://theworkwearstore.com/

This uses a service called "Red Oxygen" to provide the SMS. There's a Custom Order/Customer Field that holds the phone number. Then, in the Confirmation email template, it's a simple test for a value in that Custom Order field which fires off the Red Rocket API call to send the message. So, presumably, all you'd need for Shipment updates/tracking is to add that code to the Shipment Notification Email Template.

[mvasquez]

Ah okay, what I would want is possibly a little more involved, like a "Sign Up For SMS Alerts" button that sends specific template emails that are customized for SMS (120 characters, etc). Would this still be fairly simple?

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

The only issue with that scenario is how the messages get triggered. If this is more for promotional efforts (i.e., sales, events, etc)...probably better just to collect the phone numbers in a simple form then find a bulk emailer (like Constant Contact) that supports SMS. That being said, if its SMS only, you could:

Use a web form to collect the phone numbers into a file
Use a simple web page template (under User Interface)
Put the SMS Integration code from RedOxygen into the page.
Call that page with the message you want to send when you want to send the messages.

It would require a bit of SMT Coding knowledge, but not much.

[mvasquez]

Non-promotional at all. I just want to be able to send them their tracking # and link to their SMS, and then an update when it's been delivered (scan by carrier) ideally. We used to do that with eMail from shipstation and had a lot of success. People would call and say "I got an email my package was delivered but I don't have it"; found out a lot of the time it was carrier misdelivery or the carrier hiding it on the porch, deck, etc. Helped us stay one step closer and ahead to the customer.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

So, it the emails are triggered my actions in the miva admin, you just add the (in the case of Red Oxygen) the single line API call to their messaging system, wrapped in the conditional that they have given you a cell phone number.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

So, it the emails are triggered my actions in the miva admin, you just add the (in the case of Red Oxygen) the single line API call to their messaging system, wrapped in the conditional that they have given you a cell phone number.

Interesting to note, a client just read this thread yesterday and asked us to add an SMS message to his phone that sends a brief message whenever an order comes in. They do low volume, HIGH order value (2 to 10K)...but it was an interesting idea.

[William Davis]

Bruce, is there a reason why you can't skip the middleman (Red Oxygen) and send SMS/MMS via email? I've done it manually.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Cause, AFAIK, you have to know the carrier to determine which email address to use. Red Oxygen isn't very expensive. Most of our clients are charge less than $10/month

[William Davis]

Cause, AFAIK, you have to know the carrier to determine which email address to use. Red Oxygen isn't very expensive. Most of our clients are charge less than $10/month

You are correct. However, there are now databases available that provide free lookup, one at a time and/or in batches of ten if my memory serves me right. I have the info somewhere but I would have to dig it up. I recall one entering only the mobile phone number and the database would return both SMS and MMS email addresses for corresponding carrier (e.g.: mobile-number@pm.sprint.com), it worked great and its free.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Well, by all means do that...let me know how it works...and how many hours you spend messing with it :)

There is absolutely NO VALUE (imho) in doing it this way. Also, I'd be VERY concerned with what they are doing with the information they get.

**** I suppose I should have mentioned this. If you use a service READ THEIR TERMS VERY CAREFULLY. One of the reasons we went with them is their TOS states that they in no way, see or store information provided. *****

[William Davis]

Well, by all means do that...let me know how it works...and how many hours you spend messing with it :)

There is absolutely NO VALUE (imho) in doing it this way. Also, I'd be VERY concerned with what they are doing with the information they get.

**** I suppose I should have mentioned this. If you use a service READ THEIR TERMS VERY CAREFULLY. One of the reasons we went with them is their TOS states that they in no way, see or store information provided. *****

As usual you are correct again, and I should have added that to my initial response (and no, I am not being sarcastic). My intent was to share my little knowledge that there are databases available some for free other are not, and that I have tested them and they work.

For example, at that time the free service was for one number submission. I don't recall what the terms of service was for free batch submissions (maximum of 10 numbers), But the way they made their money (at least back then) is by selling you the list on a monthly subscription basis. What I liked about that concept, is when I looked into it about 5 years ago or so, it was that it was a lot cheaper than using a text service because it was a small flat monthly fee, no fee per number. My thought process was back then was, a organization that would send many text messages could save a lot of money using this service.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Most services price in bulk, and as i've mentioned before, RedOxygen's pricing, for almost EVERY miva merchant store, would be less than 10/mo has that's about 1000 messages a month.

We're looking into bundling this into a module, mostly to take advantage of a larger discount and ease of integration. If WE had an account, at say the unlimited range, but spread over dozens of merchants, likely cost would be pennies per message.