Implementing SMS Marketing
Businesses can have guests opt in to receive SMS messages, which can be sent to guests to quickly deliver information. When a guest is created and the send_compliance_sms parameter is sent in the mobile sign-up request, the user will receive an opt-in SMS message only if the configuration is set up correctly on the Punchh platform. Punchh does not automatically trigger the compliance/opt-in SMS message for the guest when the guest signs up through the mobile app and the API request sends a value of true in the send_compliance_sms parameter to the Punchh server.
Configuring the Punchh Platform To Trigger Compliance/Opt-in SMS
Businesses need to pre-configure the following settings on the Punchh platform for guests to receive compliance/opt-in, START, STOP, and HELP SMS messages from the Punchh API server:
1. Punchh integration with SMS service provider:
The short code or long code that is configured in the SMS service provider must be added to the Punchh platform. For example, if your SMS service provider is Twilio, the Twilio short code or long code and other details would be added the Punchh platform. You need to provide the Twilio From Number, which is a long code or short code configured in the Twilio account and will be used to send SMS messages to your guests. When the guest signs up on the mobile app and the API request sends a value of true in the send_compliance_sms parameter, the guest will receive an opt-in SMS message from the configured short code. Contact your Punchh representative to add a new configuration or update an existing configuration in the Punchh platform.
2. Default short code (HELP/STOP/START) responses:
Configure default responses and the short code to which guests need to reply in the Punchh platform under Loyalty Program > System Messages > SMS Notification Templates. When guests reply to a short code with START, STOP, and HELP keywords, they will receive the response message configured for the applicable keyword. The SMS Notification Templates section in the Punchh platform must be enabled by a Punchh administrator.
Compliance/Opt-in SMS Flow
1. A user signs up and the send_compliance_sms parameter is sent in the request with a value of true. The user must provide a mobile phone number during sign-up.
2. The Punchh API server triggers the compliance/opt-in SMS message for the user. The user receives the opt-in SMS message on the mobile phone number provided in Step 1. The guest replies to that SMS message using "START" as the opt-in keyword, which is configured in the Punchh platform. There may be a delay between the sign-up request and when the user receives the opt-in SMS message.
3. After the user replies to the opt-in SMS message, the user's profile is updated so that the SMS Subscription? field is set to true.
If the business wants users to be able to change their marketing SMS opt-in status, this is not possible to do via any API. In Punchh-developed apps, if a guest's marketing SMS subscription status is true, we show instructions for how to unsubscribe on the edit profile page displayed to the guest, e.g., by instructing the guest to send an SMS message saying "STOP" to the sender number (this number is configured on the Punchh platform).
If a guest's marketing SMS subscription status is false and the guest wants to opt in to receiving marketing SMS messages, we show instructions on how to join, e.g., send an SMS message saying "START" to the sender number.