Contract SMS and Email Communication

The SMS & Email Communication tab on a contract in Job Management (Connect) allows you to configure automated customer and contractor messaging at key stages of the order lifecycle. Each contract can have its own unique messaging configuration, enabling tailored communications per client or service area. Properly configured messaging reduces no-access visits, improves customer satisfaction, and keeps contractors informed of scheduling changes.

When you link a letter template to an appointment confirmation message type for example, a Send Letter option appears on the appointment booking page. When selected, a PDF letter is generated and emailed as a link to the configured internal mailbox for printing and posting to the customer. When Mandatory is selected, the Send Letter option still appears on the appointment booking page but it's selected and greyed out, so the user can see it will be sent but can't clear the option.

SMS and email are sent automatically where the customer has a valid mobile number/email and their messaging preference is set to Message. If the message type is enabled on the contract and the customer's contact details and preferences allow it, the message is sent when the triggering event occurs.

No messages (including mandatory letters) will be sent if the customer's preference is set to Don't Message or Never Message.

Prerequisites

Before configuring SMS and email communications, ensure the following:

• SMS and Email Provider is set up if you don't want to choose the default. If you haven't done this already please contact Totalmobile support.

• Language is assigned on the contract Details tab. A Language Group is created under Configuration > Tenancy > Language Group. Within the group, you add the specific languages you want to support for that contract and designate one as the default language. This is only required if you need multi-language communications.

• Message Templates are set up, if you want to send Letters. Configuration > Message Templates. These are used for letters (the PDF/printed letter functionality). Once you've created a message template with the format "Report Generation with Email Link", it then appears as a selectable option in the letter dropdown. This is only needed if you want to use the letter functionality.

Configure customer SMS and email settings

1. Go to Configuration > Organisation > Contracts.

2. Select the contract and then Select the SMS and Email Communication tab.

3. Select the required SMS and Email Provider. This is Default unless you have set up your own.

4. Select the required Language.

5. Find and select the message type you want to configure:

   • Appointment confirmation – Initial booking: Message sent when an appointment is first booked.

   • Appointment confirmation – Re-arranged: Message sent when an appointment is rearranged.

   • Appointment confirmation – Follow-on: Message sent for a follow-on appointment.

   • Appointment confirmation – Non-appointed: Message sent when an order is confirmed without a specific appointment.

   • Manage appointment: Message used to let the recipient manage or change their appointment.

   • Appointment reminder: Reminder message sent before an appointment.

   • On-route: Message sent when the operative is on route.

   • Work Completed: Message sent when work has been completed.

   • Paired worker On-route: Message sent when a paired worker is on route.

   • Appointment reminder – Day before: Reminder message sent the day before the appointment.

   • Appointment reminder – Same day: Reminder message sent on the same day as the appointment.

   • Order released to contractor: Message sent when an order is released to a contractor.

   • Appointment confirmation – contractor: Message sent to confirm a contractor appointment.

   • Appointment re-arranged – contractor: Message sent when a contractor appointment is rearranged.

   • Work Completed – Contractor: Message sent when contractor work is completed.

   • Language Preference: Message related to the recipient’s communication language preference.

   • Remote Call: Message sent for a remote call appointment or interaction.

   • Subcontract Order Ready to Invoice (External Order): Message sent when a subcontract order linked to an external order is ready to invoice.

   • Appointment Confirmation Subcontractor Visit: Message sent to confirm a subcontractor visit appointment.

   • Appointment Rearranged Subcontractor Visit: Message sent when a subcontractor visit appointment is rearranged.

   • Appointment Reminder Day Before Subcontractor Visit: Reminder message sent the day before a subcontractor visit.

   • Appointment Reminder Same Day Subcontractor Visit: Reminder message sent on the same day as a subcontractor visit.

   • Subcontractor On-Route: Message sent when the subcontractor is on route.

   • Appointment Reminder 3 Days Before: Sends an SMS and/or email to the customer 72 hours before a planned visit is due to start, helping reduce No Access visits.

   • Appointment Reminders 3 Days Before - Contractor: Sends an SMS and/or email to the customer 72 hours before a subcontractor visit is due to start.

   The Appointment Reminder 3 Days Before and contractor setting require a background job to be activated. Contact Totalmobile Support to enable the Appointment Reminders 3 Days Before Job on your account.

6. Configure the required communication methods for that template:

   • SMS: Use this for customer communication such as appointment confirmations, reminders, and on-route alerts directly to a customer's mobile phone, with a maximum message length of 160 characters.

     • Token: Select the list to view all the available tokens to insert into the message for dynamic content.

   • Email:

     • Subject: Enter the subject line the customer sees in their inbox when the email is received.

     • Body: Enter the message you want to include in the email. When composing the email body for a message template, you can use blank lines and paragraph breaks to structure the content. The email is delivered to the recipient with the formatting intact, exactly as entered.

     • Token: Insert fields/tokens so you can include dynamic data such as the order number or appointment date.

   • Send Letter:

     • Message Template: Select the message template to use.

     • Mandatory: Select if this should be mandatory.

7. Configure the message delivery options, if required. These settings apply to the contract rather than individual message types.

   • Send for same day follow-on: Select this option to send messages for same-day follow-on visits. If this is left clear and the final visit on an order is a same-day follow-on, the Work Completed message, and therefore any satisfaction survey link, won't be sent.

   • Send messages anytime: Select to allow messages to be sent immediately when the triggering event occurs. Clear this option to restrict message delivery to specific times.

   • Send message start time: If Send messages anytime is not selected, choose the earliest time messages can be sent. This only applies to event-triggered messages, not to the timed reminders (day-before and same-day), which have their own scheduled send time.

   • Send message end time: If Send messages anytime is not selected, choose the latest time messages can be sent.

8. Select Save Changes.

Additional Information

• After messages are triggered, you can review them under More > Sent Items from the main menu.

• Enabling the Manage Appointment message type with the [MANAGE_BOOKING_URL] token gives customers a self-service link to rebook their own appointments. This can significantly reduce inbound calls for rescheduling.

• Check that the SMS from name is configured under Configuration > System Profile > SmsFromDisplayName. This controls what the customer sees as the sender on their phone. It must be 4–11 alphanumeric characters and should identify the organisation, for example, their brand name. Generic terms like DELIVERY or ALERT are not allowed.