2-Way Texting – How it works
2-Way Texting is a feature that enables businesses to engage in real-time, bidirectional communication with their customers via text message. This allows customers to both receive and respond to messages, creating a seamless and interactive conversation. Through an integrated third-party system, businesses can send automated messages—such as appointment confirmations, reminders, and status updates—or manually compose and send texts directly within HITS Digital Pro – Chat.
HITS Digital Pro offers a comprehensive suite of tools to streamline customer communication. This document provides an overview of how 2-Way Texting works, including initiating and sending opt-out messages, confirming appointments, updating vehicle statuses, utilizing team chats, and filtering conversations to focus on engaged customers.
Opt-Out Message
*Required- Customers who wish to stop receiving text updates can opt-out by replying with the word “STOP.” This ensures their preferences are respected.
How to Initiate an Opt-Out Message:
Method 1: Via Customer Ticket
1.) Log into the corresponding store in HITS Digital and open an active customer ticket in HITS.
2.) If the customer has a phone number on file, a Text button will appear next to their primary phone number.
3.) Click the Text button to open a chat window in your browser.
4.) The Opt-Out message will automatically be sent to the customer’s primary phone number, and the chat window will display customer details and vehicle details if selected in HITS.
Method 2: Via Contacts Button
1.) In HITS Digital, locate the Contacts button (available in both the top and bottom toolbars).
2.) Select Launch Text to send an Opt-Out message.
3.) This method allows you to send the Opt-Out message to any phone number, not just the primary one listed for the customer.
Appointment Confirmations:
HITS can send appointment confirmations to customers ensuring customers confirm the appointment details prior to the appointment. This reduces the number of miscommunicated appointment times and services.
Sending an Appointment Confirmation:
1.) Open the customer ticket and navigate to the Appointment/Status tab.
2.) Check the box to activate the appointment and set the details.
3.) Under the Confirmation dropdown, select “Appointment Confirmed.”
4.) Choose the Notify Mode and select the phone number for sending the confirmation.(This can be set as a default in View/Edit /Default Settings>Email & Communications> Notify Mode> Text Only> Save> Logout and In)
5.) Click Save to send the confirmation text.
Resending an Appointment Confirmation (After Changes):
1.) Make the necessary changes to the appointment.
2.) Click Save to finalize the changes (this does not resend the confirmation).
3.) After saving, click Resend Confirmation to send the updated appointment confirmation.
Appointment Reminders:
When appointment reminders are configured, the system automatically sends reminders to customers. Typically, two reminders are sent: one 24 hours before the appointment and another one an hour prior to the scheduled appointment time.
Appointment reminders are initiated when the appointment has been set to active, and the appointment has been confirmed in HITS.
Sending Vehicle Status Updates
HITS Digital enables you to keep customers informed with real-time vehicle status updates.
1.) Open the customer ticket and navigate to the Appointment/Status tab.
2.) Check the box to activate the appointment.
3.) In the Vehicle Status dropdown, select “Vehicle Ready.”
4.) Choose the Notify Mode and select the phone number for sending the update.
5.) Click Save to send the vehicle status update.
Manually Creating a Chat with a Customer
You can create a chat with any customer, even if they are not already in the system.
1.) Navigate to the Chats section in HITS Digital.
2.) Click the “+” button next to the gear icon to create a new chat.
3.) Enter the customer’s phone number, name, and vehicle information.
4.) Click Create to Start the Chat
5.) This will send an Opt-Out message
Receiving Messages from Customers
When a customer responds there are currently 2 indicators that will let you know a new message has been received in HITS Digital
1.) A blue badge will appear in HITS Digital next to the chat indicating this chat has a message that has not been registered as read.
2.) Desktop Push Notification can be set up per workstation – this will allow a popup window to appear usually in the bottom right corner of the monitor alerting the user a new message has come in.
Please click on the following link for 2 Way Texting – Setting Up Desktop Push Notifications
Sending Media via 2-Way Texting
HITS Digital supports sending media in 2-way text chats, making communication even more effective.
*Currently HITS Digital supports photo media only, does not currently support sending video.
1.) Select the chat you wish to send media to.
2.) Click the attachment icon (paperclip) in the selected chat.
4.) On a computer, select the photo to upload and send.
5.) On a mobile device, you can take a picture directly or select from your phone’s gallery.
Filtering Chats for Replies
HITS Digital offers a chat filtering feature that allows you to focus on active conversations. You can filter chats to show only those with customer replies, which helps you avoid chats that have only received automated messages or have not yet been responded to by the customer. This feature allows you to prioritize and engage with chats that require your attention.
Using the Team Chat Feature
HITS Digital provides a team chat function that enables internal collaboration. Team chat is designed for company-wide communication and isn’t separated by store. This helps keep everyone connected across all locations, rather than being limited to individual stores.
1.) Navigate to the Team Chat tab within the platform.
2.) Click the “+” button to create a new chat or select an existing one.
3.) Ensure all team members are logged into HITS Digital before adding them to the chat. If a member hasn’t logged in yet, they will need to do so before being added.
4.) Once logged in, you can add them to the chat and begin collaborating in real-time.
Additional Support
If you need further assistance, encounter technical issues or have questions regarding any of these features, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. We’re happy to help!