2022-3Q (v003): CRM: Send SMS (Twilio, Zingle,Clickatell and SMPP)

A new feature has been added to the SIMPLer system that will let Operators integrate their customer base with a SMS gateway. That will let Operators send Mass SMS for a group of customers (for instance in case of network failure send SMS to customers assigned to a given failing site) or send an SMS individually to a customer.

Phone numbers must be sorted out in SIMPLer system in order to deliver a message properly to a destination. Each mobile phone number should have (M) label before the number itself.

Currently we have support for Twilio, Zingle, Clickatell SMS gateway and SMPP protocol. (ZipWhip has shut down their service).

For the USA we recommend to create an account with Twilio. An alternate SMS gateway is Zingle. For Europe SIMPLer is integrated with Clickatell API. The SMPP protocol will allow us to integrate with any vendor that supports it.

This document contains the following sections:

SMS Gateway Settings: Twilio, Zingle, Clickatell and SMPP Protocol.
Send a SMS: Mass or Single
Custom SMS Notifications: SAND and Customer Visit

SMS Gateway Settings:

To configure your Twilio, Zingle, Clickatell or SMPP Protocol details in SIMPLer, please visit the Settings tab and click on "SMS Gateways" as per Fig. 1.

Fig. 1: SMS Gateways

To proceed further your SMS Gateway credentials need to be at hand, to complete the requirements for the chosen gateway.

On the next page click "add blank row" and depending on your SMS gateway provider you will be asked for the following settings as per Fig. 2.1 (Clickatell), Fig. 1.2 (Twilio) or Fig 2.3 (Zingle):

OPTION 1 - TWILIO

Once you setup an account with Twilio, get the following information from the account settings and then configure it under SIMPLer:

Twilio:

ACCOUNT_SID
AUTH_TOKEN
FROM long number

Fig 2.1 is a screenshot of the Twilio dashboard to indicate where to look:

Fig. 1.1: Twilio Dashboard - Information for SIMPLer

Click "update SMS Gateways" to register your changes and start using the feature.

Fig. 1.2: SIMPLer SMS Gateway Configuration Twilio

Sending messages:

Under the Twilio dasboard the messages sent via the API are listed. See Fig 1.3.

If an operator want to continue the conversation with the customer and send a message back, we advise to reach out to Twilio to better provide guidance where this can be done from their portal.

Fig. 1.3: Twilio Dashboard - list of SMS sent via the API

OPTION 2 - ZINGLE

Zingle settings:

This one is little tricky as it requires generating AUTHORIZATION_CODE and pulling CHANNEL_TYPE_ID, CHANNEL_VALUE and SERVICE_ID. AUTHORIZATION_CODE is needed to avoid entering username and password under SIMPLer settings (username/password used are the same as logging in to the portal via web). Unless operator is familiar with API calls and can generate AUTHORIZATION_CODE and pull up other required values by themselves they should provide USERNAME and PASSWORD to support@azotel.com

Fig. 2.1: SIMPLer SMS Gateway Configuration Zingle

OPTION 3 - ClickaTell

Clickatell settings:

API_ID: Numeric API ID received from Clickatell
FROM: Source Address received from Clickatell. This is an optional field and usually specifies a sending phone number for text messages. The format should not include dashes or any similar characters. For example 123445556777777, where the first number is the country code.
MO: enter the value 1 to this field.
PASSWORD: Password Received from Clickatell
TYPE: HTTP
USERNAME: Username received from Clickatell
Use for NETH: Check this box if you would like to use your own account for the Network Health Alerts sent out from SIMPLer

Click "update SMS Gateways" to register your changes and start using the feature.

Fig. 3.1: SIMPLer SMS Gateway Configuration Clickatell

OPTION 4 - SMPP Protocol

SMPP Protocol settings:

Any SMS vendor that supports SMPP protocol SIMPLer can integrate with. To set this up the following information has to be provided:

Endpoint IP
Password
Port
Source_addr
Source_Addr_ton
Username

Fig. 4.1: SIMPLer SMPP Protocol Configuration

Send a SMS

Next we will provide guidance on how to send Mass SMS or a SMS to a specific customer.

Mass SMS

To access the Mass SMS feature please hover over the customers tab as per Fig. 4 and click "Send Mass SMS".

Fig. 4.1 Link to "Send Mass SMS" feature

You will arrive on the page shown in Fig. 4 where you can use the menus to make a selection of customers to message. Enter your text message and prepare to send.

Fig. 4.2 "Send Mass SMS" feature

Individual SMS

Individual messages can also be sent from a customer account by clicking the "send SMS" button as per Fig, 5.

Fig. 5. Link to individual "Send SMS" feature

SMS Notification

SAND SMS Notice

New feature has been added which will allow SMS gateway enabled Operators to send Subscriber Auto Notify Disconnect (SAND) SMS notifications to their customers.

In order to get it enabled the following SMS gateway options have to be turned on, ie. they need to be set to 1

Another condition is to define the SMS body. It has to be defined under SPID Settings -> Operator Emails/SMS section:

In case of SMS only Body field is required. The following types represent different SMS messages:

sms_sand_invoice_date_1

sms_sand_invoice_date_2

sms_sand_invoice_disconnection_date

sms_sand_invoice_throttling_date

sms_sand_traffic_throttling_date

sms_sand_traffic_disconnection_treshold

sms_sand_traffic_overage_treshold

sms_sand_traffic_throttling_treshold

sms_sand_traffic_treshold_1

sms_sand_traffic_treshold_2

sms_sand_lodgement_failure_1

sms_sand_lodgement_failure_2

sms_sand_lodgement_failure_3

sms_sand_lodgement_failure_disconnection

SMS visit notice

sms_customer_visit_notification

We invite you to follow the next link to learn how to sms your customer before the installers scheduled visit.

https://sites.google.com/a/azotel.com/wiki/2020-1q-simpler-customer-visit-notification-sms

Note that if type with a body is not configured then SMS will not get sent.
Note that in order to receive a message customer must have at least one mobile phone configured correctly with full international extension on their account. If you need help with correcting phone numbers in the database please contact support@azotel.com

Helpful Link: https://sites.google.com/a/azotel.com/wiki/2020-1q-simpler-customer-visit-notification-sms

Revised Date: 6-December-2022

6 - March - 2023