Hi,
I have my normal everyday test character as a contact in Vin65. It has my cell # as the phone number. When I opt in to SMS messaging, it isn’t marking my existing contact that has that phone number as “SMS Opt In”, it is instead creating a new contact record that only has my phone number.
Is that the right functionality? Or should it look up the phone number and opt in the match?
I just noticed that the record from above didn’t have a “Mobile Phone number” in the record. When it finds a matching mobile phone number, it doesn’t create a new record but rather updates the right one.
I wonder though, couldn’t the lookup feature also use main phone field in this case? if a match is found, update thta number to “Mobile phone number” and then opt them in to SMS messaging? I’m trying to think of a case where that wouldn’t be the desired functionality and can’t think of one.
One more question related to this is, if I use the ‘admin’ means of opting someone in, it isn’t asking me to fill in the “Mobile Phone” field and allows me to be opted in without one. If I send a marketing message to myself, does it use the main phone number field? Or should that be requiring that a mobile phone number exist before saving?
Because this feature was bolted on to the side of things, it’s wonky. I have no idea why you can set an opt-in with the Mobile number blank, Vin65 probably simply didn’t bother to check.
I’m not sure where or how you are opting-in in the first question. I’ve never seen that.
You should consider the Mobile number and Opt-in selection as a unit unto itself. Everything around it still what it is and follows its rules, and you can also have a mobile number and SMS opt-in.
What I do is instruct my TR staff to make the Mobile number the emphasis in a club signup or phone order: if at all possible get a mobile number and get them to choose in or out. If you can, get a second number but the Mobile is the focus.
In the admin panel: If I only get a Mobile, then because it will screw up shipping if I don’t, I re-enter the same number in the regular phone number field, otherwise the second number goes there.
If I only get a non-mobile number, good. At least I know that and don’t populate that.
If the customer is doing her own data entry via online order or club signup, I hope it works out OK. Shrug.
Thanks Jeff.
The top one was an inbound message I set up for testing it. “Text OPTIN to 123-456-7891 to opt in!”, and it replies that you’ve opted in. If I do that, and I have it turn on the SMS Opt in, then it isn’t looking first for the main phone number at all, only if it finds a matching mobile number is it updating an existing record.
Yeah, I remember that now from my initial testing. Shrug.
When I turned on SMS, I sent an email to existing club saying it was available. I asked them to respond YES to the email and I updated all of them manually via admin. I’m pretty sure this would be less painful than looking for dupes, and I reminded myself that these would be happier customers for it…
