Reviewing SMS Conversations

Once your SMS campaigns are running, it’s important to monitor the conversations between Gail and your contacts. Reviewing SMS conversations helps you ensure message quality, track customer engagement, refine your scripts, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Why Review SMS Conversations?

Regularly reviewing SMS conversations provides valuable insights:

• Monitor Response Quality: See how Gail is handling prompts and replies from contacts
• Track Engagement: Identify which messages and approaches generate the most responses
• Ensure Compliance: Verify that the correct scripts and workflows are being followed
• Improve Performance: Spot areas where messaging can be refined for better results
• Customer Insights: Understand common questions, concerns, and objections
• Training Data: Use successful conversations as examples for optimizing future campaigns

Accessing SMS Conversations

1. Navigate to Conversations

From the left-hand menu in your Gail portal, click on the Conversations tab.

This is your central hub for viewing all communication history between Gail and your contacts.

2. View Active Conversations

In the Conversations tab, you’ll see a comprehensive list of all SMS conversations that have taken place with Gail.

Each conversation entry displays:

• Contact Details: Name, phone number, and any associated contact information
• Most Recent Activity: The latest message timestamp and preview
• Conversation Status: Active, completed, or awaiting response
• Campaign Association: Which campaign or sequence the conversation originated from

3. Filter and Search

To find specific conversations quickly, you can:

• Search by Contact: Enter a contact’s name or phone number
• Filter by Campaign: View conversations from specific campaigns
• Sort by Date: Order conversations by most recent or oldest activity
• Filter by Status: Show only active conversations or those awaiting responses

Reviewing Message History

1. Open a Conversation

To review a specific conversation, simply click on it from the list.

This will open the full conversation view, displaying the complete message thread between Gail and the contact.

2. Review the Full Thread

Once inside the conversation view, you can see the entire message history.

The conversation thread includes:

• All SMS Messages: Every message exchanged between Gail and the contact
• Timestamps: Exact date and time of each message
• Message Direction: Clear indication of incoming vs. outgoing messages
• Message Status: Delivered, read, or failed indicators
• System Notes: Automatic notes about campaign triggers, opt-outs, or transfers

3. Analyze Conversation Flow

As you review conversations, pay attention to:

• Response Rate: Did the contact engage with Gail’s messages?
• Response Quality: Are responses relevant and meaningful?
• Conversation Length: How many exchanges occurred before completion?
• Drop-off Points: Where do contacts stop responding?
• Goal Achievement: Did the conversation achieve its intended outcome?

What to Look For

Positive Indicators

Signs that your SMS campaigns are performing well:

• Contacts respond promptly and positively
• Gail accurately understands and addresses contact inquiries
• Conversations naturally progress toward the desired outcome
• Contacts opt-in for further communication
• Clear appointments booked or actions taken
• Minimal confusion or clarification requests

Warning Signs

Issues that may require attention:

• High number of confused or frustrated responses
• Contacts frequently asking for human assistance
• Script responses that don’t match contact questions
• High opt-out rates after initial message
• Messages going unanswered
• Technical errors or failed message delivery
• Compliance concerns or inappropriate language

Taking Action

Making Improvements

Based on your conversation reviews, you can:

1. Refine Templates: Update your text templates to address common questions or objections
2. Adjust Scripts: Modify Gail’s response logic for better conversation flow
3. Update Variables: Ensure contact data is properly populating in messages
4. Timing Adjustments: Change when messages are sent based on engagement patterns
5. Segment Contacts: Create more targeted campaigns based on response behavior

Responding Manually

If a conversation requires human intervention:

1. Click on the conversation to open it
2. Look for the Take Over or Reply option
3. Send a manual message to the contact
4. The conversation will be marked as requiring human attention
5. Continue the dialogue or resolve any issues directly

Best Practices for Monitoring

Establish a Review Cadence

Create a regular schedule for reviewing conversations:

• Daily: Check active campaigns during the first week
• Weekly: Review performance of ongoing campaigns
• Monthly: Conduct comprehensive analysis of all conversations
• After Campaign Completion: Full review of campaign performance

Track Key Metrics

Monitor these important metrics across your conversations:

• Response Rate: Percentage of contacts who reply to initial messages
• Engagement Rate: Contacts who have multiple exchanges with Gail
• Conversion Rate: Contacts who complete desired actions
• Opt-Out Rate: Contacts who unsubscribe from SMS communications
• Average Conversation Length: Typical number of message exchanges
• Time to Response: How quickly contacts reply to messages

Create Review Categories

Organize your review process by categorizing conversations:

• ✅ Successful: Achieved desired outcome with quality interaction
• 🔄 Needs Follow-Up: Requires additional action or attention
• ⚠️ Issues: Problems with script, delivery, or comprehension
• 📊 Learning Opportunities: Examples to study for improvement
• 🚫 Opt-Outs: Contacts who unsubscribed (analyze why)

Share Insights with Your Team

Use conversation reviews to improve team performance:

• Share successful conversation examples
• Discuss common objections and how to handle them
• Train team members on when to intervene manually
• Update documentation based on learnings
• Celebrate wins and conversion successes

Reporting and Analytics

Conversation Reports

Generate reports to analyze SMS performance:

• Campaign Performance: Compare response rates across different campaigns
• Template Effectiveness: Identify which templates generate the most engagement
• Contact Segments: Analyze behavior across different contact groups
• Time Analysis: Determine optimal sending times based on response patterns
• Conversion Funnel: Track the journey from first message to desired action

Exporting Data

For deeper analysis:

1. Export conversation transcripts for review
2. Download contact engagement data
3. Integrate with your CRM for comprehensive tracking
4. Create custom reports for stakeholder presentations

Compliance and Quality Assurance

Compliance Monitoring

Use conversation reviews to ensure regulatory compliance:

• Verify opt-in consent is properly documented
• Check that opt-out requests are honored immediately
• Ensure messages include required identification and disclosures
• Confirm appropriate messaging hours are being followed
• Validate that messaging frequency aligns with regulations

Quality Assurance Checklist

When reviewing conversations, verify:

• Messages are clear and professional
• Variables are populating correctly
• Links are working and mobile-friendly
• Response logic is appropriate
• Tone matches brand guidelines
• Grammar and spelling are correct
• Call-to-action is clear and compelling
• Opt-out instructions are present
• Contact data is accurate

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Contacts Not Responding

If you notice low response rates:

• Review message clarity and value proposition
• Test different messaging times
• Shorten message length
• Strengthen the call-to-action
• Ensure messages are personalized appropriately
• Verify contact list quality

Confused or Negative Responses

If contacts seem confused or frustrated:

• Simplify message language
• Break complex information into multiple messages
• Add more context in initial messages
• Improve Gail’s response logic for common questions
• Consider adding more FAQ content to Gail’s knowledge base

Technical Delivery Issues

If messages aren’t being delivered:

• Check phone number formatting
• Verify contact numbers are mobile-capable
• Review carrier filtering or blocking notices
• Ensure SMS approval status is active
• Check campaign sending settings

Next Steps

Now that you understand how to review SMS conversations, explore these related topics:

• SMS Campaigns - Set up automated SMS campaign workflows
• SMS & Text Messaging - Create and manage text templates
• Creating Campaigns - Build comprehensive outbound campaigns
• Sequences - Create multi-step outreach flows