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SMS Setup

What it's for

SMS Setup lets customers text the same business number they call. An AI chat agent answers their texts. Each chat agent is linked to one of your voice agents and shares its "brain", so it knows the same things and follows the same instructions. On this page you link chat agents to voice agents and turn texting on for each phone number. Conversations then appear on the Messages page.

Before you start

  1. Click SMS Setup in the sidebar.
  2. In the Chat Agents card, look under Voice agents without an SMS chat agent.
  3. Click Link SMS next to the voice agent you want to answer texts.
  4. Wait for the message Chat agent created and linked.

The linked agent now appears at the top of the Chat Agents card with an Active or Inactive badge. Each voice agent can have one chat agent.

Step 2: Turn on SMS for a phone number

  1. In the Phone Numbers card, find the number customers will text.
  2. Open the dropdown next to it and choose the chat agent that should answer. Choose No chat agent to unlink it.
  3. Turn on the SMS switch.

Changes save as soon as you make them.

Note

The number must also be attached to the same chat agent in your Retell account for incoming texts to reach it. If texts don't arrive, check the number in Retell.

Step 3: Test it

  1. Send a text to the number from your own phone.
  2. Within a few seconds, you should get an AI reply.
  3. Open Messages. The conversation should appear there.

What you can do with text conversations

  • Read and search every thread on the Messages page.
  • Reply as a person from the Messages page. Your reply goes out by text but isn't added to the AI's memory of the conversation.
  • Flag threads you want to follow up on.

Troubleshooting

  • "No chat agents linked yet.": Nothing is linked. Follow Step 1.
  • "No phone numbers. Sync numbers from Retell first.": Go to Phone Numbers and click Sync from Retell.
  • A voice agent isn't listed: Only voice agents without a chat agent appear under Voice agents without an SMS chat agent. If it's already linked, it's in the list above.
  • "Failed to create chat agent": The voice agent may not be fully set up in Retell yet. Sync your agents and try again.
  • "Failed to update number": The change didn't save and the page reloads the current settings. Try again.

Note

Texting rules, such as consent and opt-out handling, vary by country and carrier. Confirm your obligations with your own counsel.