Turn Your Business Number Into an Always-On SMS Agent
Connect a Twilio number in Botcadence and let an AI chat agent reply to inbound texts with the same knowledge base you already use on web and WhatsApp. Conversations land in one inbox. STOP and HELP stay compliant. Voice can keep using the same DID.
24/7
Text replies
Twilio
Number you own
STOP
Opt-out honored
1 inbox
With web and WhatsApp
What is SMS Chatbot?
An SMS chatbot is an AI text agent that answers inbound SMS on your Twilio number, keeps the thread in the same inbox as web and WhatsApp, and honors US STOP and HELP keywords. Botcadence SMS agents share knowledge with other chat channels and can use the same org DID you already use for voice.
The Problem
Why Business SMS Still Gets Dropped
Put inbound SMS on the same agent, knowledge base, and handoff path as your other chat channels.
Texts Sit Unanswered After Hours
Customers still text appointment, delivery, and pricing questions when the desk is closed.
The Same Number Splits Voice and SMS
Callers and texters use one DID, but SMS never reaches the AI inbox that already handles chat.
Opt-Out Is Easy to Miss
STOP and HELP replies are required in the US. Ad-hoc SMS tools skip confirmation and keep sending.
SMS Context Never Reaches Agents
Handoffs drop the thread, so humans restart in email or WhatsApp without the original text history.
Clear ownership at the edge
When sms chatbot leaves the defined path, the next owner should be explicit. Route the exception with the reason and context needed to act.
A measurable next step
A first response only matters when it moves the customer forward. Track the sms chatbot outcome your team can review and improve every week.
Channel Features
Everything You Need to Run SMS as a Real Channel
SMS is a first-class inbox channel, not a one-off send tool. Connect a Twilio number, honor opt-out, and let the same chat agent that already runs on web and WhatsApp answer inbound texts.
Inbound SMS in the Shared Inbox
Every text to your connected Twilio number opens a conversation in Botcadence. Agents see SMS next to web chat and WhatsApp, not in a separate Twilio console.
Your Twilio Number, Not Ours
Pick an org Twilio DID and save it as the project SMS channel. We set the messaging webhook when Twilio credentials work; otherwise paste the URL from channel settings. The same number can stay on voice if you already use it for calls.
STOP and HELP Built In
STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, and QUIT opt the number out and send a confirmation with no agent reply. HELP and INFO return a canned help message.
Grounded Replies From Your Docs
The SMS agent answers from the same uploaded knowledge as website chat. Text-only in this version: picture attachments are ignored while the message body is still processed.
Human Handoff With Transcript
Escalate complex SMS threads to a person with the full text history attached, then continue from the same conversation instead of starting over on another channel.
Channel Analytics With the Rest of Chat
Track SMS volume, resolution, and handoff alongside other chat channels so text is not a black box next to WhatsApp reports.
Setup Guide
Go Live on SMS in Four Steps
If Twilio is already connected for voice, you can reuse that number for SMS. One SMS channel per project keeps routing unambiguous.
Connect a Twilio Number
From channel settings, choose an org Twilio DID. Botcadence saves it as the project SMS identifier and sets the Twilio messaging webhook when credentials work; otherwise paste the URL from channel settings.
Train From Existing Knowledge
Reuse the documents, links, and prompts already powering website chat. You do not maintain a separate SMS script.
Confirm STOP and HELP Behavior
Inbound STOP keywords opt the profile out of later SMS-channel sends. HELP returns a short canned reply. Agent turns still run for every other inbound text.
Text the Number and Watch the Inbox
Send a test SMS, confirm the conversation appears, and expand to production once replies match your brand voice.
Pilot the first workflow
Launch one sms chatbot path with a clear audience, approved content, owner, and success measure before adding more intents.
Review outcomes before expanding
Review transcripts, completion rates, and handoff reasons with the people who own sms chatbot. Expand only after the first path is dependable.
See SMS in the Same Inbox as WhatsApp
Book a demo and we will connect a Twilio number, send a test text, and show STOP handling plus a live agent reply.
Example workflow
After-hours SMS appointment question resolved without a callback
A customer texts your Twilio business number after close asking about tomorrow's availability. Botcadence replies from your knowledge base, captures a name and service type, and keeps the thread in the same inbox as WhatsApp.
Trigger
Customer texts the business DID
At 8:40 PM a shopper texts the same number they call, asking whether you have a 10 AM slot and what to bring to the appointment.
AI action
SMS agent answers from docs and qualifies
The Botcadence SMS chatbot answers from uploaded hours and intake notes in your knowledge base, then asks for a name and service type.
System update
Conversation logged on the customer profile
Botcadence stores the E.164 number, tags the thread as SMS, and keeps STOP keywords ready so a later opt-out blocks SMS-channel sends.
Business outcome
The morning desk starts with a qualified text, not a voicemail
Staff see the SMS history next to other chat channels, reducing missed after-hours demand without staffing a night phone.
Trigger
Customer texts the business DID
At 8:40 PM a shopper texts the same number they call, asking whether you have a 10 AM slot and what to bring to the appointment.
AI action
SMS agent answers from docs and qualifies
The Botcadence SMS chatbot answers from uploaded hours and intake notes in your knowledge base, then asks for a name and service type.
System update
Conversation logged on the customer profile
Botcadence stores the E.164 number, tags the thread as SMS, and keeps STOP keywords ready so a later opt-out blocks SMS-channel sends.
Business outcome
The morning desk starts with a qualified text, not a voicemail
Staff see the SMS history next to other chat channels, reducing missed after-hours demand without staffing a night phone.
The Transformation
SMS as an Inbox vs One-Off Text Blasts
Treat SMS like WhatsApp and web chat: inbound conversation, shared knowledge, and a human path, not a disconnected bulk sender.
| Capability | Without AI | With Botcadence |
|---|---|---|
| After-hours texts | Voicemail or an unanswered thread until morning | Instant AI reply from your knowledge base, 24/7 |
| Number ownership | A second short code or a vendor-owned sender | Your Twilio DID, optionally the same one used for voice |
| Compliance keywords | Manual STOP handling or none at all | Canned STOP confirmation and HELP reply, then opt-out stored on the profile |
Industries
SMS Automation Across Industries
Wherever customers already text a business number, Botcadence puts an AI agent on that DID without splitting voice and chat into two products.
Operations owners
People responsible for making sms chatbot consistent across shifts, locations, or queues.
Teams scaling volume
Teams that want to scale coverage for sms chatbot without losing visibility, guardrails, or a clear human owner.
Common Questions
SMS Chatbot FAQ
Ready to Answer Every Text?
Put a Botcadence SMS chatbot on the number customers already have. Same knowledge, same inbox, STOP honored.